Death of a Naturalist

Introduction The titular poem of Heaneys first collection Death of a Naturalist embodies
the ideas of growing up and a loss of innocence that the entire collection is concerned with.
Similar to poems such as Mid-Term Break or Blackberry Picking the poem draws upon a
specific memory in Heaneys childhood. The poet uses the changes in the speakers attitude
towards the natural world in order to convey the concerns of growing up and the loss of
innocence. The death referred to in this poem is metaphorical and refers to the loss of
innocent enthusiasm of a child as the realities of life begin to be sensed but not quite
understood. A naturalist is, of course, someone who spends time enthusiastically studying
nature.
This poem is similar to Blackberry Picking, not only in subject but also in structure. This
poem is set out in two stanzas of blank verse and Heaney explains a change in his attitude to
the natural world.
Point 1 Young Heaney as a naturalist and avid observer of nature
First four lines the speaker describes the physical landscape of Ireland.
- Flax-dam is rotting
- Green has connotations with sickness perhaps creating an ominous image of
disease started by the rotting straw.
- First four lines allow the reader to anticipate the speakers later disillusionment with
nature (point 3), while imagery shows Heaney as an avid observer of nature.
Wonderment of nature/beauty of natural landscape
- Bubbles starkly contrast the rotting straw (delicate nature of bubbles emphasised by
plosives which mirror bubbles popping)
- Dragonflies and spotted butterflies show beauty of nature
- warm thick slobber of frogspawn is best of all yet the speakers fascination with it
shows the observations are from a young boy (Heaney) who had been a naturalist
who appreciated all facets of nature.
Observation of tadpoles illustrates Heaneys fascination with nature as a child
- His innocence is emphasised by alliteration and assonance
Mrs Walls assumed to be a teacher
- Constant reminder of childs perspective
- Doesnt focus on reproduction, he moves onto the weather
Point 2 Intensity of traumatic experience
The second stanza is shorter than the first and takes on a different tone.
- Shift is signaled by Then also signifies that the loss of innocence is not gradual
like Early Purges.
 - course croaking contributes to tone guttural sound mimics sound of the frogs.
Creates aggressive tone and disillusionment towards this aspect of nature.
- Thick air + bass chorus = unbearable for a child.
obscene threats + war imagery
- invaded, mud grenades, cocked, sail- armada
- Creates dissonance as descriptions are coming from a child who previously
expressed such innocence.
- Traumatising incident has resulted in a loss of innocence.
turns and runs
- Evil image conjured up by great slime kings
- Sense of revulsion
- Feels powerless in presence of frogs
- Speakers fear intensified with the nightmarish image on the final line
- clutching him as though this traumatising incident will forever hold a grip on him
Point 3 Heaneys disillusionment towards nature which comes with Heaneys realisation
that not everything in life is all as it seems.
Looking back on the first stanza
- Disgust was always there, he never realised it
- Linked through frogs on sods
Contrast when frogs are described as angry and invasive
- Contrast with first stanza where he had looked up to/admired and enjoyed watching
them
- Shows disillusionment
They no longer evoke the same sense of wonderment and fascination
- nimble-swimming tadpoles gross-bellied frogs
Conclusion
The poem recreates and examines an important moment in Heaneys childhood life. Second
poem of the collection and explains something that is learned/realised in the process of
ageing.
I believe that the tone shows Heaney to view this loss of innocence as a traumatic almost
painful event.