Mid-Term Break and Digging

... A Comparison of Mid-Term Break and Digging I am comparing two poems by Seamus Heaney- `Mid-Term Break` and `Digging`. Both of the poems are written about his childhood and his family. The first poem I analysed was `Mid-Term Break`, where the simple and straight forward title `Break` caught my attention suggesting to me that this poem is going to be a positive experience, a break from work, a time to relax. The commencing stanza, the first line reads, "I sat all morning in the college sick bay", which has connotation of depression, illness and suffering suggested from the word `sick`. Also with the reference to college the reader gathers that the boy is in his late teens. Second line, "Counting bells knelling classes to a close", the word `knelling` in that line is associated with funerals and death so we get the feeling that something might be wrong

want to read more? →