“Mid- Term Break” by Seamus Heaney and “Remembrance” by Emily Bronte Essay Example

the sacred space of the chapel. His mother holding his hand demonstrated her support and solace towards her eldest son, possibly driven by his grief. At ten o'clock, nurses arrived with the bandaged and covered corpse. The use of the term "corpse" reflects the speaker's difficulty in accepting his little brother's death, thus avoiding mentioning him by name. Although explicit personal emotions have not been expressed thus far in this poem, there is an underlying sense of sorrow and loss throughout it. However, contrasting with the rest of the poem, there is a softer tone in its sixth stanza. This could be attributed to snowdrops symbolizing innocence and purity. The presence of lit candles creates a comforting and warm atmosphere amidst this cold and cruel tragedy. Heaney vividly describes how bruise on the child's left temple resembles a poppy due to its reddish and purple hues

The child did not perish from a prolonged illness but instead remained confined in the four-foot box resembling his crib. No visible wounds were present from the accident that led to his demise. Towards the conclusion of the poem, it is disclosed that his brother's death was an unfortunate mishap. The poet emphasizes this revelation by employing alliteration in the line "A four-foot box a foot for every year." This line holds a dual significance, signifying both that his younger brother now rests solitary within his "four-foot box" and creating an enduring image. Throughout the poem, Heaney conceals his emotions and sentiments regarding the loss. It remains uncertain how deeply he was impacted or if he ever achieved acceptance. Composing this poem may have been his method of acknowledging the

tragedy and paying tribute to his little brother's memory.

Emily Bronte, a 19th century poet, composed the poem "Remembrance" as a homage to her departed loved one. The poem commences with a lengthy line that reads, "Cold in the earth and the deep snow piled over thee." The use of the archaic term "Thee" immediately suggests that it was composed in a bygone era. In the second line, Bronte repeats the word "Cold," potentially to emphasize the deceased's actual state of being buried and dead. However, she then questions herself with, "Have I forgot my only love, to love thee?" This sentiment, akin to Heaney's poem, implies that she composed the poem long after the demise. Already, the reader can discern that Bronte is becoming more personally and emotionally engaged with the poem compared to Heaney.

She also expresses the feeling of being separated from her loved one by time and distance. She describes this separation as being "severed" by the waves of time, which gives the impression that they are separated by the ocean. In the second stanza, she continues to question herself, wondering if her thoughts still "hover" over him and if she had been good enough for him. Bronte uses the metaphor of a bird to describe how her thoughts fly and land at his grave. The lines "fern leaves cover thy noble heart for ever ever more" convey a sense of deep loneliness and eternal love. Bronte expresses that her love for her dead lover will last forever until they are reunited. It is only in the next stanza that we learn how long her loved one has been dead, as she states

that "fifteen springs have come and gone." Bronte reassures herself in this stanza that she has remained faithful and that life without him has not been easy. During Bronte's time, there was not much explicit discussion about physical intimacy, so she implies to the reader that she remained faithful both in mind and body. She mentions how others' loves and hopes surround her.

The woman's mind is filled with hopes that do not harm her, yet they distract her from her daily life. Despite feeling guilty about this, she asks for forgiveness if she occasionally forgets the person she is talking about. In the fourth stanza, she tries to reassure herself that she had remained faithful and true. "Sweet love of youth forgive me if I ever forget you." This line indicates that they had been in a romantic relationship since their youth, suggesting they met when they were young. The person she refers to died during the early stages of their romance, a time characterized by intense love. In the fifth stanza, she clarifies that no one else has ever brightened up her life; no other light compares to this special person.

The speaker discusses how her lover used to bring her happiness, but now that he is no longer with her, all of her happiness is buried along with him. She believes that her happiness has been cruelly taken away from her. However, she suddenly gathers herself and realizes that life must continue. She discovers how to live even after enduring fifteen years of suffering. Unlike Bronte, who appears unable to move forward after the death of her lover, Heaney has learned to accept the

loss of his younger brother and carry on with his life. Bronte yearns to remain unhappy. In the final stanza, Bronte remembers how she stopped crying and gradually let go of her longing for her lover. Towards the end of the poem, the poet seems conflicted about her emotions. She feels depressed and cries over the loss of her beloved, but she also acknowledges the need to move on. The phrase "Rapturous pain" perfectly encapsulates the mixed feelings experienced by the poet.

The speaker is expressing the belief that the poet, Bronte, is feeling confused and using words to convey how love can disrupt our emotions, causing disorder. In my opinion, Bronte is once again tangled in the past, indicating a lack of acceptance of her loss. On the other hand, Heaney displays minimal personal emotions and effectively restrains his feelings in his writing.