Mid-Term Break

Introduction: The poem Mid-Term Break is a poem from Heaneys first collection, Death of a
Naturalist. Similarly to other poems of the collection, this poem is highly autobiographical
and draws from Heaneys own childhood memories. Heaneys brother, Christopher had died
in an accident at the age of 4, while Heaney was away at school, and the aftermath of this
traumatic event is captured in this poem.
Point 1 Creation of the atmosphere
Initial foreshadowing
- college sick bay immediately shows death and illness forebodes death
- bells knelling metaphor hints at funeral bells reminding of death
Reactions of people around the persona
- Father had always taken funerals in his stride this one is different (father has
been a figure of strength throughout the collection) something must be different -
emphasises this
- Big Jim Evans figure of strength hard blow metaphor tells us it is a real loss +
unintentionally the worst pun ever.
- old men shaking his hand role reversal out of respect trying to be reassuring
- Mother so sad she is unable to cry anymore
Point 2 perspective of the child how he is distanced
Whispers informed people not talking to him he is viewing everything from afar
first time in six weeks distanced relationship
Doesnt name his brother
- the corpse
- the room no longer his room
Peaceful atmosphere/no blunt descriptions
- snowdrops soothing/calming/mother nature/natural beauty/purity of life at
odds with previous day
- soothed the bedside personification emphasises calmness
- Paler now could just be ill
- wearing he has put it on/active
- poppy bruise WW1 fragility of life blood and death
- cot he could well be sleeping first time he has been referred to
simplicity/detachment
- no gaudy scars he doesnt look dramatically injured surprised at how mundane
death looks
Point 3 Title/last line/structure
The title Mid-Term Break is a misleading one. Whatever the readers expectation from a
literal interpretation of the title, these expectations will be subverted through the reading of
the poem. The poem is not about a reprise of a break in the middle of a school term but
about a break from staying at the Boarding School for the speaker who has to return home
to attend to his younger brothers funeral. Death is seen through the eyes of the older
brother through the 1st person narrative voice. This misleading of the readers is a
commonality between many of Heaneys poems, such as Black-berry Picking which provides
a much more innocent impression of the poem that is eventually subverted in the
progression of the poem.
Last line
- Stanza has been cut short just like his life
- Only rhyming couplet makes the line stand out
- Heavy f sound strengthens the depressing mood of the poem as it emphasizes the
brevity of the boys life that had resulted in his death at the tender age of four.
Iambic pentameter
- This coupled with the structure of the tercets, with the exception of the final line,
provides a stately and measured pace, giving the poem an elegiac quality that is
fitting for the subject matter of the poem.
Time
- Line 2 c sound brings in time slow passing
- Important theme