Page 1: Structural Analysis and Grief Portrayal
The opening section establishes the fundamental comparison between two poems dealing with themes of loss and grief in Robert Frost's "Out, Out-" and Seamus Heaney's "The Summer of Lost Rachel". The analysis delves into their structural differences and thematic approaches.
Heaney's poem employs an elegiac structure with nine stanzas and a loose ABCB rhyme scheme, creating a personal memorial to his niece Rachel. The poet serves as both narrator and family representative, using inclusive pronouns to create a sense of shared grief.
Highlight: Heaney's use of "we" and "our" develops a sense of collective mourning and family unity.
Frost's poem takes a markedly different approach, utilizing a single stanza with a storytelling quality that chronicles a farm accident. The poem's structure mirrors its content through rapid pacing and enjambment.
Example: The lack of stanza breaks and use of enjambment in "Out, Out-" creates a breathless pace that reflects the sudden nature of the tragedy.
The analysis explores their contrasting approaches to grief portrayal. Heaney employs pathetic fallacy and emotional metaphors, while Frost maintains a detached perspective.
Quote: "The whole summer was waterlogged" - demonstrating Heaney's use of weather as a metaphor for grief.
Vocabulary: Pathetic fallacy - the attribution of human emotions or characteristics to nature or inanimate objects.
