'Follower' by Seamus Heaney
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My father worked with a horse-plough,
His shoulders globed like a full sail strung
Between the shafts and the furrow.
The horse strained at his clicking tongue.
An expert. He would set the wing
And fit the bright steel-pointed sock.
The sod rolled over without breaking.
At the headrig, with a single pluck
Of reins, the sweating team turned round
And back into the land. His eye
Narrowed and angled at the ground,
Mapping the furrow exactly.
I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake,
Fell sometimes on the polished sod;
Sometimes he rode me on his back
Dipping and rising to his plod.
I wanted to grow up and plough,
To close one eye, stiffen my arm.
All I ever did was follow
In his broad shadow round the farm.
I was a nuisance, tripping, falling,
Yapping always. But today
It is my father who keeps stumbling
Behind me, and will not go away.
Submitted by Andrew Mayers
Editor 1 Interpretation
Follower: An Analysis of Seamus Heaney's Classic Poem
"I was a nuisance, tripping, falling, Yapping always."
These are the opening lines of Seamus Heaney's classic poem, "Follower," which was first published in his 1966 collection, "Death of a Naturalist." The poem is a powerful portrayal of a father-son relationship, and the speaker's admiration for his father.
Heaney was a renowned Irish poet, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. He was known for his poignant, yet simple, poems that dealt with everyday experiences and emotions. "Follower" is one such poem, which captures the struggles and successes of a young boy who wants to follow in his father's footsteps.
An Overview of the Poem
"Follower" is a 16-line poem, written in free verse. The poem is divided into two stanzas, with eight lines each. The first stanza describes the speaker's childhood memories of his father, and the second stanza portrays the present relationship between the two.
The poem begins with the speaker reminiscing about his childhood, where he sees his father as a "shoulder-high" figure who was "mapping the furrow." He describes his father's skilled plowing, and how he followed him "with a single pluck of reins." The speaker's admiration for his father is evident in these lines, as he describes him as "an expert."
In the second stanza, the speaker describes the present relationship between him and his father. He says that he has grown up and has become a "man who has chased" his father "like a hungry dog." However, he admits that he is not as skilled as his father, and feels guilty for not being able to replicate his father's expertise. The poem ends with the speaker acknowledging that he has become the "follower," and his father, the "leader."
The Theme of Father-Son Relationship
The most prominent theme in "Follower" is the relationship between a father and his son. Heaney portrays this relationship through the eyes of the speaker, who admires his father's abilities and skills. The poem is filled with imagery that portrays the father as a figure of authority and expertise. The speaker sees his father as a leader, who is in control and knows what he is doing.
The father is also portrayed as a hard-working individual, who spends hours tilling the fields. He is a man who takes pride in his work, and his skills are admired by the speaker. This admiration is evident in the line, "An expert. He would set the wing/ And fit the bright steel-pointed sock."
However, as the poem progresses, the speaker realizes that he is not able to replicate his father's skills. He feels guilty for not being able to follow in his father's footsteps. This is evident in the line, "But I've no spade to follow men like them." The speaker's inability to match his father's expertise creates a sense of tension in the poem, and Heaney portrays this tension effectively through the use of imagery.
The Use of Imagery
Heaney's use of imagery is central to the success of the poem. He uses vivid descriptions of the father and his skills to create a powerful image of a hard-working, skilled individual. The poem is filled with images of plowing, tilling, and farming, which create a sense of rural life and hard work.
The imagery used in the poem also creates a contrast between the father and the son. The father is portrayed as a skilled plower, who can control the horses with a single pluck of the reins. The son, on the other hand, is described as a "nuisance," who is always "tripping, falling" and "yapping." This contrast creates a sense of tension in the poem, as the son struggles to match his father's expertise.
Heaney's use of imagery is also evident in his description of the father as a "shoulder-high" figure. This creates an image of the father as a towering figure, who is in control and knows what he is doing. The use of the word "shoulder-high" also creates a sense of admiration for the father, as the son looks up to him.
The Use of Sound
Heaney's use of sound is also significant in the poem. The poem is written in free verse, but there is a sense of rhythm and flow that is created through the use of sound. The poem is filled with alliteration and assonance, which creates a sense of musicality in the poem.
For example, the alliteration in the line, "His shoulders globed like a full sail strung" creates a sense of rhythm in the poem. The repetition of the "s" sound in this line creates a sense of movement, as if the father is moving forward with great force.
Heaney also uses assonance in the poem to create a sense of harmony. The repetition of the "i" sound in the line, "And will not go away" creates a sense of unity in the poem. The use of sound in the poem creates a musicality that is reminiscent of Heaney's love for traditional Irish music.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Follower" is a powerful poem that captures the struggles and successes of a young boy who wants to follow in his father's footsteps. Heaney's use of imagery and sound creates a vivid picture of a hard-working, skilled father, who is admired by his son. The contrast between the father and the son creates a sense of tension in the poem, as the son struggles to match his father's expertise. Ultimately, the poem is a portrayal of the love and respect that a son has for his father, and the realization that he has become the "follower," and his father, the "leader." Heaney's use of simple, yet poignant language, makes "Follower" a classic poem that is loved by readers all over the world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Seamus Heaney's "Follower" is a classic poem that explores the relationship between a father and son. The poem is a nostalgic reflection on the speaker's childhood memories of his father, who was a farmer. The poem is written in free verse and consists of six stanzas, each with four lines. The poem is rich in imagery and metaphor, and it captures the essence of the speaker's relationship with his father.
The poem begins with the speaker describing his father's work on the farm. Heaney uses vivid imagery to describe the father's work, "His shoulders globed like a full sail strung/ Between the shafts and the furrow." The metaphor of the "full sail" suggests that the father is a powerful figure, capable of great strength and endurance. The image of the "shafts and the furrow" suggests the father's connection to the land, and his ability to work the soil.
The second stanza introduces the speaker's own memories of his childhood, "I was a nuisance, tripping, falling/Yapping always." The speaker's memories are contrasted with the father's strength and stability. The father is described as "an expert" who "could set the wing/ And fit the bright steel-pointed sock." The father's expertise is contrasted with the speaker's clumsiness, suggesting that the speaker was not cut out for farm work.
The third stanza introduces the theme of the speaker's admiration for his father, "But today/ It is my father who keeps stumbling/ Behind me, and will not go away." The speaker's admiration for his father is evident in the way he describes the father's persistence, "His voice is thick with love and admiration." The father's love for his son is evident in his willingness to follow him, even though he is no longer capable of leading.
The fourth stanza introduces the theme of the speaker's guilt, "I wanted to grow up and plough/ To close one eye, stiffen my arm." The speaker's desire to be like his father is contrasted with his inability to do so. The speaker's guilt is evident in the way he describes his own inadequacy, "All I ever did was follow/ In his broad shadow round the farm."
The fifth stanza introduces the theme of the speaker's regret, "I was a nuisance, tripping, falling/ Yapping always." The speaker's regret is evident in the way he describes his own behavior as a child, "But today/ It is my father who keeps stumbling/ Behind me, and will not go away." The speaker's regret is also evident in the way he describes his father's aging, "His eye/ Narrowed and angled at the ground/ Mapping the furrow exactly."
The final stanza introduces the theme of the speaker's acceptance of his own limitations, "I have no spade to follow men like them." The speaker's acceptance is evident in the way he describes his own limitations, "Between my finger and my thumb/ The squat pen rests. I'll dig with it." The pen is a metaphor for the speaker's own limitations, and his acceptance of them. The speaker's acceptance is also evident in the way he describes his father's aging, "His shoulders/ Shone with the animal sweat of labour."
In conclusion, Seamus Heaney's "Follower" is a classic poem that explores the relationship between a father and son. The poem is a nostalgic reflection on the speaker's childhood memories of his father, who was a farmer. The poem is rich in imagery and metaphor, and it captures the essence of the speaker's relationship with his father. The poem explores themes of admiration, guilt, regret, and acceptance. The poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of family, and the enduring bond between a father and son.
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