Exploring Seamus Heaney's Poem: When All the Others Were Away at Mass

Exploring Seamus Heaney's Poem: When All the Others Were Away at Mass

Learning Objective

Understand and explain:

• theme,
• language,
• sound and rhythm, 
• structure, 
• and context of the poem.

What do you already know about analyzing poetry?

Introduction to Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney: Renowned Irish poet, Nobel Prize winner, known for his lyrical and evocative poetry.

Theme of the Poem

Exploring the themes of family, memory, and the passage of time in the poem.

Language Analysis

Examining the use of imagery, metaphors, and descriptive language in the poem.

Sound and Rhythm

Discussing the use of alliteration, assonance, and rhythm in creating the poem's auditory impact.

Poem's Structure

Understanding the organization and form of the poem, including stanzas and line breaks.

Historical Context

Exploring the significance of the poem's setting and historical backdrop in Ireland.

Analyzing the Poem

Engaging in a collaborative analysis of select lines from the poem.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.