CONTEXTUALLY SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS INFROM IDEAS OF UNIVERSAL INTERESTS Essay

CONTEXTUALLY SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS INFROM IDEAS OF UNIVERSAL INTERESTS AND VICEVERSA - Essay Example He uses his words and poetry as a tool to demonstrate and describe his personal interpretation of various dogmas of society pertaining life and identity. Consequently the readers observe that the poet deals with some common themes like self identity, human roots, role reversal and progression and respect for hard labor in majority of his poems hence all these themes are also incorporated in the poems Follower and Digging. However although these themes contextually appear to be poet’s major thematic concerns yet these themes are also a reflection of universal human behavior and interests. Both the poems Follower and Digging take the readers on a journey down the memory lane where the poet is observed to be recalling two incidents of joy and pride from his pasts regarding his father and grandfather. The Follower depicts a tale of a young child who idealizes his father and his profession i.e. farming and reflects on the child’s feelings about his future when he will also g et a chance to walk in his father’s footsteps and will be able to work on his beloved lands. The poem also deals with an interesting phenomenon of life i.e. life comes in full circle and evolution under the context that when a child is young he idealizes his father as he sees him at a high pedestal where he can never expect himself to reach that point. Yet as he grows up ultimately he out shines his father’s glory and succeeds his father and then his father is the one who looks up to his son’s success. On the other hand in the poem Digging the poet talks about the pride he feels in being a farmer just like his father and grandfather. He states his joy at the laborious work that his ancestors have done and reflects on the contentment of an Irish man over his accomplishment in life that is by working hard in the fields through out his life. However he also hints upon the changing times where he thinks that his pen is his weapon to succeed in life although he is no t ashamed of his roots in fact he still finds it delightful to work on the lands along with using the pen as a tool for a better future. Self identity of a person is the sole constituent that makes up a personality of a human being because it is a proof against an individual’s individuality and an independent existence as it forms the foundation of a man’s ego and self esteem. Subsequently it is a natural human instinct to struggle in life in order to retain his independence and never let another individual question his identity for this reason every individual feels pride over his roots as his heritage also provides him self confidence. Hence Heaney is also observed to be extensively incorporating the theme of identity in both the poems Followers and Digging which reflects on the Poet’s feeling regarding his life history. As Kenneally (1995) also states, â€Å"the mystical authority of poetry has its analogue in the mystical authority of a particular conceptio n of Ireland, and it is no accident that one of the terms which discussion of Heaney’s poetry and discussion of Irish cultural Politics have in common is ‘Identity’† (p.180). Kenneally also reiterates that Heaney’s poems are, â€Å"carefully structured to give the notion of identity pride of place in Heaney’s critical orientation† (p.180). The readers while reading the poem sense the importance that the poet puts in the profession of his ancestors as he believes that farming is his actual identity although he might seek other means to succeed in life. As the poet also states in Digging, â€Å"He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep To scatter new