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Comment 7 of 7, added on June 10th, 2008 at 1:23 PM.
"The Tollund Man is in Denmark so why is anyone equating this poem with Irish Catholicism vs. Protestantism?"
Er.. sorry but you are clearly missing the point. It is so clearly linked to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Firstly, the Tollund man is seen as a sacrificial victim. Heaney relates this to the victims of the Troubles - all those that were willing to sacrifice their lives.
Part II of the poem is so clearly about the victims of the troubles. He prays to the Tollund man on behalf of the victims of the Troubles to resurrect them. The reference to the "four young brothers" is based on a true story - from the early 20th century in Ireland - when four men were murdered and their bodies laid out along a railway line for a train to then run over them. Thereby described by "tell-tale skin and teeth/flecking the sleepers".
Finally the next very obvious point is the last stanza where he points out "I will feel lost/Unhappy and at home". He is not from Denmark - therefore why would he feel at home??? Well, because he can relate the ancient tribal violence that took place there with the tribal like violence taking place in Northern Ireland. His point with this poem is getting the point across that the human race has not "civilised" any more over the centuries. We are still the same violent race that murders over religion.
Anyway, thought I would point that out to you as you were clearly missing the point of this poem.
Cheers.
Sara from United Kingdom
Comment 6 of 7, added on June 26th, 2007 at 3:27 AM.
OK, I see very clearly in the last two paragraphs why they are equating it with Irish Catholicism/Protestantic strife. (It's a bit of the problem that you can't be looking at the poems as you are commenting.)
But the fear of the outsider is very much as alive in the modern age of religion as it was in the Pagan times of the Tollund Man when the villagers would be pointing a finger... humanity doesn't seem to change in that regard. So Heany is saying that if he visited, he would recognize those feelings of being the outsider or being somehow suspect.
Getting back to the poem, I do so love the way he talks about giving the body back to the earth (the goddess) where she will make a saint of him and how he explores the theme of why he was killed -- was he sacrificed or was he guilty of some wrong-doing? All the more ponderable due to his beautific look being preserved in death.
ea
Comment 5 of 7, added on June 26th, 2007 at 3:17 AM.
The Tollund Man is in Denmark so why is anyone equating this poem with Irish Catholicism vs. Protestantism? He's from much farther back in time than all that and why are people degrading Heaney in these comments-- as if most people aren't fascinated by what remains in the way of Egyptian mummies or even the recent find of the Ice Man in Austria?
To me this is a beautifully rendered, poetic illustration of something that you might only have had a chance to read a more scientific account of, This lends the Tollund Man a mystical air and makes you wonder what life must have been like for people in these times; I much prefer this to seeing a movie and yet no one would criticize any director for putting a peatbog person at the center of some drama.
ea
Comment 4 of 7, added on May 3rd, 2006 at 8:50 PM.
it seemed to me to be about necrophilia...maybe I'm crazy...I'm pretty sure it's cause Heaney was a little strange
Chris from United States
Comment 3 of 7, added on March 27th, 2006 at 4:00 PM.
People, it is a metaphor for the battle between catholic Ireland and Protestand England. I thought the British were suppose to be intellectually superior to us. Pfft.
carley from Canada
Comment 2 of 7, added on March 21st, 2006 at 12:12 PM.
Omg why oh why does seamus heaney feel the need to go on and on and on? We get the point - the tollund guy wasnt decomposed...and? Seamus - get a life and write about things that matter because if i fail my a-levels because of you there will be hell!!!!!!!
Rebecca from United Kingdom
Comment 1 of 7, added on October 8th, 2005 at 4:15 AM.
a very good poem though too long i think as it has not specified on the actual tollund man just the srrounds.
emily coley from United Kingdom
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"The Tollund Man is in Denmark so why is anyone equating this poem with Irish Catholicism vs. Protestantism?"
Er.. sorry but you are clearly missing the point. It is so clearly linked to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Firstly, the Tollund man is seen as a sacrificial victim. Heaney relates this to the victims of the Troubles - all those that were willing to sacrifice their lives.
Part II of the poem is so clearly about the victims of the troubles. He prays to the Tollund man on behalf of the victims of the Troubles to resurrect them. The reference to the "four young brothers" is based on a true story - from the early 20th century in Ireland - when four men were murdered and their bodies laid out along a railway line for a train to then run over them. Thereby described by "tell-tale skin and teeth/flecking the sleepers".
Finally the next very obvious point is the last stanza where he points out "I will feel lost/Unhappy and at home". He is not from Denmark - therefore why would he feel at home??? Well, because he can relate the ancient tribal violence that took place there with the tribal like violence taking place in Northern Ireland. His point with this poem is getting the point across that the human race has not "civilised" any more over the centuries. We are still the same violent race that murders over religion.
Anyway, thought I would point that out to you as you were clearly missing the point of this poem.
Cheers.
Sara from United Kingdom