The Follower is a well known poem written by Seamus Heaney. The theme of this poem is childhood and relationships. When the poet was a young child he was full of awe and wonder for the type of man his father was. The poem has a rural setting, it is set on a farm and the poet's father was a farmer. This is a poem of admiration. it is not set in modern times as the plough was horse drawn, " My father worked with a horse plough". In the poem the poet acknowledges that his father was an "expert" in his field, and within the poem there is a suggestion that the father had great power.
The poem is written in the point of view of an adult looking back on his childhood. He reminisces about how his father gave him so much time. in the final stanza we arrive at the present day. Now, the relationship has become a full circle. The son is now in his prime.
Personally, I really like this poem as it proves how much people can change from time to time. In the pst the father was in his prime and the son was the "follower" but now they have swapped roles, the son is now in his prime and it is now the father who is the "follower".
Danny Mahon
The poem is written in the point of view of an adult looking back on his childhood. He reminisces about how his father gave him so much time. in the final stanza we arrive at the present day. Now, the relationship has become a full circle. The son is now in his prime.
Personally, I really like this poem as it proves how much people can change from time to time. In the pst the father was in his prime and the son was the "follower" but now they have swapped roles, the son is now in his prime and it is now the father who is the "follower".
Danny Mahon