Metaphors are commonly used in poetry to reinforce deeper meanings beneath the text. Authors use these literary devices to convey general messages by making comparisons to simple ideas that readers can understand. Often, poets incorporate lengthy metaphors throughout a poem to develop clearer ideas and better understanding for the reader. Seamus Heaney uses extended metaphor to convey overarching themes of identity, self-reflection, and the act of writing in the poems "Digging," "Personal Helicon," and "From the Frontier of Writing." “Heaney distinguishes himself in his poetry in the way he applies extended metaphor and circular structure to communicate overarching themes of individual creative exploration as a writer. In his poem “Digging,” Heaney uses metaphor to describe the act of digging. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay As the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the act of digging is both literal and metaphorical. The speaker describes: “Beneath my window, a clean, hoarse noise / When the spade sinks into the gravelly ground: / My father, digging. I look down” (3-5). By the second stanza, readers get their first glimpse of the metaphor in action. The father is described as literally digging in the ground. From this description, it is assumed that the family lives on farmland and is very in tune with the natural world. As the poem progresses, readers get a better sense of the family dynamics seen in the fifth stanza: “By God, the old man could handle a cat. / Just like his old man” (15-16). At this point, the audience begins to see themes of tradition. The act of farming has stayed in the family for years, as each generation continues to dig, adding to the pressure the speaker feels to carry on the legacy. However, instead of participating in the search, he watches from his bedroom window. As he observes, he digs into his memories and recalls past experiences from his childhood. It’s not until the last stanza; “Between my finger and my thumb / The squat pen rests.” / I will dig with it” (29-31) so that readers understand that the speaker is metaphorically digging into the writing. Thinking back to the poem, the cat is actually his pencil. The metaphor expands as the speaker uses words such as "squat" to represent his perceived inferiority as a writer. This inferiority is highlighted by Heaney's positive diction in his description of the seemingly long tradition of manual labor within the family. Heaney exaggerates the agricultural environment by characterizing it as masculine and strong. Although discouraged by the generational occupation, the speaker continues to explore the world of writing. The lines of the poem show how the speaker searched his memories of the past until he found peace as a writer. The poem “Personal Helicon” uses metaphors and analogies to demonstrate the speaker's journey of exploration and self-reflection. The metaphor is immediately noticed in the title of the poem since “Helicon” is the name of a mountain in central Greece. In Greek mythology, Mount Helicon is said to be home to one of two springs called Hippocrene. A Greek tale tells the story of Narcissus, a god who was said to be cursed with death after admiring his reflection in spring and realizing that his love for himself could never be matched. This allusion to Greek mythology aims toconvey the themes of personal identity in Heaney's poem using the symbol of the well. The speaker says: “When I was a child, they couldn't keep me from the wells…I loved the dark drop, the trapped sky. , smells” (1-3). At the beginning of the poem, the speaker describes his love for the well using a childlike tone developed through Heaney's diction. However, as the stanzas continue, so does time. The speaker is getting older, which can be seen in the change in tone when he describes Good. The well is no longer perfect, but rotten and deep. This awareness is evident when the speaker describes “. . . a rat slapped my reflection” (16). The negative description of the rat illustrates the realization of adulthood. The speaker recognizes that he is no longer a child, just as Narcissus recognizes his reflection. Throughout the poem, the speaker looked into these wells and saw himself. Leaving with the realization of his thoughts, the speaker explains his passion for poetry. Unlike his father before him, the speaker has “. . . dig into the roots, touch the slime, / Look, Narcissus with big eyes, a source / Is below all adult dignity. I rhyme” (17-19). Moving away from the family tradition of manual agricultural labor, the speaker discovers his writing. He is no longer a curious young person, but rather an adult poet who digs into his family roots and past memories. By delving into the dark abysses of the past, the speaker engages in critical self-analysis and creates a stronger identity as a poet. Once again, Heaney develops an extended metaphor surrounding the act of writing itself in “From the Frontier of Writing.” » When reading the poem, the literal translation is that of a battlefield. A normal car has to be inspected by the police who continue to question passengers and invade their privacy. Heaney uses this situation as a metaphor to describe the criticism authors face after submitting their works. In the poem, we see that the first four stanzas represent the literal meaning of the poem, while the second four stanzas represent the figurative meaning. The speaker describes: “So you're moving towards the frontier of writing / where it happens again. Cannons on tripods; / the sergeant with his on-off microphone repeating” (13-15). Heaney uses militaristic language to show the intensity and scale of the criticism. In order to really elaborate on the message, Heaney expands on the metaphor that is seen throughout the tercets with continuous and intense language. This heaviness is seen until the end of the poem when the speaker notes: “And suddenly you are finished, brought to justice but released, / as if you had come from behind a waterfall” (19-21). Once all the criticism has passed, the authors are free again. Even though the process is tedious and extreme, there is a reward at the end. Once you get past the harsh criticism, things become clear. The stunt shows that outside opinions are washed away because the speaker is at peace with his writing. When you have confidence in your own abilities, nothing else matters. This continues with the final simile in which the soldiers are like shadows visible on the polished windshield (24). After the hard journey of writing, things become clear and identity strengthens. In conclusion, Heaney uses metaphors in his literature to reinforce underlying messages by making understandable comparisons. Heaney accomplished this by using recognizable components to enhance deeper understanding. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In “Digging,” Heaney uses the action of..