The “Break” in Seamus Heaney’s “Mid-Term Break”

Abstract

The term “mid-term break” is frequently attributed to the half term at schools—a short vacation season for students. However, as one of Irish poet Seamus Heaney’s poem, it represents a new period, a characteristic transition from one situation to another. Through this autobiographical poem narrating his brother Christopher's death, Heaney presents a moment of death, which may happen to anyone, as far away from emotions as possible, with all its nakedness. Contrary to the event’s ordinariness, the grief triggered by death within the family causes unusual reactions, in other words, “breaks”, in all members. Even though all people within the impact circle of the event have been intensely influenced by culture and religion and accordingly they thaped theirc characteristics in these ways, they display unexpected behaviors as a result of these breaks. In this study, including a versatile analysis of the poem from history to religion, Heaney’s sudden stepping into the nature of an adult from adolescence, and how personalities shaped by culture take on different roles in the situation of pain and grief are examined.

Keywords

• Mid-term
• Ireland
• Heaney
• break
• Christopher

Seamus Heaney’in “Mid-Term Break” İsimli Şiirinde “Kırılma”

Abstract

“Mid-term break” (sömestr) terimi, sıklıkla, öğrenciler için bir eğitim yılında iki yarıyıl arasındaki kısa tatil sezonuna atfedilir. Diğer yandan, İrlandalı şair Seamus Heaney’in şiirlerinden biri olanrak—“Mid-term break”—yeni bir dönemi, bir durumdan diğerine karakteristik geçişi temsil eder. Kardeşi Christopher'ın ölümünü anlatan bu otobiyografik şiirle Heaney, herkesin başına gelebilecek bir ölüm anını, duygulardan olabildiğince uzak, tüm çıplaklığıyla sunmaktadır. Olayın olağanlığının aksine, aile içinde ölümün tetiklediği yas, tüm üyelerde olağandışı tepkilere, yani “kırılmalara” neden olmaktadır. Olayın etki çemberi içindeki tüm insanlar, kültür ve dinden yoğun bir şekilde etkilenmiş ve buna bağlı olarak karakterlerini bu yöndee şekillendirmiş olsalar da, bu kırılmalar sonucunda beklenmedik davranışlar sergilemektedirler. Şiirin, tarihten dine çok yönlü bir analizini içeren bu çalışmada, Heaney'nin ergenlik döneminden bir yetişkinin doğasına ani adım atması ve kültürün şekillendirdiği kişiliklerin acı ve keder durumunda nasıl farklı roller üstlendiği incelenmektedir.

Keywords

• Mid-term
• İrlanda
• Heaney
• kırılma
• Christopher

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