- Poet: Seamus Heaney (1939–2013)
- Year: 1966
- Form: Iambic tetrameter, six quatrains
- Key techniques: Enjambment, tonal shift, symbolism
About the poet
Seamus Heaney was a Northern Irish poet, playwright, and translator, widely regarded as one of the most significant poets of the 20th century. Born in County Derry into a Catholic farming family, Heaney’s rural upbringing profoundly influenced his work, as seen in his thematic focal points of land, labour, ancestry, and identity. He studied at Queen’s University Belfast and emerged as a major literary figure during the politically turbulent years of the Northern Irish Troubles. Heaney’s poetry blends personal memory with broader cultural and historical resonance, drawing on classical, Irish, and English literary traditions. Heaney received numerous accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. Throughout his career, he maintained a dual focus: reverence for the physical world and an ethical engagement with human cultural continuity.
Historical context
‘Follower’ is rooted in the agricultural tradition of mid-20th century rural Ireland when manual ploughing was still common and farm responsibilities were passed from father to son, but amidst rapid industrialisation such practices were becoming obsolete. The poem reflects not only a child’s admiration for paternal labour but also a broader cultural nostalgia for vanishing ways of rural life. It is also set against the backdrop of Irish history, where land ownership and rural identity are charged with political and cultural significance.
Literary context
This poem is from early in Heaney’s writing career, bridging Romantic nature poetry and modern psychological introspection. Heaney employs precise language and rural imagery to explore identity and continuity within the pastoral tradition but subverting its idealism through emotional realism and a poignant reversal of roles.
Key ideas
- Generational inheritance and legacy
- Fatherhood and masculinity
- Childhood admiration and disillusionment
- Ageing and the passage of time
- Deriving identity from family and culture
