“Death of a Naturalist: Key Quotes”

Childhood Wonder and Curiosity

“All year the flax-dam festered in the heart / Of the townland; green and heavy headed.” Heaney starts the poem with a vivid and detailed depiction of the flax-dam, indicating the child’s fascination and the poem’s focus on nature.
“I would fill jampotfuls of the jellied / Specks to range on window sills at home.” This quote exhibits the curiosity and enthusiasm of the child in collecting and observing the frogspawn.

“The great slime kings / Were gathered there for vengeance.” The child’s fear is showcased through this quote, representing the frogs as menacing creatures now repulsive to him. The stark contrast between the child’s initial fascination and this fear signifies his loss of innocence.
“I sickened, turned, and ran.” This line marks the turning point in the poem where fascination turns into fear and disgust. This transition also embodies the child’s progression from innocence to experience.

“There were dragonflies, spotted butterflies, / But best of all was the warm thick slobber / Of frogspawn that grew like clotted water.” This quote displays the richer, more complex, and often disturbing aspects of nature that the child begins to understand. It symbolises his transformation from naivety to knowledge.
“I knew / That if I dipped my hand the spawn would clutch it.” The ending emphasises the child’s shift in perception towards the frogspawn – from attraction to repulsion - signifying a loss of childhood innocence.

“When the flax was pulling.” This quote underscores the strong link between the poem and its rural setting. It helps in creating a comprehensive image of rural life and the significance of nature in it.
“Daily it sweltered / In the punishing sun.” These lines further portray the rural setting and present a realistic depiction of the harsh and unforgiving nature of rural existence.