The Tollund Man: Poet & Context

The Tollund Man: Overview

“The Tollund Man” is one of Seamus Heaney’s most famous works; a response to the excavation of a perfectly preserved body from Jutland, Denmark.
This preserved body was thousands of years old and identified as “The Tollund Man”.
The poem, published in the “Wintering Out” collection, presents a visceral, intimate engagement with the mummified figure.

The poem was written during the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that had a profound influence on Heaney’s work. Many, including Heaney, view the poem as a commentary on violence and sacrifice.
The Tollund Man was discovered in the early 1950s and the archaeological finding fascinated Heaney, who projects a deeply poignant sense of humanity onto the figure.
It should be noted that in Danish history, it was common practice to offer ‘bog sacrifices’. These were offerings, including human bodies, ritually given to the earth in return for fertility and prosperity.

Heaney uses the Tollund Man as an analogy for the sacrifices made by the Irish people throughout the history, especially during the Troubles.
His poem laments the senseless loss of life and, indirectly, calls for an end to the violence.
He is drawn to the Tollund Man because of the aura of timelessness he represents. The Tollund Man embodies a shared human experience that transcends borders and historical periods.
In a larger context, the poem reveals a connection Heaney felt to history, and his deep belief in the value of understanding it.

“The Tollund Man” reflects the connection between violence, history and the land, a recurring theme in Heaney’s works.
Heaney’s poetry often explores the link between past and present, making his work an ongoing conversation with history.
This poem is a prime example of Heaney’s characteristic approach to history and violence: detailed, personal, and emotive, with a deep underlying sorrow for the loss of life.