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The Jaguar

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The Jaguar
Poetry Reading Assignment:

By referring to The Early Purges by Seamus Heaney and The Jaguar by Ted Hughes, show how well you feel the poet has described his experiences. Refer to the ways in which he brought these experiences to life for you and explain what made them memorable.

Introduction:
In The Early Purges by Seamus Heaney, the poet is remembering a childhood experience. It deals with the necessary killing of farmyard pests, telling us why they must be killed in order to run an effective farm. It gives us an insight into the ways of farmyard life and the manner in which pests are dealt with. It explores the harsh reality of life; the knowledge and understanding that comes with age and experience that certain things must happen in life that we may find difficult or impossible. Young Heaney was deeply affected by what he saw, however upon reflection he became insensate and unmoved by the experience saying, 'It makes sense.'
In The Jaguar by Ted Hughes, the poet describes a visit to the zoo, the inferiority and disappointment of many animals, and then the superior and spectacular jaguar that teaches us that if we are strong enough within ourselves we will never be trapped or imprisoned. It describes a man upon a visit to the zoo, expressing his letdown at the lackadaisical scene of the various encaged animals. He is enthralled by the Jaguar who seems extramurally beyond the confines of the zoo, and all who witness are captivated by the Jaguar's clearly apparent liberation.
Both poets have learned a lesson from animals; in Heaney's case he realised that we have to face difficult decisions in life, and that some day our lives will end also. On the other hand Hughes realised that our emotional strength is very important and plays a big part in our whole way of life and attitudes toward life. The jaguar taught us that we have to stay strong within, in order to cope with the troubles we may face in life.

The Early Purges deals with farm life, how

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