Objectives

• Analyse how Heaney uses diction, syntax and religious register in sections I–III to construct the Tollund Man as both sacrificial victim and secular saint.
• Identify and explain the structural function of the poem's three numbered sections, showing how each shifts the speaker's emotional and geographical position.
• Trace the connection Heaney draws between Iron Age ritual killing and modern sectarian murder in Northern Ireland, using specific quotations from sections I and II.
• Evaluate the tension in the closing phrase 'lost, / unhappy and at home,' explaining how it encapsulates the poem's central argument about violence, memory and belonging.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that integrates quotation, contextual knowledge of the Troubles and P. V. Glob's The Bog People, and a clear interpretive claim.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: What the Bog Holds: Close Reading Sections I–III of 'The Tollund Man'

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Without looking at notes, I can say that the Northern Irish Troubles were a period of conflict primarily between nationalists, who wanted to unite Ireland, and unionists, who wanted to remain part of the UK. It involved political, social, and sectarian violence that lasted for several decades, significantly affecting the lives of many in Northern Ireland. As for a peat bog, I think it might serve as a metaphor for memory, representing how the past can be buried and preserved beneath layers of time, much like how peat forms over centuries.

   Teacher input

   Read section I aloud ('Some day I will go to Aarhus… bridegroom to the goddess'). Examine how the phrase 'I could risk blasphemy' functions: the modal 'could' indicates uncertainty, while 'blasphemy' brings in a religious tone, elevating the Tollund Man to a sacred status. The enjambment between 'blasphemy / Consecrate' embodies the very act of consecration it describes. Emphasize to students that Heaney isn't merely depicting a corpse — he is crafting a ritual, with the speaker acting as its priest. Annotate the passage on the board, highlighting diction, syntax, and register collectively.

   Independent task

   Students will annotate their copies of sections II and III, working quietly for fifteen minutes. In section II, they need to find at least two instances where Heaney shifts from the Danish past to the Irish present—quoting the exact lines and writing a sentence to explain the linguistic or structural elements that facilitate this transition. For instance, they might discuss the sudden mention of "four young brothers, trailed / for miles along the lines" and how the precision of "four" and "miles" ties myth to real events. In section III, students should write two sentences about how the Jutland landscape—described as "flat countries," "umber," and "dark-bowelled"—reflects Ulster, along with one sentence addressing why the poem concludes with a paradox instead of a clear resolution. Finally, students will submit their annotated copies, complete with marginal notes and the written sentences.

   Exit ticket

   In exactly two sentences, explain why Heaney uses the word 'pray' in section I and what it tells us about whether he believes poetry can actually redeem the dead.

2. Lesson 2: 'Lost, Unhappy and at Home': Writing an Analytical Paragraph on Sacrifice and Belonging

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   The paradox "unhappy and at home" in the final four lines of 'The Tollund Man' suggests a sense of belonging that is overshadowed by sorrow, highlighting how one can feel a profound connection to a place yet still experience deep dissatisfaction. The word "unhappy" stands out to me as surprising because it contrasts sharply with the idea of being "at home," which typically evokes feelings of comfort and safety.

   Teacher input

   Heaney closes the poem not with resolution but with a deliberately paradoxical acceptance of violence as the shared condition of ancient Jutland and modern Ulster. The phrase "lost," followed by a line break, creates a pause that enacts the disorientation experienced by the speaker, which is then confirmed by "unhappy." This moment captures the speaker's deep sense of alienation, reflecting broader themes found in P. V. Glob's The Bog People, where the past continuously echoes in the present. Furthermore, the speaker's disconnection is not just personal but political, as it implicates the ongoing Troubles in Northern Ireland, revealing how historical violence shapes contemporary identity. By employing the term "enacts" throughout, the analysis remains focused on how these elements interact, avoiding mere plot summary and instead emphasizing the complexities of loss, disappointment, and belonging—ultimately culminating in the haunting refrain "lost, / unhappy and at home."

   Independent task

   Heaney uses the figure of the Tollund Man to delve into the unsettling connection between ancient rituals and contemporary political violence. By referring to the Tollund Man as a “bridegroom to the goddess,” Heaney evokes a sense of sacredness around the sacrificial act, utilizing a reverent diction that contrasts sharply with the brutal violence of modern conflicts. This phrase suggests a deep spiritual significance behind ancient practices, hinting at a time when human life was intertwined with the divine. In contrast, the portrayal of “four young brothers” in a later section brings forth a stark, painful image of familial loss amid modern strife. The syntax here conveys a sense of abruptness, emphasizing the suddenness of their demise and the everyday nature of violence in Heaney's context. The line break after “lost,” serves to heighten the emotional weight of their absence, leaving readers to grapple with the silence that follows. Ultimately, Heaney’s method of intertwining these historical references reflects the turbulent backdrop of the Troubles, where ancient echoes of sacrifice resonate uncomfortably with the realities of modern sectarian conflict.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining what you think Heaney's poem ultimately argues: does it suggest that poetry can redeem victims of political violence, or does it accept that it cannot — and which single word or phrase from the poem most supports your answer?

Activities

Assessment

• Do-Now (Lesson 1): checks prior knowledge of the Troubles and readiness to think metaphorically about landscape before the poem is read.
• Annotated copy of sections II and III (Lesson 1 independent task): checks whether students can locate specific moments of temporal shift and explain the linguistic feature that creates them.
• Exit ticket (Lesson 1): checks whether students understand that Heaney's use of 'pray' signals doubt about poetry's redemptive power, not confident faith in it.
• Do-Now (Lesson 2): checks whether students can identify paradox and notice surprising diction before teacher input begins.
• Exit ticket (Lesson 2): checks whether students can form an interpretive argument about the poem's final position on poetry and redemption, and anchor it in a specific word or phrase.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.
• W.11-12.9 — draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection and research.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (Skill 1.A) — make a defensible claim about the whole poem that requires defence through evidence and analysis.
• Explain the function of structure (Skill 2.B) — explain how the three-part numbered structure of 'The Tollund Man' contributes to the development of the speaker's argument.
• Explain the function of word choice and imagery (Skill 3.B) — analyse how Heaney's diction ('blasphemy,' 'bridegroom,' 'outlandish yet homely') and imagery of the bog body shape meaning and tone.
• Use of evidence (Skill 7.B) — select and use relevant evidence from the poem to support an interpretive claim, embedding quotation within the student's own syntax.

AQA

• AO1 — articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including Heaney's use of religious register, enjambment and paradox in 'The Tollund Man.'
• AO3 — demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, specifically the Northern Irish Troubles (1969–1972) and P. V. Glob's The Bog People.
• AO4 — explore connections across literary texts, relevant where students compare 'The Tollund Man' with other poems in the Heaney selection or wider reading.

Edexcel

• AO1 — articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in Heaney's use of structure, diction and imagery across the three sections of 'The Tollund Man.'
• AO3 — demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which 'The Tollund Man' was written (Troubles, 1969–1972) and received (critical debate about aestheticising political violence).

IB Lit

• Criterion A — knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate understanding of the poem's three-part structure and the speaker's shifting relationship to the Tollund Man, the Troubles and the Jutland landscape.
• Criterion B — analysis and evaluation: analyse how Heaney's choices of diction, syntax and form (enjambment, numbered sections, paradox) shape meaning and achieve effects.
• Criterion D — language: use precise, subject-specific vocabulary and embed quotation effectively in analytical writing.