Scaffolding

Seamus Heaney published “Scaffolding” in 1966 as part of his collection Death of a Naturalist. Heaney wrote the poem after he had an argument with his (then future) wife, Marie Devlin, in hopes of mending their relationship following the fight. Written in the midst of the troubles in Ireland between the Northern Irish Protestants and Catholics over whether or not to remain a part of England, “Scaffolding” blends Heaney’s firsthand experiences with national, societal, and political context. “Scaffolding” can be described as a lyric poem, giving the speaker’s personal feelings and thoughts. Using extended metaphor, the poem parallels the work of masons using scaffolding as they construct a building with the work individuals must put into their relationships to make them strong and sustainable. While the poem represents Heaney’s relationship with his partner and encourages the reader to imagine their own relationships, it can also refer to the cultural relationship Irish people share, and their need to prioritize their collective experiences before their ideological differences.

Poet Biography

Seamus Heaney was born on April 13, 1939, in Northern Ireland to a Catholic family in a predominantly Protestant area.