CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF POEM “THE CONSTABLE CALLS”

BY
SEAMUS HEANEY

Introduction
The poem “The Constable Calls” is written by Seamus Heaney. The poem ‘A Constable Calls’ links in with
many of Heaney’s poems as they all share the theme of childhood memories. This includes ‘Mid-term
Break’, ‘Digging’, ”The Early Purges’, ‘Blackberry picking’ and ‘Follower’. This similarity expresses Heaney’s
childhood was full of events that have shaped who he is today. Just like ‘A Constable Calls’ they are memory
poems which the detail has brought the past vividly to life and are evidence of how indelibly (permanent)
these events from his childhood have been imprinted in his mind. 'A Constable Calls' is the second in a six-
part series known as "Singing School". It is the perfect example of the verse that made Heaney so popular
in his native Ireland and then all over the world.

Themes
"A Constable Calls" contains the themes of "Arithmetic fear", violence, distrust, powerlessness, fear of
authority, rotation of law around the authoritative people, conflict and threat, and childhood memories.

 Uncertainty: is a theme that we see throughout this poem. We can recognize that almost the entire
poem has a sense of ambiguity (uncertainty); this is as Heaney can never be sure of what his
emotions or his surroundings are. A quote which suggests uncertainty in the poem is when Heaney
says “his cap was upside down.” This is because it illustrates a sense of turbulence running
throughout Heaney’s mind and advocates that he cannot make sense of his surroundings. Upside
down literally describes the positioning of the policeman’s cap, however metaphorically this may
imply Heaney too is upside-down and can’t seem to foreshadow what is to come. Perhaps this is
because the policeman was dangerous, or even because Heaney’s view of Protestants had been
tainted by his parent as he grew up to see Protestants as rancorous.
 Fear: Most central idea apparent in the poem is fear. Constantly throughout the poem Heaney is
fearful of the policeman. This fear was brought about by the accessories of the policeman. For
example the quote “staring at the polished holster” signifies Heaney was petrified at the sight of
the holster- which holds guns. If the constable had a holster, then he had a gun and Heaney was
worried that the policeman would turn violent if he didn’t get what he wanted. We also know how
scared Heaney is, which is perceptible from the great detail he talks about the gun. Despite the
event happening several years ago Heaney was still able to describe the policeman’s items such as
the gun and his bike very vividly. He has never been able to evade the fear of the event, similarly to
Heaney’s other poems including: ‘Digging’; ‘The Early Purges’ and ‘Blackberry picking’.
 Distrust and fear: Distrust between a Protestant policeman and a Catholic farmer: Arithmetic and
fear’. "A Constable Calls" focuses on the minds of Irish children, who have fear in their minds and
heart regarding the authoritative powers. The conflict between Catholics and Protestants is the
main reason of it. Undoubtedly, the poem is an incident from the consciousness of the poet when
he was child. It is evident from this poem that Seamus Heaney, in his childhood, was much sensitive.
There was fear in his mind regarding policemen. Like his father, Seamus Heaney was also catholic
and Catholics did not join the police. How much hatred did the Catholics have against Protestants, it
can be seen in this poem. "A Constable Calls" is a visit of cop at the farm of Seamus Heaney's father.
  Conflict: The poem describes a rather minor incident, but one which is symbolic of the tension
between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. The constable is a member of the Royal
Ulster Constabulary, and as such is seen as in an enemy camp. The RUC were not seen as impartial
and were viewed by most Catholics as a Protestant police force which acted in the interest of their
own people rather than in the interests of everyone, equally.
 Childhood memories: In this poem and in ‘Mid-term Break’, they share the theme of childhood
memories. These childhood memories have shaped who Heaney is today. We can tell his poem has
been written from his childhood by the fact the policeman was never described, yet all of his
accessories were. It displays Heaney couldn’t remember much about the policeman because he was
too petrified to look, if he was scared of the policeman’s bike, then how scared would he be looking
at the policeman himself?

Gist/Summary Analysis
Seamus Heaney tells us about a memory from his childhood. A policeman visits his family farm to take a
record of the crops that Heaney's father is growing. The description of the bicycle is our first indication that
the policeman is not welcomed and that he is seen by Heaney at least as an intimidating, unpleasant figure.
Everything in the description of the bike hints at this. The 'fat black handle grips' sound ugly and
unpleasant, and seem to suggest that the bicycle's owner might be similarly unappealing. The dynamo is
'cocked back’, reminding us of the trigger of a gun. The pedals are 'relieved / Of the boot of the law',
implying that the constable is a man whose presence causes pressure and discomfort. He represents 'the
law',and is therefore disliked. At that time in Northern Ireland, most Catholics would have viewed the
police as an oppressive force. The descriptions of the constable reinforce that idea. The harsh 'K' and 'g'
sounds in the opening stanzas emphasize the harshness of the authority the constable represents and they
also create a sense of tension.
It is clear that the constable is not welcome in the Heaney home. His hat is on the floor: nobody has taken
it from him or offered him a place to put it. Again, the physical description of the constable focuses on
unattractive aspects of his appearance. His hair is 'slightly sweating’ and marked by the cap he has been
wearing. The idea of his oppressive presence is again picked up by the reference to the ledger (record book)
being 'heavy'. The young Heaney is filled with fear as he watches the constable. He stares at his gun and
remembers every detail of it in its holster. The tone of the poem is one of fear.
Meanwhile, the constable continues to record the family's crops. Heaney's father answer's the constable's
questions with curt, one-word replies, showing how unwelcome both he and his interrogation are. The
young boy is terrified to hear his father lying about the crops. He knows that there is a line of turnips which
his father has not admitted to, and in his horrified imagination, he sees his father and maybe even himself -
being taken to the barracks and thrown in a cell. The constable takes his leave, putting the ledger away.
Heaney refers to it as the 'domesday book' because he is so terrified that his father will be judged and
punished for his little lie about the turnips. This name for the ledger also reinforces the idea of the
constable belonging to an oppressive force which holds the threat of violence over people like Heaney's
father. Of course, the young boy is grossly exaggerating the policeman's power in this instance. To a small
child, the lie about the turnips seems enormous, but in reality, nobody would be thrown in jail for such a
minor offence, even if it were to be discovered. However, young Heaney's emotions towards the constable
reflect his father's dislike and resentment of being held to account for his crops. The constable looks at the
young boy and says 'goodbye'. This reminds us that the constable is, in reality, just a man. This is the only
instance of his humanity. It is not likely that he wishes to appear threatening or intimidating, but that is
how he is viewed by the Catholic community. He is seen as a representative of an unwelcome, despised,
oppressive authority. Outside the window, the constable is for a moment just a shadow. There is something
shadowy about the descriptions of him throughout the poem. We never learn any details about him as a
person: what we learn of him is based on the images of menace and threat. The constable cycles off, and
the sound it makes is reminiscent of a clock, or of the timer of a bomb. It ticks and ticks, which evokes the
idea of a ticking timebomb that is waiting to go off. This could be a reference to the mounting tension in
Northern Ireland at the time and the inevitability of this hostility eventually exploding into violence.

Summary Analysis at Stanzas’ Level

Seamus Heaney illustrates fear and death as common themes in his poetry. "A Constable Calls" is not
different from other poems of this great poet. Like other poems of Seamus Heaney, this poem also deals
with imaginative power of Seamus Heaney. What he feels, he describes it in form of words. No one can
surpass Heaney in this regard. Irish poets are famous for describing the history of Irishmen. "A Constable
Calls" focuses on the minds of Irish children, who have fear in their minds and heart regarding the
authoritative powers. The conflict between Catholics and Protestants is the main reason of it. Undoubtedly,
the poem is an incident from the consciousness of the poet when he was child. It is evident from this poem
that Seamus Heaney, in his childhood, was much sensitive. There was fear in his mind regarding policemen.
Like his father, Seamus Heaney was also catholic and Catholics did not join the police. How much hatred did
the Catholics have against Protestants, it can be seen in this poem. "A Constable Calls" is a visit of cop at
the farm of Seamus Heaney's father.
The poem starts with the description of a bicycle. The bicycle "stood at the window-sill", which is "neat".
The child fears when he sees "fat black handle grips" of the bicycle. It symbolizes hate, which the Catholics
have against the policemen. The child is definitely Heaney and when he glances on the handles of bicycle,
they become alive and simultaneously horrible in his imagination. In short, the people instead of feeling
secure in the hands of cops feel insecurity.
The second stanza of the poem is full of symbolism. The first important symbol is linked to "spud of the
dynamo". Old bicycles have this thing instead of batteries. When it creates noise, the boy becomes
frightened. He thinks that the policeman has come with the intention of violence and threatening the
people. From relieving of pedal, it seems that the policeman is heavy. The second symbol, which is vivid, is
"the boot of the law". It symbolizes for insecurity and dread of the officials in the minds of Irish people.
Perhaps, the child was thinking that the law is against him and it does not favor his fellow
Third stanza reveals , “the slightly sweating hair” of the constable as the hair of a monster, who is not
welcomed by the family. As such appearance of the constable is creating a pressure of fear in Heaney, as he
has seen a monster.
Fourth stanza reveals that it is not only child, who is fearful with the arrival of cop but everyone, is
unpleasant and the visit is not comfortable for all of them. Behavior of Heaney's father towards policeman
is also impolite and he also dislikes him. The poet goes on and discusses the "heavy ledger", a record-book
in custody of policeman. The stanza justifies the perfect choice of words by the poet in order to describe
the condition of child as well as people. "Heavy ledger" does not only describe the heavy record book,
which is in possession of the policeman; it also signifies the terrific situation with his arrival.
Fifth stanza reveals Heaney’s fear about “Arithmetic”. Because if the calculations do not prove correctly,
then Heaney’s family would be punished for their lie, by the constable through the hanging “revolver butt”.
In the sixth stanza the poet has used the word "fear" directly so as to clear the minds of readers. There is
no ambiguity in the fact that the child has fear and it increases when the he sees the revolver, hanging on
the butt of cop. The upcoming lines are based on dialogue between the policeman and Heaney's father.
After enquiring about the crops, policeman further asks from Heaney's father "Any other crops?
Mangolds? Marrowstems? Anything like that?"; he replies "no". The child fears that his father has told a
lie as he has also grown the crop of turnips. We don't know the reason behind replying no; perhaps
Heaney's father has forgotten the crops of turnips or he deliberately does not want to reveal it to the cop.
Whatever the reason may be, one thing is clear that this "no" creates hurdle in the mind of Heaney.
Now, in addition to the fear of present, there is another fear, which belongs to the future. From the
wordings and symbols, used in the seventh stanza, it is adjudged that the child imagines his father's
imprisonment. The end of this stanza is dramatic. The policeman frightens the child while adjusting the
"baton-case". "He stood up, shifted the baton-case".
Eight and ninth stanza of the poem are conclusion but eighth stanza is important one. A word "domesday
book" is used by Seamus Heaney. It is believed that the book will be checked in the eternal life and people
will be rewarded or punished on the basis of this book. Policeman's ledger is compared to doomsday book.
In last stanza, a final goodbye is said to the boy, which is not pleasant. Heaney, uses the technique of pun,
and used the word "Bobbed". Perhaps, the poet is of the view that he has taken revenge by saying "A
shadow bobbed in the window". Final lines of the poem clean the mind of boy from tense atmosphere.
Ultimately, "And the bicycle ticked, ticked, ticked" describes the calmness in the mind with the departure
of policeman.
The poem, in fact, is description of Irish society, which was living in a tense environment. The arrival of
policeman enlarges the hatred of people against the authority, which eventually, causes the restlessness in
Northern Ireland.

Glossary
 Dynamo: a device which changes energy of movement into electrical energy. A dynamo on a bicycle
will power a pair of lights while the wheels are going round. When it is not needed to power the
lights, the dynamo can be pulled back from the wheel of the bi- cycle.
 Bevel: a slanting, angled line. In the poem, this happens when the pressure of the rim of the
policeman's hat creates a line in his hair.
 Roods and perches are measurements of land.
 Mangolds and marrowstems are crops.
 Domesday book: This was a record of all the land and livestock in England in the 11th century. The
king ordered that a record be taken so that each landowner could be taxed accordingly. It was called
the domesday book because it was like the book of Judgement in the bible. That is to say, those who
tried to cheat on their taxes by not declaring all they owned would be severely punished, in the
same way that sinners would be punished on the last day of the world or the day of doom.

Stanzas Explanation
Stanza-01
In the first stanza of 'A Constable Calls' the speaker, who is Heaney as a young child, begins by describing
someone's bicycle. It is leaning against the window-sill of his house. These lines are straightforward,
descriptive, and clear. The young speaker is obviously curious about this bike and understands it enough to
be able to describe it in detail. He takes note of the mudguard and of the "black handle-grips". These grips
are "fat," alluding to a bike that's heavy-duty and built with purpose.

Stanza-02
It's in the second stanza of 'A Constable Calls' that the mood changes from curious to foreboding. As the
boy looks closer, he sees that the "dynamo" is gleaming and cocked back" like a gun. This alludes to the
purpose and danger inherent in this person's visit to his home. They aren't there for a purely social
occasion or to share the good news. While the bike is stationary right now, Heaney hints at the power that
was previously running through it. The "boot of the law" used to be on the "pedal treads" but for the
moment they are "relieved" of its pressure and hanging loose. It becomes clear that this bike belongs to a
law enforcement officer of some kind.

Stanza-o3
The narrative of 'A Constable Calls' jumps into the house where the policeman is sitting. The man is in a
chair with his "cap" on the floor next to him. These details are unimportant in the larger scheme of things
but they address the mood of the scene as the young boy slowly becomes aware of what's going on. Step
by step he becomes acquainted with the scene. Heaney takes note of the line his cap left through his
"slightly sweating hair" and a reader is left, for now, to wonder what's going on here.

Stanza-04
The fourth stanza comes less from a young boy's perspective and more from Heaney's contemporary mind
as he has come to understand the pressures his father was under. The policeman is there to check up on his
father and make sure that he has paid all the appropriate taxes on what his land produces. This is referred
to as the "tillage returns". It is addressed in "acres, roods, and perches".

Stanza-05
The first line of the fifth stanza of 'A Constable Calls' is short, to the point, and addresses everything the
father is concerned with at this moment. He's scared that he's going to be found out he was, in fact, hiding
parts of his production. Math and fear are intertwined together here as he tries to convince the policeman.
The young speaker is stuck "starting at the polished holster" of the policeman's revolver. He too feels the
tension of the moment and knows that his family could be in danger.

Stanza-06
The next lines of 'A Constable Calls' contain a bit of the conversation between the policeman and the father.
He suggests that perhaps the father forgot to count some of his crops. The father replies, "No" Heaney
knows this isn't entirely true as there was a "line / Of turnips where the seed ran out/In the potato field"

Stanza-07
His fear increases as he knows this piece of information is very close to being discovered. He takes on his
father's guilt in this moment The young Heaney starts to think the worst. He imagines the "black hole in the
barracks" where his father, or even Heaney himself, could end up. The policeman was satisfied by the
father's answers. He stands up in the fourth line. Heaney make enjambment in the line right as he shifts the
"baton- case". This alludes one final time to the danger ,that could rain down upon them.

Stanza-08
The last two stanzas of 'A Constable Calls' depict the policeman rearranging his belt, book, and cap and
saying goodbye to Heaney. The ledger in which the policeman had been noting the figure is described as a
"domesday book". This is a reference to a manuscript of the "Great Survey of England in the mid-1000s. It
was put together to determine what taxes were owed by those living under King Edward the Confessor. The
word "domesday" is the Middle English version of "doomsday".

Stanza-09
The final stanza of 'A Constable Calls' takes the reader back outside. and to the bike that began the entire
narrative. The policeman gets back on, snapping the "carrier spring / Over the ledger" and moves away.
Heaney makes use of repetition in the last lines as the bike's spokes "tick" into the distance. The relief is
only temporary as the man is sure to be back again next year.

Structure and Form

'A Constable Calls' by Seamus Heaney is a nine-stanza poem that's separated into sets of four lines, known
as quatrains. These quatrains do not follow a specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. The lines are
similar in length though, ranging from around four to nine syllables each.

Tone
Tone is shifting from curious to foreboding and then to fear. Sometimes the tone is factual: ‘His bicycle
stood at the window-sill’. Sometimes it is distasteful, disgusted and sickened: ‘Its fat black handle grips’,
‘his slightly sweating hair’. Sometimes humorous and mocking. An example of this is when Heaney
imagined that the bicycle is a living thing that hates the policeman’s weight: ‘The pedal treads hanging
relieved of the boot of the law’, ‘A shadow bobbed in the window’. Sometimes the tone is tense: ‘Any
other root crops?…No’. Sometimes it is gloomy and threatening: ‘the bicycle ticked, ticked, ticked’.

Rhyme-Scheme
There is no regular rhyming pattern. The only line rhyme is between the second and fourth lines of the
third stanza. The lack of line rhyming suits the conversational manner. Rhyming dictates word choice and
can make word order seem stiff. The lack of formal rhyming helps to keep the rhythm natural.

Style and Diction

Diction is simple and appealing. Style contains usage of armed words for simple meaning. Everyday
language is used. Conversational words maintain the informal air.

Poetic-Devices
Following poetic devices are used in the poem:

 Onomatopoeia: It is a literary device used when sounds are used as words in writings. It is also used
in the poem last stanza: ‘ And the bicycle ticked, ticked, ticked’. The phrase sounds like a bicycle
moving off or a clock. Because the sound of the words imitates a real sound, this is an example of
Onomatopoeia. [Heaney is comparing the sound of the bicycle chain to a clock. A clock ticks.
Heaney is referring to a clock that is used as a timer in a bomb. He means that the hatred between
the police and farmers will lead to explosions.]
 Assonance: Assonance is repetition of vowels. Note how three ‘a’-vowels here reinforce the color
black and the boy’s fear: Its fat black handle grips’. Think of ‘aahhhhhhh’! expressing one’s fear!
 Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds. Note the six ‘d’- sounds in the middle of the second
stanza. This hard sound increases the atmosphere of fear. (Like in the films, doonn ddonnn donnn!)
An unpleasant, tense atmosphere is created by the use of sinister ‘s’, hard ‘c’,’g’,’b’ and harsh ‘r’
consonants.
 Imagery: The images are factual and imaginative. The word ‘black’ displays a further sense of fear;
black represents evil and death, conjuring an image that suggests that the Catholic view of
Protestants, such as the police officer, is sinister and malicious. The central image is the policeman
and his props. Props are the things in a room or scene. Props are the things that belong to someone.
The props often reveal what a person is like. Props in this poem include a bicycle, uniform, a book, a
baton and a gun. Heaney describes these props in such a way that we dislike the policeman.
 Personification: is to attribute human qualities to inanimate objects or on-living things. A metaphor
which compares a thing such as a bicycle to person is called personification. ‘Its fat black handle
 grips…’ [This description compares the handle grips to a heavy person. This metaphor is
personification. It is unattractive description. A child would fear something ‘fat’ and ‘black’. Heaney
chooses words that tell us how Catholic families on farms viewed the police. The ‘handle grips’
could also suggest handcuffs.]. ‘The pedal treads hanging relieved of the boot of the law…’ [The
word ‘boot’ is a metaphor for the tough, cruel way the police behave. This description compares the
pedals of the bicycle to a living being. This metaphor is personification. Heaney suggests that the
pedal was relieved when the policeman got off. This description shows the boy’s fear.]
 Metaphor: ‘Closed the domesday book…’ [Heaney compares the hardback record book of the
policeman to a historical book. Heaney reveals his childhood fear here. He compares ‘the heavy
ledger’ to the ‘domesday book’. In this metaphor, ‘domesday’ shows fear. ‘And the bicycle ticked,
ticked, ticked’. [Heaney is comparing the sound of the bicycle chain to a clock. A clock ticks. Heaney
is referring to a clock that is used as a timer in a bomb. He means that the hatred between the
police and farmers will lead to explosions.]
 Allusion: is a reference to past , historical events. ‘Domesday book’ is an allusion to England’s Past
way of recording taxation on farms. It was a hated survey of farms in England back in history. People
believed that God would check at the end of time. It will send some to hell. The ledger could send
Heaney’s father to jail. On a broader level the poem accurately records the sense of resentment and
alienation felt by the Catholic Nationalist minority community in an artificially created State
governed by the descendants of Protestant planters]. An allusion is an expression that's meant to
call something specific to the mind without directly stating it. In the first stanza, the poet hints at
danger by describing the "dynamo" as "cocked back". This alludes to the action of a gun and
changes the mood from curious to foreboding.
 Enjambment: Another important technique commonly used in poetry is enjambment. It occurs
when a line is cut off before its natural stopping point. Enjambment forces a reader down to the
next line, and the next, quickly One has to move forward in order to comfortably resolve a phrase or
sentence. There are examples throughout 'A Constable Calls' such as in the transitions between
lines two and three of the first stanza and one and two of the third.
 Imagery: is throughout the poem.

Composed by
Javeriya Khan
Department: English Language and Literature
Semester: VIII
Roll no. 2001
Session: 2020-2024