Opened Ground: Poems 1966–1996
1998 book by Seamus Heaney / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Opened Ground: Poems 1966–1996 is a 1998 poetry collection by Seamus Heaney, published by Faber and Faber. It was published to replace his earlier 1990 collection titled New Selected Poems 1966–1987, including poems from said collection and later poems published after its release.[p 1]
Author | Seamus Heaney |
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Language | English |
Genre | Poetry collection |
Publisher | Faber and Faber |
Publication date | September 27, 1998[1] |
ISBN | 978-0-57-119493-3 |
Critics have described the book as a means to observe Heaney's literary transition throughout his career. His first three collections focus on pastoral and rural themes while North to The Haw Lantern are more politically motivated due to then-ongoing tensions in Northern Ireland. The last two, Seeing Things and The Spirit Level, are described as more abstract and allegorical.
Reception, from both from general audiences and critics, has been generally positive. Praise is given to Heaney's technical writing abilities, especially in his early period, and linguistic depth. Criticism is mostly levied at the later poems, with reviewers citing Heaney's popularity influencing his poetry into becoming overly abstract to appease a wider audience.