Death of a Naturalist Characters

The speaker is the poet Seamus Heaney himself, recounting experiences from his childhood memory. As a young boy, he was filled with curiosity and wonder about nature, eagerly watching the flax-dam and collecting frogspawn. Upon revisiting the place later, his feelings shifted to fear and disgust toward the frogs. This transformation illustrates his journey from childhood innocence to adult maturity.

The frogs play a central role in the poem, shifting in perception from harmless and wonderful creatures to ugly and threatening presences described as 'mud grenades.' They symbolize the cruelty and danger latent within nature. Their transformation in the speaker's eyes reflects the boy's growing realization that the world is not always innocent or safe.

Miss Walls is the boy's school teacher who educates her class about frogs, explaining that the 'daddy frog' is called a bullfrog and that the 'mammy frog' lays hundreds of eggs that become tadpoles. She represents formal education, knowledge, and the innocent curiosity associated with school life. Her presence grounds the poem in the world of childhood learning and simplicity.