Satire on Human Hypocrisy: Heaney then turns the poem into a satire by showing his own guilt and the hypocrisy of people. He admits that if he were present there, he would have stayed quiet while others punished her. Heaney also connects this to the unfair punishment of women during the Northern Ireland conflict known as “The Troubles.” He criticizes how Irish people unfairly punished women for sleeping with British soldiers during the conflict. They poured tar on their heads, beat them, and tied them beside public railings. He criticizes that people only wear a mask of civility. But deep down, they are misogynistic, just like the ancient people.

In conclusion, “Punishment” is a strong satire against both past and present injustices. Through the image of the hanged bog girl, Heaney exposes human cruelty. The poem shows how people repeat old cruelties in the name of justice.