Content
A boy describes a red balloon that he carries with him at all times, it acts as a metaphor for his Jewish heritage, a 'shame and joy', both a source of comfort and a target of violence.
Analysis
He repeatedly observes the balloon flying over him, signifying its superiority despite its omniscient presence of always 'landing where I stood'. The simile comparing its shining to 'living blood' not only makes it appear part of him but also suggests blood shed and the religious element to the balloon which gives it the 'notoriety' he describes. Describing it both his 'shame' and his 'joy', we later see the shame in the boys 'sigh' in tiresome of the religious priorities in Wales. The repetition of 'my' highlights that not everyone values his balloon as he does and although it soars high 'like happiness', it is poignant that it is going towards the 'deep blue sky'- towards an ominous horizon.
The comical teasing of the boys, 'lets get is circumcised' is uncomfortable and ignorant, displaying the feeling that racism is harmless yet the violence it erupts into exposes its problems. As they 'laugh' and 'curse' there is a clear conflict of pride and embarrassment. The physical 'lunging' with 'knives' not only displays a violent, physical attack on the religion, but implies a psychologically degrading attack seen in the imperative 'give up.'. Yet the boy goes unaffected as the strength of the balloon withstands the force and 'does not burst'.
The use of 'it' when we know it is part of him creates a detachment perhaps in fear but also in shame, which emphasises the later owned 'my balloon from me', which comes after the boys pair him with the balloon- it defines him to others and becomes his whole identity, 'it's a Jews Balloon', yet the lonely 'me' suggests his victimised and isolated position in society unable to share or praise his heritage in public. The graceful motion of it 'floating down' is mirrored in the long stanzas of enjambment.
Thursday, 14 May 2015
Down the M4- Dannie Abse
Content
As a man drives back into his home town, to visit his family, he is haunted by the prospect of bad news- death. Yet perhaps this poem can be interpreted as a dying out of ones traditional heritage, the 'mother' acting as a metaphor for the 'mother tongue'- either way, the poem explores the fears of approaching death.
Analysis
There is a clear lexical field of death from the start, 'disrobed' 'perishable' 'into the hole', yet still there is an underlying tone of affection as his acknowledges the 'beautiful face' and grace of his mother in her 'ninth decade'. Along with this affection, there is a comical element too- the common occurrence of boring family stories that we can all relate to turning our own hair grey, though perhaps this has a deeper meaning of life's cyclical nature, always concluding in death. The river Tawe, as an image, is used throughout Abse's poetry, here the transition of it running 'fluent' to 'stones stonier' reflects the congestion of the water, but also the narrowing freedoms, much like the vibrant, youthful 'leaping' of bridges in the side mirror, that disintegrate into the 'shrinking' image of constricted elderly years. The final declarative, 'it won't keep.' ends the poem on a very sombre note, that nothing lasts.
Yet the pronoun 'it' invites a new reading of the poem, perhaps not referring to life but to the Yiddish Heritage instead. Towards the end, he does not sing a 'Hymn' but an 'old Yiddish tune' highlighting the religious devotion he shares with his culture, just as he acknowledges that his 'mothers mother spoke with such an accent', the key here is the past tense 'spoke' which imitates a nostalgic tone of sorrow, the dying out of heritage across cultures which leads us to question whether it is this tradition that 'won't keep' in an age of secularization.
The very title, 'down the m4' connotes journey and movement, synonymous with the fluent movement of the Tawe and the drive towards Cardiff, yet it also suggests disintegration of some sort, an anit-climax idea. The run on lines of the early stanza create a confusion, accentuated by the caesura, 'my mothers news.' This declarative is emulated in the final closing declarative, 'it wont keep' creating a circular structure of finality and death.
As a man drives back into his home town, to visit his family, he is haunted by the prospect of bad news- death. Yet perhaps this poem can be interpreted as a dying out of ones traditional heritage, the 'mother' acting as a metaphor for the 'mother tongue'- either way, the poem explores the fears of approaching death.
Analysis
There is a clear lexical field of death from the start, 'disrobed' 'perishable' 'into the hole', yet still there is an underlying tone of affection as his acknowledges the 'beautiful face' and grace of his mother in her 'ninth decade'. Along with this affection, there is a comical element too- the common occurrence of boring family stories that we can all relate to turning our own hair grey, though perhaps this has a deeper meaning of life's cyclical nature, always concluding in death. The river Tawe, as an image, is used throughout Abse's poetry, here the transition of it running 'fluent' to 'stones stonier' reflects the congestion of the water, but also the narrowing freedoms, much like the vibrant, youthful 'leaping' of bridges in the side mirror, that disintegrate into the 'shrinking' image of constricted elderly years. The final declarative, 'it won't keep.' ends the poem on a very sombre note, that nothing lasts.
Yet the pronoun 'it' invites a new reading of the poem, perhaps not referring to life but to the Yiddish Heritage instead. Towards the end, he does not sing a 'Hymn' but an 'old Yiddish tune' highlighting the religious devotion he shares with his culture, just as he acknowledges that his 'mothers mother spoke with such an accent', the key here is the past tense 'spoke' which imitates a nostalgic tone of sorrow, the dying out of heritage across cultures which leads us to question whether it is this tradition that 'won't keep' in an age of secularization.
The very title, 'down the m4' connotes journey and movement, synonymous with the fluent movement of the Tawe and the drive towards Cardiff, yet it also suggests disintegration of some sort, an anit-climax idea. The run on lines of the early stanza create a confusion, accentuated by the caesura, 'my mothers news.' This declarative is emulated in the final closing declarative, 'it wont keep' creating a circular structure of finality and death.
Boasts of Hywel Absowain Gwynedd-Dannie Abse
Analysis
This poem explores a mans appreciation of his wife, the endless natural imagery of 'busty nest' and 'pigeon coos' connote a warmth and belonging as well as a mating call. The repetition of 'MY', 'my devotee' 'my epic regular', though perhaps signifying ownership, implies a complete affection with all attention on her. The cyclical nature of the 'epic regular' depicts a faithful, timeless nature to their marriage and yet within this cycle, the love is still clearly 'epic' and 'powerful'. Comparing her to a 'peach' and 'orchard' gives love and natural, fruitful association, full of life and vitality that confirms the reading that by 'regular' he does not mean monotonous but ever- lasting. In a plead to 'let her name be secret', the value of the relationship is clear, their sacred love needs to be kept hidden and protected.
The position of pronouns exemplify the husbands sheer devotion to his wife, 'I thrust to woo her' it is poignant that here it is he who fights to please her, in an image much like the 'surrendering waves' of Abse's A Scene From Married Life. The final declarative, 'I adore.' asserts a confidence to his feelings, combining both natural elements to their affection with an assured affair.
This poem explores a mans appreciation of his wife, the endless natural imagery of 'busty nest' and 'pigeon coos' connote a warmth and belonging as well as a mating call. The repetition of 'MY', 'my devotee' 'my epic regular', though perhaps signifying ownership, implies a complete affection with all attention on her. The cyclical nature of the 'epic regular' depicts a faithful, timeless nature to their marriage and yet within this cycle, the love is still clearly 'epic' and 'powerful'. Comparing her to a 'peach' and 'orchard' gives love and natural, fruitful association, full of life and vitality that confirms the reading that by 'regular' he does not mean monotonous but ever- lasting. In a plead to 'let her name be secret', the value of the relationship is clear, their sacred love needs to be kept hidden and protected.
The position of pronouns exemplify the husbands sheer devotion to his wife, 'I thrust to woo her' it is poignant that here it is he who fights to please her, in an image much like the 'surrendering waves' of Abse's A Scene From Married Life. The final declarative, 'I adore.' asserts a confidence to his feelings, combining both natural elements to their affection with an assured affair.
In Llandough Hospital- Dannie Abse
Content
A son reverts back to his childhood as he sits with his sick father in hospital. He reflects that though his father's life is coming to an end, the love and memory of him will live on, evident in a moment of realisation when he holds his fathers hand.
Analysis
In the 'slow sunset' that approaches, we see the very natural descent towards death, later supported as Abse acknowledges that 'death makes victims of us all' stating its inevitability in a Larkinesque manner, yet also that this time it is prolonged pain, the 'first star pain'. Elements to the poem give it an autobiographical form, his 'pleading' suggests a heart felt desperation, perhaps synonymous with how he felt in the face of death with his own father. The 'bright butchers hook' forms a metaphor for the stars, implying that death is written in our fate and future, the inevitable 'butchers hook' for 'man and meat'- for all. An immense pathos is created in the simile, 'thin as Auschwitz' which not only compares his fathers fragility to the starved skeletons of the death camps, yet also engages with his Jewish heritage and scale of death within the Holocaust.
Yet despite his pain and suffering, there is an underlying beauty about this father figure, an admiring appreciation from the son who 'like a child' returns to idolise his father and all he has done for him. The central image of the 'maimed bird' creates a sense of damage and immobility yet also the beautiful and delicate side that reflects the affection he felt for his father. There is a sheer admiration, the 'courage' of the man at such a frightening time, the references to Philosophers, 'Hemlock' and 'Winkle Reid' connote mental power, cognition and superiority- despite his physical frailty. All of this is tied in on the moment they 'grasp' each others hand, the rest of the poem seems to stop at the moment of powerful love as the son is surprised by the 'warmth' symbolising the love that is present. The final image of 'night without an end' is somewhat ironic, as nights do dissipate into morning, just as this poem comes to a close and the father's life inevitably ends, yet this idea that reflects the limitless, 'omnipotence' -Last Visit to 198 Cathedral Road, that memories are timeless and love will remain in spite of the ending of life. This ties it back to the initial 'sunset' image, that the sun will never set- that light and guidance will never die out.
Death's inevitability is reflected in the regular quatrains lacking caesura, creating this ongoing journey towards that 'sunset', the personal touches 'my father' and direct speech in the centre very much makes gives it an elegy form yet despite its personal side, it closes on ideas we can all reflect upon.
A son reverts back to his childhood as he sits with his sick father in hospital. He reflects that though his father's life is coming to an end, the love and memory of him will live on, evident in a moment of realisation when he holds his fathers hand.
Analysis
In the 'slow sunset' that approaches, we see the very natural descent towards death, later supported as Abse acknowledges that 'death makes victims of us all' stating its inevitability in a Larkinesque manner, yet also that this time it is prolonged pain, the 'first star pain'. Elements to the poem give it an autobiographical form, his 'pleading' suggests a heart felt desperation, perhaps synonymous with how he felt in the face of death with his own father. The 'bright butchers hook' forms a metaphor for the stars, implying that death is written in our fate and future, the inevitable 'butchers hook' for 'man and meat'- for all. An immense pathos is created in the simile, 'thin as Auschwitz' which not only compares his fathers fragility to the starved skeletons of the death camps, yet also engages with his Jewish heritage and scale of death within the Holocaust.
Yet despite his pain and suffering, there is an underlying beauty about this father figure, an admiring appreciation from the son who 'like a child' returns to idolise his father and all he has done for him. The central image of the 'maimed bird' creates a sense of damage and immobility yet also the beautiful and delicate side that reflects the affection he felt for his father. There is a sheer admiration, the 'courage' of the man at such a frightening time, the references to Philosophers, 'Hemlock' and 'Winkle Reid' connote mental power, cognition and superiority- despite his physical frailty. All of this is tied in on the moment they 'grasp' each others hand, the rest of the poem seems to stop at the moment of powerful love as the son is surprised by the 'warmth' symbolising the love that is present. The final image of 'night without an end' is somewhat ironic, as nights do dissipate into morning, just as this poem comes to a close and the father's life inevitably ends, yet this idea that reflects the limitless, 'omnipotence' -Last Visit to 198 Cathedral Road, that memories are timeless and love will remain in spite of the ending of life. This ties it back to the initial 'sunset' image, that the sun will never set- that light and guidance will never die out.
Death's inevitability is reflected in the regular quatrains lacking caesura, creating this ongoing journey towards that 'sunset', the personal touches 'my father' and direct speech in the centre very much makes gives it an elegy form yet despite its personal side, it closes on ideas we can all reflect upon.
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
The Malham Bird- Dannie Abse
Content
The speaker reflects on the beginnings of his relationship with his wife, valuing it and pitying the isolated Malham Bird who never will experience such beauty.
Analysis n
The pause after 'in love-' allows us space to acknowledge and appreciate the confidence and ease to which the speaker can say this to his loved 'dear wife', in a direct and intimate tone. There is lots on natural imagery which connotes peace and tranquillity perhaps reflecting their close relationship, in the 'beach' and 'seagull' as well as the liberty of the 'high in blue' skies which create a sense of limitless possibility to their love. Their extremely close proximity is seen as they 'lay on (their) shadows', much more intimate and assured than any of Larkin's expressions of love. A sense of pity is created towards the 'resolute' Malham Bird, the triple structure: 'lonely, immoral, forever winging' exemplifies both his isolation but also in the forever winging yet never flying, perhaps an unfulfillment in suggested, that to the speaker marriage is completeness.
Their complete faith to each other is seen in the use of pronouns, from the separate 'you' and 'I' to 'we' and 'our' embodying that indeed they are 'more than together', it is clearly a uniting process, 'you a gentile and I a Jew!'. In contrast, the Malham Bird is seen as 'it', completely detached and alone. The absence of caesura in the opening stanza creates a quick pace synonymous with the speed at which the couple fell in love as well as supporting that earlier imagery of limitlessness. The tercet to close creates a Larkinesque structure yet in the reverse, it is symbolic of the Malham Bird's unfulfillment as he is not married which implies the speaker and abse, highly value marriage
The speaker reflects on the beginnings of his relationship with his wife, valuing it and pitying the isolated Malham Bird who never will experience such beauty.
Analysis n
The pause after 'in love-' allows us space to acknowledge and appreciate the confidence and ease to which the speaker can say this to his loved 'dear wife', in a direct and intimate tone. There is lots on natural imagery which connotes peace and tranquillity perhaps reflecting their close relationship, in the 'beach' and 'seagull' as well as the liberty of the 'high in blue' skies which create a sense of limitless possibility to their love. Their extremely close proximity is seen as they 'lay on (their) shadows', much more intimate and assured than any of Larkin's expressions of love. A sense of pity is created towards the 'resolute' Malham Bird, the triple structure: 'lonely, immoral, forever winging' exemplifies both his isolation but also in the forever winging yet never flying, perhaps an unfulfillment in suggested, that to the speaker marriage is completeness.
Their complete faith to each other is seen in the use of pronouns, from the separate 'you' and 'I' to 'we' and 'our' embodying that indeed they are 'more than together', it is clearly a uniting process, 'you a gentile and I a Jew!'. In contrast, the Malham Bird is seen as 'it', completely detached and alone. The absence of caesura in the opening stanza creates a quick pace synonymous with the speed at which the couple fell in love as well as supporting that earlier imagery of limitlessness. The tercet to close creates a Larkinesque structure yet in the reverse, it is symbolic of the Malham Bird's unfulfillment as he is not married which implies the speaker and abse, highly value marriage
Welsh Chew Valley Cinema-Dannie Abse
Content
The poem opens in the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood movie, before disintegrating into the return to the cinema audience's dull, mundane lifestyle. Set in the 1930s, this poem explores the effect of commercialism on a deprived society.
Analysis
The immediate contrast of the beautiful 'palace' with the dirty 'slums' gives an impression of unattainable ideals against dull realities. The changing tone of language from the opening stanza to the end reflects the 'sinking' feeling within the characters, disappearing into that 'familiar malice'- that monotonous routine that haunts them, the antithesis of that 'palace'.
The Economic Depression of the 1930s is evident in the 'wheezing' asthma of the audience, a chronic coughing that's masked by the 'bright' film music that runs above it. This dream-like, utopian picture that is painted to the audience is seen in the superficial, 'glycerine' tears as well as in the imagery of the 'poor, ragged Goldilocks' associated with fairy tales and optimism. Through the italic, 'no holes in his socks', we see the audience's jealous frustration that perhaps Abse is attacking, in this sense the poem can be seen as a critique of modern advertisement for stirring such resentful materialistic ideals. This is emphasised in the description of them 'shoeless on mecca carpet', the deprived state of the people against the religious paradise, a symbol of our idolisation of possessions we cannot have.
'THE END' not only accentuates the end of the film, but the end of that short-lived fantasy and we are left with the pivotal image of the 'striking of the small towns clock'. The loud, persistent 'striking' is a reminder of the monotonous pace of their life, revolved around time as oppose to the limitless freedoms of the film. The town is 'small' and insignificant against the mighty 'Mecca' lives of riches and with the final image of the clock comes a reminder of time, a dull waiting for death with no sense of living in between. Abse perhaps chose the literal cinema visit to stand as a metaphor for the idealistic, fantastical images of advertisements that tease us everyday, a reminder of what we are lacking and potentially what we most have, inviting a grotesque thirst for materialism psychologically but also physically in the increase of rioting in recent years.
The poem opens in the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood movie, before disintegrating into the return to the cinema audience's dull, mundane lifestyle. Set in the 1930s, this poem explores the effect of commercialism on a deprived society.
Analysis
The immediate contrast of the beautiful 'palace' with the dirty 'slums' gives an impression of unattainable ideals against dull realities. The changing tone of language from the opening stanza to the end reflects the 'sinking' feeling within the characters, disappearing into that 'familiar malice'- that monotonous routine that haunts them, the antithesis of that 'palace'.
The Economic Depression of the 1930s is evident in the 'wheezing' asthma of the audience, a chronic coughing that's masked by the 'bright' film music that runs above it. This dream-like, utopian picture that is painted to the audience is seen in the superficial, 'glycerine' tears as well as in the imagery of the 'poor, ragged Goldilocks' associated with fairy tales and optimism. Through the italic, 'no holes in his socks', we see the audience's jealous frustration that perhaps Abse is attacking, in this sense the poem can be seen as a critique of modern advertisement for stirring such resentful materialistic ideals. This is emphasised in the description of them 'shoeless on mecca carpet', the deprived state of the people against the religious paradise, a symbol of our idolisation of possessions we cannot have.
'THE END' not only accentuates the end of the film, but the end of that short-lived fantasy and we are left with the pivotal image of the 'striking of the small towns clock'. The loud, persistent 'striking' is a reminder of the monotonous pace of their life, revolved around time as oppose to the limitless freedoms of the film. The town is 'small' and insignificant against the mighty 'Mecca' lives of riches and with the final image of the clock comes a reminder of time, a dull waiting for death with no sense of living in between. Abse perhaps chose the literal cinema visit to stand as a metaphor for the idealistic, fantastical images of advertisements that tease us everyday, a reminder of what we are lacking and potentially what we most have, inviting a grotesque thirst for materialism psychologically but also physically in the increase of rioting in recent years.
Sons- Dannie Abse
Content
An expression of the awkward, in between teenage stage of life yet rather than complaining about it, Abse adopts an affectionate, admiring attitude of this time in a nostalgic tone that very much replicates the 'chameleon' imagery of 'Imitations'.
Analysis
The idea of the doors slamming at the beginning of the poem initiates a stereotypical teenage act, the force and the aggression of the 'slamming' action and the harsh sibilance sounds embody this 'wild flowers' idea that describes the son- wild and lively. This description juxtaposes the 'tamed gardens', the idea of parental control and restrictions with the flowering connoting maturation, this explains the transition of the son. Yet the natural imagery establishes a beauty in this process and a tone of appreciation, that the father admires this cluttered idea that Larkin so often detests in the 'clobbers' of Selfs The Man. This conflict runs throughout the poem, perhaps a physical conflict and strained relationship between a parent and a child at this time, the clashing or 'order and chaos' of rules and liberty both 'prim and brash', but also an internal struggle for identity as the son tries to find himself, 'nameless becoming' is symbolic of his search for self worth. Like wise, the 'hesitant sense of not belonging quite' shows the child's awkward uncertainty, the odd manipulation of the syntax not only exemplifies that whole 'hesitant' idea but also the sons marginalised position, not feeling as though he fits within society. In the final line, 'savage darkness bright' the dark days of teenage years which Larkin focusses on are meant with a 'bright' affection, the use of light here depicts an adoration for the experience not only as a son, but as a nostalgic reflection at the fathers own teenage years. It is pivotal that the 'bright' comes as the final image of the poem, after the darkness, to affirm that is the memory that remains and argumentative conflict are only short lived.
The dark 'savage' persona of the son is embodied through the harsh sibilance that juxtaposes the affection the father describes, 'sarcastic sons slam front doors' initiates a forceful tone from the offset yet its rhythmic nature can also seem to depict a light, comical outlook of events from the fathers perspective. The increasing length of the sestets down the poem reflect the sons increasing confidence and responsibility as he descends into manhood and makes his way to a 'bright' future, yet the ABCCDC rhyme scheme creates this not quite fulfilled, fitting in image that the son battles throughout the imagery of the poem.
An expression of the awkward, in between teenage stage of life yet rather than complaining about it, Abse adopts an affectionate, admiring attitude of this time in a nostalgic tone that very much replicates the 'chameleon' imagery of 'Imitations'.
Analysis
The idea of the doors slamming at the beginning of the poem initiates a stereotypical teenage act, the force and the aggression of the 'slamming' action and the harsh sibilance sounds embody this 'wild flowers' idea that describes the son- wild and lively. This description juxtaposes the 'tamed gardens', the idea of parental control and restrictions with the flowering connoting maturation, this explains the transition of the son. Yet the natural imagery establishes a beauty in this process and a tone of appreciation, that the father admires this cluttered idea that Larkin so often detests in the 'clobbers' of Selfs The Man. This conflict runs throughout the poem, perhaps a physical conflict and strained relationship between a parent and a child at this time, the clashing or 'order and chaos' of rules and liberty both 'prim and brash', but also an internal struggle for identity as the son tries to find himself, 'nameless becoming' is symbolic of his search for self worth. Like wise, the 'hesitant sense of not belonging quite' shows the child's awkward uncertainty, the odd manipulation of the syntax not only exemplifies that whole 'hesitant' idea but also the sons marginalised position, not feeling as though he fits within society. In the final line, 'savage darkness bright' the dark days of teenage years which Larkin focusses on are meant with a 'bright' affection, the use of light here depicts an adoration for the experience not only as a son, but as a nostalgic reflection at the fathers own teenage years. It is pivotal that the 'bright' comes as the final image of the poem, after the darkness, to affirm that is the memory that remains and argumentative conflict are only short lived.
The dark 'savage' persona of the son is embodied through the harsh sibilance that juxtaposes the affection the father describes, 'sarcastic sons slam front doors' initiates a forceful tone from the offset yet its rhythmic nature can also seem to depict a light, comical outlook of events from the fathers perspective. The increasing length of the sestets down the poem reflect the sons increasing confidence and responsibility as he descends into manhood and makes his way to a 'bright' future, yet the ABCCDC rhyme scheme creates this not quite fulfilled, fitting in image that the son battles throughout the imagery of the poem.
Friday, 8 May 2015
The Importance Of Elsewhere
Lonely in Ireland, since it was not home,
Strangeness made sense. The salt rebuff of speech,
Insisting so on difference, made me welcome:
Once that was recognised, we were in touch
Their draughty streets, end-on to hills, the faint
Archaic smell of dockland, like a stable,
The herring-hawker's cry, dwindling, went
To prove me separate, not unworkable.
Living in England has no such excuse:
These are my customs and establishments
It would be much more serious to refuse.
Here no elsewhere underwrites my existence.
Content
A confusing and conflicting comparison between foreign Ireland, which is 'not home' and England. Of Autobiographical form, this poem was written just months after Larkin's visit to Ireland and so when investigating to what extent he is content with being separate and isolated, we can assume it is Larkin's true desires of being out of reach.
His separate position within Ireland is made clear throughout, the dividing caesura and commas throughout the first stanza, 'strangeness made sense.' highlights his division from the rest of society he is placed within. The sibilance of this creates a harsh sound aligned with the gritty, 'salt rebuff of speech' that conveys a language barrier. He recognises their insistence on 'difference' yet perhaps in many ways there is an affection for this? The asyndetic listing of the natural world, 'draughty streets, end on end hills' suggest an enthusiastic love for the setting, it also connotes endless possibilities and liberty, the freedom of the 'draughty' streets firmly contradict the dictating 'customs and establishments' of England that Larkin feels 'write his existence'. Visually, writing 2 stanzas on Ireland and only 1 on England is symbolic of his preference for 'elsewhere' as he acknowledges that they were 'in touch' in a trusting affection. As well as through pronouns, assimilating to 'we' in Ireland while remaining singular 'I' in England.
The half rhyme suggests a lack of fulfilment, perhaps at home but maybe in Ireland as he likes to be isolate. The paradox title of the misty 'elsewhere, confirms the argument of critics that 'quiet and out of reach- no where is where he wants to be'.
Strangeness made sense. The salt rebuff of speech,
Insisting so on difference, made me welcome:
Once that was recognised, we were in touch
Their draughty streets, end-on to hills, the faint
Archaic smell of dockland, like a stable,
The herring-hawker's cry, dwindling, went
To prove me separate, not unworkable.
Living in England has no such excuse:
These are my customs and establishments
It would be much more serious to refuse.
Here no elsewhere underwrites my existence.
Content
A confusing and conflicting comparison between foreign Ireland, which is 'not home' and England. Of Autobiographical form, this poem was written just months after Larkin's visit to Ireland and so when investigating to what extent he is content with being separate and isolated, we can assume it is Larkin's true desires of being out of reach.
His separate position within Ireland is made clear throughout, the dividing caesura and commas throughout the first stanza, 'strangeness made sense.' highlights his division from the rest of society he is placed within. The sibilance of this creates a harsh sound aligned with the gritty, 'salt rebuff of speech' that conveys a language barrier. He recognises their insistence on 'difference' yet perhaps in many ways there is an affection for this? The asyndetic listing of the natural world, 'draughty streets, end on end hills' suggest an enthusiastic love for the setting, it also connotes endless possibilities and liberty, the freedom of the 'draughty' streets firmly contradict the dictating 'customs and establishments' of England that Larkin feels 'write his existence'. Visually, writing 2 stanzas on Ireland and only 1 on England is symbolic of his preference for 'elsewhere' as he acknowledges that they were 'in touch' in a trusting affection. As well as through pronouns, assimilating to 'we' in Ireland while remaining singular 'I' in England.
The half rhyme suggests a lack of fulfilment, perhaps at home but maybe in Ireland as he likes to be isolate. The paradox title of the misty 'elsewhere, confirms the argument of critics that 'quiet and out of reach- no where is where he wants to be'.
Ambulances
Closed like confessionals, they thread
Loud noons of cities, giving back
None of the glances they absorb.
Light glossy grey, arms on a plaque,
They come to rest at any kerb:
All streets in time are visited.
Then children strewn on steps or road,
Or women coming from the shops
Past smells of different dinners, see
A wild white face that overtops
Red stretcher-blankets momently
As it is carried in and stowed,
And sense the solving emptiness
That lies just under all we do,
And for a second get it whole,
So permanent and blank and true.
The fastened doors recede. Poor soul,
They whisper at their own distress;
For borne away in deadened air
May go the sudden shut of loss
Round something nearly at an end,
And what cohered in it across
The years, the unique random blend
Of families and fashions, there
At last begin to loosen. Far
From the exchange of love to lie
Unreachable insided a room
The trafic parts to let go by
Brings closer what is left to come,
And dulls to distance all we are
Content
An expression of the inevitability of death, something that Larkin is very afraid of, the Ambulance becomes a symbol of that which Larkin feels the ordinary person fails to remember when not in the face of death. 'The traffic of life will part and let the dead move through', nothing more.
Analysis
As the ambulance 'dulls to the distance' so too does any thought of approaching death in the people, as each stanza shows a disintegration of care. The regular stanzas and ABCBCA rhyme scheme is a metaphor for the whole message, that death is ever present- we are on a constant journey of life to death, yet Larkin explicitly uses the Ambulance to express the fact that we ignore this in the chaos of everyday life, this works in conjunction with the grave tone of the iambic pentameter and the 'threading' movement of the vehicle, weaving in and out of an ordinary city perhaps reflecting an idea that is represents the key stitching to life. The very real and ordinary city setting for such an alarming event puts Larkin's exploration of it 'stopping at every kerb' and 'visiting every street' into reality before us.
The 'strewn' about characters in this poem are key, their ordinary lives of shopping and cooking dinner, the italic of 'poor soul' highlights a lack of care which Larkin goes on to explain is at their 'own distress' perhaps indicating our little attention of death until we are faced with it. For that minute only, we try to 'solve the emptiness' that death is, the 'comfortless blank that it is'- reflected in the 'white face' too complex to put into language, before the idea 'dulls to the distance' and we revert back to normal life. As the 'fastened doors recede' lives end as well as care for the victim that has been stripped of identity to 'it'.
This poem can be seen as a metaphor asking us to take more notice of deaths omniscient presence that 'lies under all we do', a prospect that haunted Larkin for most of his life.
Loud noons of cities, giving back
None of the glances they absorb.
Light glossy grey, arms on a plaque,
They come to rest at any kerb:
All streets in time are visited.
Then children strewn on steps or road,
Or women coming from the shops
Past smells of different dinners, see
A wild white face that overtops
Red stretcher-blankets momently
As it is carried in and stowed,
And sense the solving emptiness
That lies just under all we do,
And for a second get it whole,
So permanent and blank and true.
The fastened doors recede. Poor soul,
They whisper at their own distress;
For borne away in deadened air
May go the sudden shut of loss
Round something nearly at an end,
And what cohered in it across
The years, the unique random blend
Of families and fashions, there
At last begin to loosen. Far
From the exchange of love to lie
Unreachable insided a room
The trafic parts to let go by
Brings closer what is left to come,
And dulls to distance all we are
Content
An expression of the inevitability of death, something that Larkin is very afraid of, the Ambulance becomes a symbol of that which Larkin feels the ordinary person fails to remember when not in the face of death. 'The traffic of life will part and let the dead move through', nothing more.
Analysis
As the ambulance 'dulls to the distance' so too does any thought of approaching death in the people, as each stanza shows a disintegration of care. The regular stanzas and ABCBCA rhyme scheme is a metaphor for the whole message, that death is ever present- we are on a constant journey of life to death, yet Larkin explicitly uses the Ambulance to express the fact that we ignore this in the chaos of everyday life, this works in conjunction with the grave tone of the iambic pentameter and the 'threading' movement of the vehicle, weaving in and out of an ordinary city perhaps reflecting an idea that is represents the key stitching to life. The very real and ordinary city setting for such an alarming event puts Larkin's exploration of it 'stopping at every kerb' and 'visiting every street' into reality before us.
The 'strewn' about characters in this poem are key, their ordinary lives of shopping and cooking dinner, the italic of 'poor soul' highlights a lack of care which Larkin goes on to explain is at their 'own distress' perhaps indicating our little attention of death until we are faced with it. For that minute only, we try to 'solve the emptiness' that death is, the 'comfortless blank that it is'- reflected in the 'white face' too complex to put into language, before the idea 'dulls to the distance' and we revert back to normal life. As the 'fastened doors recede' lives end as well as care for the victim that has been stripped of identity to 'it'.
This poem can be seen as a metaphor asking us to take more notice of deaths omniscient presence that 'lies under all we do', a prospect that haunted Larkin for most of his life.
Faith Healing
Faith Healing
Perhaps a critique of women, or maybe an attack on religion in an age of secularisation, in this poem Larkin describes a group of women proceeding to a faith healer in order to be cleansed.
Analysis
In many ways, much like Larkin's 'Water', this poem attacks the very 'construct' of religion, seeing its transparency. The Healer himself is dressed in a 'dark suit' a symbol of secrecy and deception, he is immediately presented as a sinister figure. There is a strong irony in the preaching's of the Healer of the , as the women are promised the 'warm spring rain of loving care'- a vision of security and safety yet the Healer sifts through them, 'scarcely pausing' in a rushed and chaotic form that is mirrored in the conflicting ABCABDABCD rhyme scheme. The 'scarce' idea implies a lacking validity to the Healer's words and arguably to religion in general, as seen in the transparent imagery of Larkin's 'water'. There is something uneasy about the italic form of 'dear child', it denotes a clichéd, patronising tone that we would not expect of a guidance figure.
The caesura of the declarative, 'nothing cures.' is poignant in a poem of almost no punctuation, it allows us time to reflect on what isn't curing- is this an attack on the inadequacy of religion in mans struggle to inevitable death, the semi-colon dividing 'exile' is symbolic of this, the lonely position of women after they leave and the lonely position of man in the real world outside of the religious façade. Or perhaps, 'nothing cures.' deals with this idea of perfection versus reality, the conflict of the women's hope with their real disillusionment, supported by the half rhyme at the end- 'loved' and 'disproved' which embodies that lack of fulfilment from religion.
Indeed also, this poem can be seen as a commentary on women. Their 'sheepishly stray' position highlights a juvenile weakness, their vulnerability to be lead and manipulated by the Faith Healer. This in conjunction with their 'idiot child' depiction, Larkin could be seen as pitying their juvenile ways or alternatively, adopting the traditional mind set that women are indeed irresponsible and passive- as a stark contrast to the woman within Sunny Prestatyn. Both poems see a very negative portrayal of the female. \I feel that by the close of the poem, the observer has very much adopted a sympathetic attitude towards the weak, manipulated women as the 'landscape weeps' in an overwhelming pathos of their disillusionment.
Here
Here
Although very plan in its plot, this poem best captures Larkin's distaste for urban life as the passenger of a train that 'swerves' from city to country, commentates on the world around him. The very title is somewhat of a paradox, it appears unattainable despite it being where you are placed. Yet Larkin is purposely unspecific in his title to reach out to universal ideas of identity, belonging and destruction to the natural world.
Analysis
The whole poem is constructed to present a journey, the very 'swerving' of the train can be seen in run-on-lines and lengthily stanzas, which is why it is so poignant that it closes on a natural setting, 'facing the sun'.
The juxtaposing descriptions of the urban and the rural world dominate the focus of this poem.
Water is used to symbolise the liberty of the countryside, the 'widening rivers' suggest limitless possibilities synonymous with the expanding asyndetic listing of the setting, 'scarecrows, haystacks, hares and pheasants'. As 'hidden weeds flower' our observer sees beauty in even the ugliest of features, with the 'flower' imagery connoting new life.
Contrastingly, the waters of the city as 'barge crowded'- congested with human activity that inhibits its free flow. The ugly features of the city are enhanced with harsh consonance and sibilance sounds, 'statues, spires and cranes cluster' that contrast the relaxed 'swerving' idea through the country. Industrial sites are also depicted in 'shadows' a dark and sinister description lacking life and vibrancy. The observer also labels the urban population as a 'cut-price crowd' within their 'raw estates' both images suggest a distaste for the present gratification lifestyle, perhaps a critique on their lack of value and interest of the natural world. Enclosed within edges 'high as hedges', Larkin could use this simile to indicate that confining side to urban life or perhaps to establish the 'cut-price crowds' ignorance and confined mind-set of that present gratification ideology.
The real question is whether or not the observer is content with his segregated position on the train. The caesura of 'loneliness' clarifies.' invites us to ponder this, is Larkin happy being separate from these people and rather 'facing the sun' than facing such characters. As one critic said, 'nowhere is where he wants to be- quiet and out of reach'
Sunny Prestatyn
Sunny Prestatyn
Come To Sunny Prestatyn
Laughed the girl on the poster,
Kneeling up on the sand
In tautened white satin.
Behind her, a hunk of coast, a
Hotel with palms
Seemed to expand from her thighs and
Spread breast-lifting arms.
She was slapped up one day in March.
A couple of weeks, and her face
Was snaggle-toothed and boss-eyed;
Huge tits and a fissured crotch
Were scored well in, and the space
Between her legs held scrawls
That set her fairly astride
A tuberous cock and balls
Autographed Titch Thomas, while
Someone had used a knife
Or something to stab right through
The moustached lips of her smile.
She was too good for this life.
Very soon, a great transverse tear
Left only a hand and some blue.
Now Fight Cancer is there.
Sunny Prestatyn- Content
The poem describes the sunny features of an advertising billboard for holidaying in Prestatyn, guiding our eyes across the woman within the poster. Perhaps a metaphor for the cruel world of commercialism, this poem explores the distortion between perfection and reality and in the violent backlash of a graffiti artist at the women's non- existence, Larkin could be attacking the role of advertisement, both in its unattainable images of females in the pornographic business, but also in the deceiving ideals it paints in front of us to encourage the jealous, materialistic person to riot an turn to crime.
Analysis
The poem takes on a snowballing structure as we see the relaxed, inviting connotations of 'sunny' and the liberty and limitless possibilities it depicts from the posters 'expanding' and 'separating' setting, disintegrate into the colloquial and abrupt declaratives of the end. This too, is mirrored in the rhyme scheme, from initial half rhymes in 'satin' and 'Prestatyn' to full rhymes indicating that now, the full and realistic picture as oppose to that utopian portrayal is known.
Throughout the poem, there is an uncomfortable sense of male ownership and patriarchy, from the demanding imperative that opens, 'come to Sunny Prestatyn' to the woman's 'moustached lips' and its autographed 'Titch Thomas'. Here the female can be seen very much as male property, her body appears objectified in its 'taunted' description that undoes the pure, innocent 'white satin'. The Slapping up of the poster implies a lack of care which can perhaps be applied to the woman, who comes across cheap and colloquial in the eyes of the observer, supporting the objectification of her body as having no purpose. As a result, a strong lexical field of violence is evident in the final stanza, 'knives' scoring and stabbing, which is perhaps a reflection of the impact of advertisement, much like the fantastical image of Prestatyn, the perfected portrayal of the woman is unattainable and drives a violent frustration in 'Titch Thomas' whose name implies his small and inadequate feelings of failure when looking at such fantastic images.
This leads to the question of whether this poem is a narration of unrealistic women, not living up to expectation, the pronoun 'she' is poignant before 'is too good for this life' as it indicates it is the woman that is unattainable here. Yet perhaps this has a wider context, that commercialism in general initiates such worrying lack of satisfaction on our lives and drives a violent thirst for something more. An idea that dominates much of his collection, the corrupted deception of the Faith Healer and the dishonesty of the Large Cool Store, and has been described as Larkin's 'trademark antipathy towards the modern world'.
The poem concludes on a very unsettling image of the 'fight cancer' poster that replaces the once 'laughing', now 'snuggle-toothed and boss-eyed' woman, perhaps Larkin is cruelly pointing out that this idea is more realistic than such a perfected woman and exotic setting. As a realist poet, it is an abrupt line to highlight that we cannot sugar coat society due to the catastrophic effect we saw it have on Titch Thomas and the feelings of failure that it brings, the statement engages the reader to reflect on how they have been affected by such images.
Self's the Man
Self's the Man
Oh, no one can deny
That Arnold is less selfish than I.
He married a woman to stop her getting away
Now she's there all day,
And the money he gets for wasting his life on work
She takes as her perk
To pay for the kiddies' clobber and the drier
And the electric fire,
And when he finishes supper
Planning to have a read at the evening paper
It's Put a screw in this wall -
He has no time at all,
With the nippers to wheel round the houses
And the hall to paint in his old trousers
And that letter to her mother
Saying Won't you come for the summer.
To compare his life and mine
Makes me feel a swine:
Oh, no one can deny
That Arnold is less selfish than I.
But wait, not do fast:
Is there such a contrast?
He was out for his own ends
Not just pleasing his friends;
And if it was such a mistake,
He still did it for his own sake,
Playing his own game.
So he and I are the same,
Only I'm a better hand
At knowing what I can stand!
Content
A narration of a marriage from an observer, who distances himself from the social norm. He watches Arnold, a flippant and comical character, rush around his chaotic lifestyle before comparing his own life to his.
Analysis
Larkin once said that to him, marriage inevitably meant, 'steadiness, faithfulness, constant companionship- and children' the very manipulated and awkward position of the tagged on, 'and children' exemplifies its interference with everyday life. An idea that is reflected in the chaotic setting of the house, the colloquial 'clobbers' and 'nippers' as well as the trimetric rhythm that creates this 'stunted life of spoiled desires' that came out of marriage. Yet all of this contrasts the bathos of the simple AABB rhyme scheme, 'trousers' and 'houses', that set the mundane and monotonous lifestyle Arnold lives- the syndetic listing of 'and' slows the pace to embody this, which highlights that steady and constant side to marriage and families.
The big question is whether the observer is mocking Arnold as he pities that lifestyle or because he wishes he had it. From the beginning, it seems quite clear that the narrator has a great distaste for such and 'establishment' as mentioned in the Importance of Elsewhere. He describes the superficial setting of the 'electric fire' conveying a false façade to society, living up to expectations yet not enjoying them. Likewise, the italic form of Arnold's wife nagging him, 'Put a screw in this wall' implies a dictated life, indeed full of 'spoiled desires' and he 'plans' to read the paper yet never actually manages to. This is confirmed in the 'painting' imagery indicating the idea of glossing over imperfections.
Yet there appears to be a Volta in the argument when the observer claims he feels a 'swine' for not partaking in such tradition. Associated with grotesque, animalistic ugliness, this suggests he feels a certain ugliness for being so critical as if highlight a small amount of sympathy. However this can also be seen as society making him feel an animal and an outsider for not conforming, that actually he is only made to feel a 'swine'. This idea that the Observer is content in being detached from such a lifestyle is confirmed in the final image of him not needing to send a van, with connotations of insanity, there is a concluding idea that the false and forced 'establishments' of society such as marriage and children drive people to craziness, or perhaps the observer feels people who follow such principles are crazy? As we know he himself never engaged in such ideals.
Oh, no one can deny
That Arnold is less selfish than I.
He married a woman to stop her getting away
Now she's there all day,
And the money he gets for wasting his life on work
She takes as her perk
To pay for the kiddies' clobber and the drier
And the electric fire,
And when he finishes supper
Planning to have a read at the evening paper
It's Put a screw in this wall -
He has no time at all,
With the nippers to wheel round the houses
And the hall to paint in his old trousers
And that letter to her mother
Saying Won't you come for the summer.
To compare his life and mine
Makes me feel a swine:
Oh, no one can deny
That Arnold is less selfish than I.
But wait, not do fast:
Is there such a contrast?
He was out for his own ends
Not just pleasing his friends;
And if it was such a mistake,
He still did it for his own sake,
Playing his own game.
So he and I are the same,
Only I'm a better hand
At knowing what I can stand!
Content
A narration of a marriage from an observer, who distances himself from the social norm. He watches Arnold, a flippant and comical character, rush around his chaotic lifestyle before comparing his own life to his.
Analysis
Larkin once said that to him, marriage inevitably meant, 'steadiness, faithfulness, constant companionship- and children' the very manipulated and awkward position of the tagged on, 'and children' exemplifies its interference with everyday life. An idea that is reflected in the chaotic setting of the house, the colloquial 'clobbers' and 'nippers' as well as the trimetric rhythm that creates this 'stunted life of spoiled desires' that came out of marriage. Yet all of this contrasts the bathos of the simple AABB rhyme scheme, 'trousers' and 'houses', that set the mundane and monotonous lifestyle Arnold lives- the syndetic listing of 'and' slows the pace to embody this, which highlights that steady and constant side to marriage and families.
The big question is whether the observer is mocking Arnold as he pities that lifestyle or because he wishes he had it. From the beginning, it seems quite clear that the narrator has a great distaste for such and 'establishment' as mentioned in the Importance of Elsewhere. He describes the superficial setting of the 'electric fire' conveying a false façade to society, living up to expectations yet not enjoying them. Likewise, the italic form of Arnold's wife nagging him, 'Put a screw in this wall' implies a dictated life, indeed full of 'spoiled desires' and he 'plans' to read the paper yet never actually manages to. This is confirmed in the 'painting' imagery indicating the idea of glossing over imperfections.
Yet there appears to be a Volta in the argument when the observer claims he feels a 'swine' for not partaking in such tradition. Associated with grotesque, animalistic ugliness, this suggests he feels a certain ugliness for being so critical as if highlight a small amount of sympathy. However this can also be seen as society making him feel an animal and an outsider for not conforming, that actually he is only made to feel a 'swine'. This idea that the Observer is content in being detached from such a lifestyle is confirmed in the final image of him not needing to send a van, with connotations of insanity, there is a concluding idea that the false and forced 'establishments' of society such as marriage and children drive people to craziness, or perhaps the observer feels people who follow such principles are crazy? As we know he himself never engaged in such ideals.
MCMXIV
Those long uneven lines
Standing as patiently
As if they were stretched outside
The Oval or Villa Park,
The crowns of hats, the sun
On moustached archaic faces
Grinning as if it were all
An August Bank Holiday lark;
And the shut shops, the bleached
Established names on the sunblinds,
The farthings and sovereigns,
And dark-clothed children at play
Called after kings and queens,
The tin advertisements
For cocoa and twist, and the pubs
Wide open all day;
And the countryside not caring
The place-names all hazed over
With flowering grasses, and fields
Shadowing Domesday lines
Under wheats' restless silence;
The differently-dressed servants
With tiny rooms in huge houses,
The dust behind limousines;
Never such innocence,
Never before or since,
As changed itself to past
Without a word--the men
Leaving the gardens tidy,
The thousands of marriages
Lasting a little while longer:
Never such innocence again.
Content
A mediation poem, MCMXIV centres around a photograph of men queuing up to volunteer to fight during WW1.
Analysis
The title comes in Roman Numerals, creating distance and detachment in the reader, which perhaps only emphasises the publics distance from the real truth during war and the whole message of the poem, that despite horrific scenes making us confidently ensure 'never such innocence again', we are naïve to the horrors that still continue to go on.
The 'long uneven lines' of the queued men represent the surge of enthusiastic volunteers yet with the underlying sombre tone from the repetition of 'never such innocence again' it could also be read as the distorted picture of war the young men had, their uneven futures. The first stanza goes on to explore this common, lackadaisical approach to war, the allusion to 'villa park' and the idea of it being an easy victory- over by Christmas, a little bit of competition, simply 'holiday lark'. Kitchener's recruitment campaign labelled it a holiday and painted the 'sunny' picture displayed within this stanza yet perhaps the 'patient' waiting of the men highlights that real contrast, the glum trench warfare dreading 'going over the top'.
These attitudes were only encouraged as a result of 1915 DORA that brought complete censorship of letters home, newspapers and paintings to ensure moral and popularity at home. This juvenile lack of awareness, is presented in the following stanzas, from the 'shut shops' not only reflecting huge shortages and rationings but also the deceived and 'shut off' intelligence of the British public, to the 'dark clothed children'. Here the men, often no older than 16, are depicted in their juvenile innocence, the 'dark' clothes symbolic of their ominous futures of death and injury, an uncomfortable dramatic irony as Larkin writes in 1964- we are fully aware of their dark futures. The 'restless silence' and marriages lasting a little while longer imply the strains war created and the inclusion of 'servants' fighting identifies this as a universal event, all aspects of society were involved and the catastrophic conclusions impacted everyone.
This poem emulates a snowballing structure, as we see the relaxed optimism of the men disintegrate into harsh realities and exposure of false censorship, With 'Doomsday' marking the descent into reality. The regular octaves with enjambment of it being 1 complete sentence coveys this 'flowering' image of the enthusiastic vitality that repeated itself despite the devastating consequences.
The repetition of 'never such innocence again' puts it all into perspective, the unjust deception these men faced should clearly never reoccur. Yet published in 1964, the irony of World War 2 and following massacres of punishment puts us in an uncomfortable and guilty position in knowing that we did let it happen again. Labelled as a 'searing expose of modern war' this poem not only attacks the handling of conflict but also the modern war- the unfair world of advertisement presenting such unattainable ideals, much like the hypocritical Faith Healer and the fantastical woman of Sunny Prestatyn.
Standing as patiently
As if they were stretched outside
The Oval or Villa Park,
The crowns of hats, the sun
On moustached archaic faces
Grinning as if it were all
An August Bank Holiday lark;
And the shut shops, the bleached
Established names on the sunblinds,
The farthings and sovereigns,
And dark-clothed children at play
Called after kings and queens,
The tin advertisements
For cocoa and twist, and the pubs
Wide open all day;
And the countryside not caring
The place-names all hazed over
With flowering grasses, and fields
Shadowing Domesday lines
Under wheats' restless silence;
The differently-dressed servants
With tiny rooms in huge houses,
The dust behind limousines;
Never such innocence,
Never before or since,
As changed itself to past
Without a word--the men
Leaving the gardens tidy,
The thousands of marriages
Lasting a little while longer:
Never such innocence again.
Content
A mediation poem, MCMXIV centres around a photograph of men queuing up to volunteer to fight during WW1.
Analysis
The title comes in Roman Numerals, creating distance and detachment in the reader, which perhaps only emphasises the publics distance from the real truth during war and the whole message of the poem, that despite horrific scenes making us confidently ensure 'never such innocence again', we are naïve to the horrors that still continue to go on.
The 'long uneven lines' of the queued men represent the surge of enthusiastic volunteers yet with the underlying sombre tone from the repetition of 'never such innocence again' it could also be read as the distorted picture of war the young men had, their uneven futures. The first stanza goes on to explore this common, lackadaisical approach to war, the allusion to 'villa park' and the idea of it being an easy victory- over by Christmas, a little bit of competition, simply 'holiday lark'. Kitchener's recruitment campaign labelled it a holiday and painted the 'sunny' picture displayed within this stanza yet perhaps the 'patient' waiting of the men highlights that real contrast, the glum trench warfare dreading 'going over the top'.
These attitudes were only encouraged as a result of 1915 DORA that brought complete censorship of letters home, newspapers and paintings to ensure moral and popularity at home. This juvenile lack of awareness, is presented in the following stanzas, from the 'shut shops' not only reflecting huge shortages and rationings but also the deceived and 'shut off' intelligence of the British public, to the 'dark clothed children'. Here the men, often no older than 16, are depicted in their juvenile innocence, the 'dark' clothes symbolic of their ominous futures of death and injury, an uncomfortable dramatic irony as Larkin writes in 1964- we are fully aware of their dark futures. The 'restless silence' and marriages lasting a little while longer imply the strains war created and the inclusion of 'servants' fighting identifies this as a universal event, all aspects of society were involved and the catastrophic conclusions impacted everyone.
This poem emulates a snowballing structure, as we see the relaxed optimism of the men disintegrate into harsh realities and exposure of false censorship, With 'Doomsday' marking the descent into reality. The regular octaves with enjambment of it being 1 complete sentence coveys this 'flowering' image of the enthusiastic vitality that repeated itself despite the devastating consequences.
The repetition of 'never such innocence again' puts it all into perspective, the unjust deception these men faced should clearly never reoccur. Yet published in 1964, the irony of World War 2 and following massacres of punishment puts us in an uncomfortable and guilty position in knowing that we did let it happen again. Labelled as a 'searing expose of modern war' this poem not only attacks the handling of conflict but also the modern war- the unfair world of advertisement presenting such unattainable ideals, much like the hypocritical Faith Healer and the fantastical woman of Sunny Prestatyn.
Saturday, 2 May 2015
Talking in Bed
Talking in bed
Probably my favourite of the Whitsun Weddings collection, this poem explores the relationship between a couple in its most intimate setting: in bed.
Analysis
The immediate negative auxiliary verb, 'ought' establishes an uneasy atmosphere that will underlie the rest of the poem.
The use of pathetic fallacy in the centre provides a metaphor for the turbulence of the couple's relationship, the use of the wind as a symbol of power and strength, it's 'incomplete unrest' reflects the relentless power struggle between 2 people. As clouds 'build and disperse' a struggle of conflict is implied as well as perhaps symbolising the high expectation of romance that when found, 'does not live up to what we expected of it' as Larkin said, the ideal disperses into reality- reaffirmed through the harsh sibilance sounds. The image of the 'dark towns' that 'heap' up on the horizon provides an ominous future for the couple, 'heap' also depicts a pressurised heat, juxtaposing the warmth expectation of the bedroom, labelling romance the 'difficult business' that Larkin always claimed it was.
However, once the final line is read, 'or not untrue or unkind' the poem can be read as what I feel is a critique on the deception of relationships. After that line, the whole idea of 'talking' with your partner appears cold and meaningless and the homonym 'lying' with your partner can be read as dishonest conversation.
Likewise, the structure of the poem reflects this distaste for romance. The regularity of the stanzas embody the monogamous relationship that is being displayed, yet the turbulent rhythm of the iambic pentameter and the harsh sibilance sounds that lie beneath the plot accumulate to the readers unease. I also find the absence a fourth quatrain aesthetically unsettling, the tercet is missing a fourth line from which we can infer a lack of fulfilment- symbolic of Larkin's definition of love as 'isolation, disillusionment and failure'. The tercet can represent his personal failure in love that leads to incompleteness or oppositely, a critique of the unfulfilled disillusionment that is paired with romantic relationships. This confirms a tone of irony that runs throughout this poem, as they could not be closer in physical proximity but there is indeed a certain 'isolation' between the couple.
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