Philip Larkin’s The Whitsun Weddings As I was reading Philip Larkin’s "The Whitsun Weddings," I was initially struck by the difference between his use of language and the language used by many of the poets we read earlier in the course. The difference between the language of the two W.B. Yeats poems we wrote about previously and this poem by Larkin was particularly striking. Of course, the use of language changed slowly, with each poet we have read between Yeats and Larkin becoming less like
Exploring Identity and Time in Here, An Arundel Tomb and The Whitsun Weddings Larkin has been criticized over the years for the moroseness of his poems, the blackened description of everyday life that some people say lacks depth, however, unlike many other poets, Larkin does not always write the truth or the depth of his feelings. In many there is a voice, trying to convince its author of something that is usually quite evident or exploring itself but revealing only the surface. Why he is trying
Frost's poem is melancholy and nostalgic in tone and soothing, almost hypnotic, in rhythm. Peaceful and serene in the natural scene it describes, it seems to sway between restful repose and death. Sleep and death, and a seeming longing for both, are evoked by the images of night, long travel, winter and isolation. The simple, formulaic phrasing and rhythm of the poem belie something hidden, beneath and in the past, which is more complex. Frost, differently from Hayden's free verse, uses the formal
use ambiguity and emotive language in their poetry to express their attitudes towards women. The poets utilize many congruent and contradictory techniques in the way they explore the theme of women which can be showed in Larkin’s Collection ‘’Whitsun wedding (1964)‘’ and Duffy’s collection ‘’Mean Time(1993)’’.The poems I chose from both poet’ collection coevals the theme of women in detail which I analyse in detail. The poem Sunny Prestatyn by Philip Larkin mainly focuses on the violence and coercion
poetry shows 'a society pursuing its fantasies and illusory satisfactions in material possessions ' Using ideas from the critical anthology to support your argument, to what extent do you agree? Larkin’s main theme throughout his collection Whitsun Weddings is post-war Britain, however he also focuses on the ideas of materialism and consumerism. Through the use of advertisements in ‘send no money’ and ‘essential beauty’ and the ideas of buying objects in shops in ‘the large cool store’ and ‘take
Larkin published his collection of poems ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ in 1964. The main focus of this collection is of post war Britain, but materialism and consumerism are also common themes which are evident in some of Larkin’s poetry. In Larkin’s poems ‘essential beauty’, ‘the large cool stores’ and ‘here’ all take reference to the ideology that there is a material world that the proletariat aspire to be a part of. ‘Mr Bleaney’ then shows the life of the working class, and that they don’t have these
Plath in Ariel and Larkin in The Whitsun Weddings both explore ideas about love and relationships. The Whitsun Weddings explores the theme of love and relationships by capturing the journey that takes place prior to marriage; the poem was written about Larkin’s observation of marriage parties on whit Sunday (now known as May Day) which was a public holiday and was traditionally the day on which people would get married. The Whitsun Weddings takes on a somewhat cynical tone which is emblematic of
How typical in terms of subject, theme, structure and versification is Faith Healing by Larkin? Philip Larkin's Faith Healing In 1964, Philip Larkin published his third book of poetry, entitled 'The Whitsun Weddings'. One of the many critically acclaimed poems was 'Faith Healing'. In this essay, I intend to explore how typical this poem is in terms of subject, theme, structure and versification. In Faith Healing, women flock to an American Faith Healer for a blessing. The persona of
about what a journey is to them. ‘Ariel’ and ‘Sheep in Fog’ by Plath portray the idea of a journey as a metaphorical escape as she struggles with her own insecurities and paranoia and contemplates death as the end to her journey. ‘Here’ and ‘Whitsun Weddings’ by Larkin portray a journey as an escape from the bustles of life and the oppressions of Capitalism in a consumerist environment to feel bliss in the solitude of his own thoughts. Plath’s journeys seem to have a metaphorical undertone; often
refers to as ‘women who want children but no husband’. This shocked everyone she knew because women’s role in society is not to be a single parent and birth out of wedlock was stigmatised, further emphasising the theme of alienation. The poem ‘Whitsun Weddings’ by Philip Larkin, similarly explores the theme of class, relationships, isolation and alienation because Philip Larkin viewed marriage as a ‘revolting institution’ and in this poem and quite often in his other poetry. He is presented as an outsider
"High Windows" is viewed by many as an outcry, a severe description of everyday life that in it's bleakness does not leave space for the finesse or sensuous imagery that is associated with poets such as Wordsworth. However, in his array of supposedly 'harsh' poems one finds many moments of dreamy imagery dealing with an almost religious fascination with the elements, whether in length in "Solar" or as a thought in "Old Fools". What mesmerises him is the continuity of the elements, which constantly
A Practical Criticism on 'Here' by Phillip Larkin ‘Here’ was published in 1964 as part of a collection of poems collectively titled ‘The Whitsun Weddings’. It explores the feelings and judgements towards a location and the falsity of the modern industrial culture as it consumes traditional life. The poem describes the mixed judgements of the narrator as he passes through the town on a train journey, as well as concomitantly examining the features of a emblematic reversed journey from ‘industrial’
Biography of Philip Larkin Philip Arthur Larkin was born on August 9, 1922, in Coventry. He was the second child, and only son, of Sydney and Eva Larkin. Sydney Larkin was City Treasurer between the years 1922-44. Larkin's sister, some ten years his senior, was called Catherine, but was known as Kitty. He attended the City's King Henry VIII School between 1930 and 1940, and made regular contributions to the school magazine, The Coventrian, which, between 1939 and 1940, he also helped
views on marriage at the time Larkin was writing. One must also understand the theme, and tone in which it was written in to better understand the couple and Larkin's feelings toward it. "Talking In Bed" was published in 1960, in the collection Whitsun Weddings. The time period is crucial in understanding the relationship Larkin was writing about. Marriage in the 1960's was a commitment for life. The divorce rate was 2.2 per thousand, hardly any couples sought out divorce. (Wilcox) Divorce was viewed
of other writers. Philip Arthur Larkin has been regarded as one of the greatest English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century. Most of Larkin’s poetry is condensed into four volumes of poetry: The North Ship, The Less Deceived, The Whitsun Weddings, and High Windows. His use of vulgar expressions helps to emphasize the main concept in his work and develops a unique writing style of his own. Using his own poetic technique, Larkin conveys his discontentment with his existence and shows the