Self's The Man

This poem shows Larkin's selfishness and his views on being single as apposed to being married like Arnold. This poem compares Larkin's opinions on both being single and in a relationship.

Arnold -> selfless -> married
"stop her getting away" -> didn't want her to marry anyone else
"no she's there all day" -> never get any alone time ->claustrophobic

Two extremes - shows that there needs to be a balance in between the two (single and married).

There is repetition of: "Oh, no one can deny" -> sarcasm and "And"->monotonous - never-ending tasks she leaves for him/asks him to do.

In this poem it is very clear that Larkin has a cynical view of marriage.

Rhyming couplets link to comparison between the pair ->the marriage itself?

"It's Put a screw in this wall" - painting women as nagging and constantly reliant on a man ->negative view -> sexist

"Van" -> insanity? -> marriage drives people crazy but he then doubts himself with a pause and "or I suppose I can" -> as in maybe he could be open to settling down.

Larkin starts to backtrack and starts to think that maybe Arnold isn't as selfless as he first thought. Their lives are in some respect the same? "he was out for his own ends not just pleasing his friends" -> he is out for himself like everyone else.

Larkin comes to the conclusion that all decisions are selfish -> "he and I are the same" (but he's bias).

Essential Beauty

Broadcast

Faith Healing

For Sidney Bechet

Talking In Bed

 

The title of this poem has many connotations. It could refer to a ramonatic couple or a friendship, an intimate place for private conversation and a place where there are no distractions.

 The main themes of this poem are: human nature, relationships, the presentation of women (how Larkin has presented them) and loneliness.

Here

Realistic or Pessimistic?

 

Larkin's portrayal of the landscape is arguably the predominant themes in this poem – along with a journey (again) and nature.

This poem is about a journey from Sheffield to Hull and he explores the landscape and his surroundings to explain how he feels about certain places. “Too thin and  thistled to be called meadows” – I think Larkin is trying to say that meadows are meant to be something full and soft and gentle but the presence of thistles and that its thin makes them rough and dry – not worthy of being a meadow.

The presentation of nature occasionally offers hope.

 “Fast shadowed wheat fields, running high as hedges”. This simile shows that the wheat fields as stretching high and that they are vast and tower high.

“The piled gold clouds, the shining gull-marked mud”. – I really like this line from the poem as it presents an amazing image in the reader’s head (well mine anyway) and the imagery behind this is incredible.

Rhyme Scheme:

1^st Stanza: ABAB CDDC

2^nd Stanza: ABBA CDCD

3^rd Stanza: ABAB CDDC

4^th Stanza: ABBA CDCD

Rhymes Used:

Half-Rhyme – “stands” and “ascends”

Eye-Rhyme – tough and enough – words that look like they should rhyme

Feminine Rhyme – “cluster” and “water”

There are a few uses of enjambment and caesuras in order to make the poem flow and stop in places that Larkin feels will put emphasis on specific parts of the poem.

The final stanza presents the existence of freedom – “unfenced existence” but then contradicits that by saying that its “out of reach” – suggesting that he’s never going to get it.