Philip Larkin as a Modernist Poet
submitted by Mohamad Louis
Philip Larkin is a highly
regarded poet of the 20th century whose works reflect the complex and
fragmented nature of modern life. Many scholars consider him to be a modernist
poet, influenced by the ideas and techniques of modernist literature. This
research will explore Larkin's background and personal history, as well as some
of his literary works, to demonstrate how his experiences and writing
contributed to his reputation as a modernist poet. The three poems that will be
explored are "The Whitsun Weddings”(Collected Poems,114)," High
Windows,"(The Complete Poems, 190) and "This Be The Verse”( Collected
Poems, 180) These poems are notable for their use of everyday language,
conversational tone, and symbolism, which reject traditional poetic conventions
and highlight the individual's experience of modern life. Through an analysis
of these poems, I will demonstrate how Larkin's modernist tendencies are
evident in his use of language and symbolism, marking him as an important modernist
poet of his time.
Larkin’s
Background:
Larkin was born in 1922 in Coventry, England,
and grew up in a middle-class family. He attended Oxford University, where he
studied English literature and developed an interest in modernist poetry.
During this time, he was also exposed to the works of T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound,
and W.B. Yeats, all of whom were influential figures in the modernist movement.
After completing his studies, Larkin
worked as a librarian at the University of Hull for many years, where he
developed a reputation as a reclusive figure who preferred to spend his time
reading and writing poetry. Larkin's personal life was characterized by
a sense of isolation and a tendency towards melancholy, both of
which are common themes in modernist literature.
In his poetry, Larkin often shows
the darker aspects of modern life, including themes of loneliness, alienation,
and despair. His use of colloquial language, rejection of traditional poetic
form, and experimentation with narrative structure are all Characteristics of
modernist poetry. Overall, Larkin's background and personal history suggest
that he was strongly influenced by modernist literary traditions.
“The Whitsun
Weddings”
“Whitsun Weddings” is our first poem
to examine. The poem describes a train journey on a spring day. ”What links the
poem to its Modernist precursors is its search for some redeeming vision amidst
the seeming chaos and contingency of contemporary civilisation”( Corcoran, The
Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-Century English Poetry, 155). The title refers
to Whitsun Weekend, a holiday in late May. The speaker detaches himself from
the others and reflects on what he sees during the journey. He observes a
number of wedding parties boarding the train, and reflects on the passing
landscape and the people he sees on the train. The poem is a meditation on the
passage of time.
Larkin’s use of everyday language in this poem is to create a clear
image of the train journey. We can see that in the first line of the poem “An
afternoon at home.” This phrase is a simple
and direct way of describing a day spent relaxing at home. Larkin also
uses metaphor and simile. He compares The rows of house to a smoky sunset, “Rows
of house, Lined up like/ A smoky sunset.” Larkin uses a simile to compare
speaker’s feeling of being on transit waiting for something that will never
come. Using a simple language, metaphor and
simile shows how Larkin was influenced by the modernist poetry.
Also, Larkin’s use of symbolism
in this work identifies him as a modernist poet as symbolism is one of the
features of modernist poetry. Larkin uses concrete images and objects to represent
abstract concepts and ideas. For example, the train represents the journey of
life itself with movement and progress towards an unknown destination. The wedding parties might represent new
beginnings, renewal or hope. Another symbol is the church in which it
represents faith and the decline of religion in modern society. The empty churches
the speaker talks about suggest a sense of abandonment and loss.
Larkin’s use of symbols, use of
simple language and rejecting the traditional poetic language, all contribute
to his reputation as a modernist poet.
“High
Windows”:
Larkin’s tendencies are “even
more pronounced in his most iconoclastic, stylistically diverse collection, High
Windows”(Corcoran, The Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-Century English
Poetry,149). This poem is representative of the modernist style in that it
deals with the theme of ageing, time, mortality, and the breakdown of
traditional values.
As the theme of time is to be considered,
the speaker suggests that time is continually moving forward and we can not
stop this. The poem explores how time changes our understanding of the world
around us. The more we get older, the more things seem different than they did.
The speaker also reflects on the fact that the more we get older, the
more we get aware of our mortality and then we will reach a point where we can
not experience the joys of life. A pessimistic outlook on life is one of the
features of modernist poetry. The style of this poem shows Larkin as a
Modernist poet.
The language of “High Windows”
is an everyday
language of a conversational tone. throughout the use of informal language, we
can notice Larkin's desire to get rid of the traditional poetic language.
“When I see,
a couple of kids
And guess he's fucking her
and she's
Taking pills or wearing a diaphragm
I know this is paradise
Everyone old has dreamed of all their lives” (Larkin: 190)
By using this kind of language
and tone, Larkin creates a sense of immediacy and direct connection between the
speaker and the reader. This is a characteristic of modernist poetry, and Larkin’s
rejection of traditional forms shows his modernist sensibility.
“This Be
The Verse”
This is the last
poem to examine. "The Be the Verse" is a poem that reflects on the
relationship between parents and children, and how family dynamics can shape
our lives. The poem begins with the memorable line, "They fuck you up,
your mum and dad," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem.
Throughout
the poem, Larkin describes how parents pass down their own fears, anxieties,
and flaws to their children, creating a cycle of pain and dysfunction that can
be difficult to break. He suggests that even the best intentions of parents can
ultimately lead to negative outcomes for their children.
Despite the
bleakness of its message, "This Be the Verse" also contains elements
of dark humour and irony. Larkin's use of blunt language and profanity is meant
to shock and provoke the readers.
Larkin's
use of blunt language is meant to challenge and shock the reader, breaking with the traditional
conventions of polite language. Also, the tone reflects a sense of
disillusionment and despair which is a characteristic of modernist poetry.
In
addition, Philip Larkin criticizes traditional
values, particularly those related to family and parenting. Through his use
of provocative language and his exploration of the theme of family dysfunction.
From the first line of the poem, Larkin challenges the idea of an idealized
family and how they always seek the best for their children. Larkin distorts
the idea that poetry should always be elevated and dignified. He reflects the
reality of human experience even if it was messy. The poem serves as a
commentary on the human experience and how we are shaped by our upbringing and
environment.
In
conclusion, Philip Larkin is considered to be a modernist poet whose works
reflect the complex and fragmented nature of modern life. His background and
personal history, as well as his interest in modernist poetry, influenced his
writing style. Larkin's use of everyday language and rejection of traditional
poetic form are all characteristics of modernist poetry. Through an analysis of
poems such as "The Whitsun Weddings" and "High Windows," it
is obvious that Larkin's modernist tendencies are evident in his use of
language and symbolism, marking him as an important modernist poet of his time.
Bibliography
1.
Burnett, Archie, editor. The Complete Poems of
Philip Larkin. London: Bloomsbury House; Faber & Faber, 2012
2.
Corcoran, Neil, editor. The Cambridge Companion
to Twentieth-Century English Poetry. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007
3.
Larkin, Philip. “ High Windows.” Complete Poems
Ed. Archie Burnett , Faber, Bloomsbury House, 2012
4.
Larkin, Philip. “The Whitsun Weddings” Collected
poem Ed. Anthony Thwaite, Faber
and Faber, Straus Giroux, 2001
5.
Larkin, Philip. “ This Be the Verse.” Collected
poem Ed. Anthony Thwaite, Faber
and Faber, Straus Giroux, 2001
No comments:
Post a Comment