Context of the less deceived

ones for each poem

Lines on a young lady’s photography album

Larkin alludes to Ode on a grecian urn by John Keats.

• Keats poem is written in praise of the images he sees on the urn.

• Series of positive images that celebrates aspects of life: love, nature, music, community.

• Celebrates the pictures/images because they are eternal - in that final stanza he compares that permanence to humanity ‘who will waste’ while the images will remain.

Wedding wind

-written in 1946 - Larkin was unsure about his relationship with Ruth Bowman. and whether his seperation from her would end the relationship.

-Reflects post war era of disillusionment and uncertainty + wind as a destructive force mirrors social + political changes of the time

No road

In literature the road is often used as a metaphor for a journey from one place to another e.g. “the yellow brick road’

-written in 1950 - addressed to Ruth Bowman after Larkin moved to Belfast and left her after he broke off their engagement.

Deceptions

Mayhew was a victorian social commentator and his text London Labour and the London poor was him observing the lives of the working class.

Some critics see the poem as a commentary about his failed relationship with Ruth Bowman - his relationship with women only ever ‘leaves’ him with a sense of unfufilment.

Poetry of departures

People wanted to escape the reality that was post war England.

Plays into movement ideas of focusing on the ordinary.

Coming

A thrush - Larkin alludes to Thomas Hardy ‘the darkling thrush. in this poem, the thrush is also used as a symbol of hope.

Romantics:  Nature exerts positive control of humanity which the romantics wanted. They essentially often reflected on a positive relationship with man and nature, a utopian society,  

 

I remember, I remember

• Poem alludes to Thomas Hood’s 19th century poem of the same name.

• In Hood’s poem, nature is personified as a powerful force of good and nature and childhood are presented with a sense of nostalgia.

• form and meter are simple and childlike reflecting innocence.

• last line laments on the loss of childhood and innocence.

Going

Was originally going to be called dying day. 

Larkin moving away from movement language. 

Wires

It explores Larkin's desire to break free of societal constraints but has the inability to do so. The cattle are a metaphor for people / Larkin and the fence is a metaphor for society. The poem suggests that agency/freedom of choice are on illusion. 

Myxomatosis

Myxomatosis was a viral disease introduced in England in the 1950s. It leads to paralysis and blindness in rabbits

Next Please

• L dreaded phrase (next, please). It would force him to reveal his stammer.  

• Written in 1951: reflects disillusioned mundane drab nature of english society.  

• Reflects decline of religious faith in post war England.  

Maiden Name

This is about Winifred Arnott. She graduated and queens university Belfast. This is where she met Phillip Larkin and they had a relationship with each other. This ended when she moved back to England and got engaged to another man.

Born Yesterday

Typical of movement ideas - focuses on ordinary + moving away from romantic notion of idealised beauty.

Uses the trope of fairy stories to bestow ‘blessings’ but his gift is an ironic reversal of gifts given by fairies.

Lists talents as merely appearance: he seems to think women are unable to live with exceptional good looks + be happy women exist only in relation to male gaze - women lack autonomy.