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Philip Larkin Answer
"Larkin is a pessimistic rather than optimistic poet" – Discuss
Larkin has been regarded as a pessimistic poet. Larkin surely takes a very dark view of human life.
The main emphasis in his poem is on failure and frustration in human life. However Larkin is not a
uniformly pessimistic poet. Some of his poems have a profoundly moral character, which expresses
itself in the need to control and organize life, rather than submit to a pre–determined pattern of
failure. There is generally a debate going on in many of his poems between the positive and the
negative aspects of human life. I feel that Larkin can be both a positive and negative poet.
I find the poem "The Trees" to be one of Larkin's optimistic poems. "The Trees" deals with the
...show more content...
Marked by the use of the transition word "yet still", implying a change of tone from pessimism to a
more positive one, Larkin compares the trees with "unresting castles". The speaker uses this
metaphor to create an image of masculine, firm trees. This image of adamant trees is further
developed by the speaker 's deployment of diction "full–grown thickness". Larkin creates this image
to suggest his new tone of distant admiration towards the trees that tenaciously repeat the cycle of
birth, aging and renewal "every" year. Yet, his constant wavering of tone between pessimism and
hopefulness greatly contrasts the image of adamant, unwavering trees. Moreover, Larkin depicts the
trees as alive with speech, as they "seem to say" to him about something. Larkin personifies the trees
through the diction "say" and further emphasizes this personification through the deployment of
sibilance. The personification of the trees serves to create the effect of aliveness and joviality of the
trees. Additionally, Larkin 's repetition of the onomatopoeia "afresh" further enhances the sound of
tree leaves bustling and rustling by the wind, thereby signifying life. Through this onomatopoeia,
Larkin evokes images of nature and hope. This imagery is symbolic of the trees ' continuous,
unwavering life and renewal. Larkin purposefully expresses his reluctance towards
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Wires by Philip Larkin
WIRES
Wires by Philip Larkin is an analogy of a society trapped by rules and limits and a demonstration
that fear prevents humankind from following their desires. Larkin writes this poem in 1950 with
the idea of showing his point of view of the world. In the poem the cattles are trapped by the wires
imposed, preventing them from ever reaching their search for purer water. He shows that the world
offers no hope nor mercy whatsoever in their trial for escape. What the poet is actually trying to
express is the theme of youth against old and the boundaries that the world presents. Both mentioned
have no escape but the difference is that the young generation does not realize it and life disappoints
them in their attempt of searching for...show more content...
Senses are society's main boundaries and as we grow old we understand and try to cope with the
life we carry. In addition, Larkin uses various literary techniques to express this that he feels and
thinks. to begin with, he uses a circular rhyme scheme to show how the young generations repeat the
same mistakes as the older generations, and how humans make the same mistake over and over
again. The abcd dcba rhyme is a way of showing the enclosure of the cattles
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin Philip Larkin, is a famous writer in postwar Great Britain, was commonly referred to
as "England's other Poet Laureate" until his death in 1985. Indeed, when the position of laureate
became vacant in 1984, many poets and critics favored Larkin's appointment, but the shy, provincial
author preferred to avoid the limelight.
Larkin achieved acclaim on the strength of an extremely small body of work, just over one hundred
pages of poetry in four slender volumes that appeared at almost decade–long intervals. Although
Larkin can be cynical and disappointed in tone these qualities are not characteristic of all his poetry.
It is more accurate to say he takes a realistic and unromantic approach to life which is evident in his
...show more content...
Larkin's sensitivity and empathy for horses mean he drops his cynicism and disappointment at their
fate, and realizes they are happy. The poem "ambulances" takes a realistic view of the inevitability
of death, and the pain it causes for the victim and family/friends. "All streets in time are visited" by
ambulances, and death. The victim has "A wild white face that overtops" This is the effect of the
fear that comes to us all in face of death. There is a sense of disappointment and pessimism in this
poem, and cynicism that what we think is so important is useless when faced with death.
As Larkin says all the activities we are so busy with in life, and think are so important are really
meaningless "sense the solving emptiness that lies just under all we do"
Only when faced with death do we appreciate the emptiness/meaninglessness of our lives, and the
futility of all we do when it is inevitably going to end in our death " And for a second get it whole
,So permanent and blank and true" In stanza 4. Larkin shows sensitivity to feelings of those
involved " the sudden shot of loss". And " From the exchange of love to lie
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Philip Larkin Next Please
Philip Larkin's poem next, please is a criticism of human expectancy. Larkin addresses our passive
nature on how we live our lives; always looking for what is next but never enjoying what we have
in the moment. Larkin emerges the reader into the poem by placing them on the cliff watching with
the narrator by writing the poem in first a first person narrative. He presents the idea of life's event
being a line of approaching ships and the last ship being death. through the use of rhyme scheme,
vivid language, and extended metaphor and sentence structure Larkin places emphasis on the
problems in the way we live.
Larkin presents the idea that instead of living in the moment we constantly look forward for
something new, this is first presented in the title "Next, please." The title has a dismissive and
habitual tone, and sounds like a doctor or shop keeper asking for the...show more content...
"Watching from a bluff," Larkin uses the word "bluff" to give a physical example of what
expectancy is, this makes it easier for the reader to grass what he is trying to suggest. Larkin is
makes the point that our hopes are never fulfilled, and we are always met with disappointment,
"holding wretched stalks – Of disappointment." Using hard syllables like in "wretched" makes the
message stand out more and emphasis the feeling disappointment when our expectations are nor
realised. he attempts to dissolve our expectations of undeserved lavishes, straight forward transition
from the 3rd to 4th stanza, "but we are wrong." Larkin uses this to transition form our hopes to a
desolate and inevitable future. The "black sailed unfamiliar" ship's arrival shows how no matter how
you look at life ad what we expect we all end up dead. The "black sailed" ship is not anticipated but
is the only one that
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

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Philip Larkin Essay

  • 1. Philip Larkin Answer "Larkin is a pessimistic rather than optimistic poet" – Discuss Larkin has been regarded as a pessimistic poet. Larkin surely takes a very dark view of human life. The main emphasis in his poem is on failure and frustration in human life. However Larkin is not a uniformly pessimistic poet. Some of his poems have a profoundly moral character, which expresses itself in the need to control and organize life, rather than submit to a pre–determined pattern of failure. There is generally a debate going on in many of his poems between the positive and the negative aspects of human life. I feel that Larkin can be both a positive and negative poet. I find the poem "The Trees" to be one of Larkin's optimistic poems. "The Trees" deals with the ...show more content... Marked by the use of the transition word "yet still", implying a change of tone from pessimism to a more positive one, Larkin compares the trees with "unresting castles". The speaker uses this metaphor to create an image of masculine, firm trees. This image of adamant trees is further developed by the speaker 's deployment of diction "full–grown thickness". Larkin creates this image to suggest his new tone of distant admiration towards the trees that tenaciously repeat the cycle of birth, aging and renewal "every" year. Yet, his constant wavering of tone between pessimism and hopefulness greatly contrasts the image of adamant, unwavering trees. Moreover, Larkin depicts the trees as alive with speech, as they "seem to say" to him about something. Larkin personifies the trees through the diction "say" and further emphasizes this personification through the deployment of sibilance. The personification of the trees serves to create the effect of aliveness and joviality of the trees. Additionally, Larkin 's repetition of the onomatopoeia "afresh" further enhances the sound of tree leaves bustling and rustling by the wind, thereby signifying life. Through this onomatopoeia, Larkin evokes images of nature and hope. This imagery is symbolic of the trees ' continuous, unwavering life and renewal. Larkin purposefully expresses his reluctance towards Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Wires by Philip Larkin WIRES Wires by Philip Larkin is an analogy of a society trapped by rules and limits and a demonstration that fear prevents humankind from following their desires. Larkin writes this poem in 1950 with the idea of showing his point of view of the world. In the poem the cattles are trapped by the wires imposed, preventing them from ever reaching their search for purer water. He shows that the world offers no hope nor mercy whatsoever in their trial for escape. What the poet is actually trying to express is the theme of youth against old and the boundaries that the world presents. Both mentioned have no escape but the difference is that the young generation does not realize it and life disappoints them in their attempt of searching for...show more content... Senses are society's main boundaries and as we grow old we understand and try to cope with the life we carry. In addition, Larkin uses various literary techniques to express this that he feels and thinks. to begin with, he uses a circular rhyme scheme to show how the young generations repeat the same mistakes as the older generations, and how humans make the same mistake over and over again. The abcd dcba rhyme is a way of showing the enclosure of the cattles Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Philip Larkin Philip Larkin Philip Larkin, is a famous writer in postwar Great Britain, was commonly referred to as "England's other Poet Laureate" until his death in 1985. Indeed, when the position of laureate became vacant in 1984, many poets and critics favored Larkin's appointment, but the shy, provincial author preferred to avoid the limelight. Larkin achieved acclaim on the strength of an extremely small body of work, just over one hundred pages of poetry in four slender volumes that appeared at almost decade–long intervals. Although Larkin can be cynical and disappointed in tone these qualities are not characteristic of all his poetry. It is more accurate to say he takes a realistic and unromantic approach to life which is evident in his ...show more content... Larkin's sensitivity and empathy for horses mean he drops his cynicism and disappointment at their fate, and realizes they are happy. The poem "ambulances" takes a realistic view of the inevitability of death, and the pain it causes for the victim and family/friends. "All streets in time are visited" by ambulances, and death. The victim has "A wild white face that overtops" This is the effect of the fear that comes to us all in face of death. There is a sense of disappointment and pessimism in this poem, and cynicism that what we think is so important is useless when faced with death. As Larkin says all the activities we are so busy with in life, and think are so important are really meaningless "sense the solving emptiness that lies just under all we do" Only when faced with death do we appreciate the emptiness/meaninglessness of our lives, and the futility of all we do when it is inevitably going to end in our death " And for a second get it whole ,So permanent and blank and true" In stanza 4. Larkin shows sensitivity to feelings of those involved " the sudden shot of loss". And " From the exchange of love to lie Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Philip Larkin Next Please Philip Larkin's poem next, please is a criticism of human expectancy. Larkin addresses our passive nature on how we live our lives; always looking for what is next but never enjoying what we have in the moment. Larkin emerges the reader into the poem by placing them on the cliff watching with the narrator by writing the poem in first a first person narrative. He presents the idea of life's event being a line of approaching ships and the last ship being death. through the use of rhyme scheme, vivid language, and extended metaphor and sentence structure Larkin places emphasis on the problems in the way we live. Larkin presents the idea that instead of living in the moment we constantly look forward for something new, this is first presented in the title "Next, please." The title has a dismissive and habitual tone, and sounds like a doctor or shop keeper asking for the...show more content... "Watching from a bluff," Larkin uses the word "bluff" to give a physical example of what expectancy is, this makes it easier for the reader to grass what he is trying to suggest. Larkin is makes the point that our hopes are never fulfilled, and we are always met with disappointment, "holding wretched stalks – Of disappointment." Using hard syllables like in "wretched" makes the message stand out more and emphasis the feeling disappointment when our expectations are nor realised. he attempts to dissolve our expectations of undeserved lavishes, straight forward transition from the 3rd to 4th stanza, "but we are wrong." Larkin uses this to transition form our hopes to a desolate and inevitable future. The "black sailed unfamiliar" ship's arrival shows how no matter how you look at life ad what we expect we all end up dead. The "black sailed" ship is not anticipated but is the only one that Get more content on HelpWriting.net