Afternoons - Philip Larkin Flashcards
1
Q
when was this poem written?
A
1959
2
Q
themes?
A
- power - the women are powerless
- love - love has caused the women to become secondary in their own lives; negative or cynical view of love
- time - a time in a person’s life
- man - everyday people and their everyday lives
3
Q
poet context
A
- born in 1922 and died in 1985
- he was an English novelist, poet and librarian
- home-schooled until he was 8; he had few friends or close relationships in this early stage of his life
- eventually studied English at Oxford
- could not serve in WW2, due to his poor eyesight
- generally unsuccessful in love; at one point, he was in three relationships at the same time
- often attributed poems to the women he was romantically involved with
- Larkin was the head librarian at the University of Hull until he died of cancer in 1985
- highly decorated poet, however he declined the chance to become Poet Laureate in 1984 - this could be because he was known for being solitary and fame-hating
- his poems are observational and focus on everyday life and relationships; it is often called negative, miserable and melancholic
4
Q
1960s Britain context
A
- gender roles were regimented in the 1960s: women were expected to stay at home to take care of the children; men were expected to go out and work
- the government was taking steps to get rid of run-down housing, and was replacing it with modern estates which had plenty of green spaces
