biographical context Flashcards
“like a thread carrying beads”, “our kneeling as cattle” - Wedding Wind
The repetition of religious imagery could perhaps represent Larkin mocking the ‘significance’ of marriage as he described all organised religion as “absolute balls”.
“this perpetual morning shares my bed”, “Can even death dry up these new delighted lakes” - Wedding Wind
The hyperbolic language perhaps acts as Larkin mocking the supposed happiness that marriage brings. This may be due to the fact that he witnessed his parents’ difficult marriage and described it as “bloody hell”.
“The trumpet’s voice, loud and authoritative”, “It speaks; I hear” - Reasons for Attendance
Personification of music perhaps relates to Larkin’s love of jazz music, writing regular jazz reviews for The Daily Telegraph. He once commented, “I can live a week without poetry but not a day without jazz”.
“But then, why be in there? Sex, yes, but what is sex?” - Reasons for Attendance
The repetition of questions suggests the speaker questions their views on sex and why they don’t desire it as others do. Larkin once said “[sex is] always disappointing and often repulsive, like asking someone else to blow your own nose for you” therefore it could be argued that Larkin had a derisory attitude to sex which is perhaps reflected in the speaker of the poem.
“Sparkling armada of promises”, “brainwork printed, each rope distinct, flagged” “and the figurehead wit golden tits”, “a black-sailed unfamiliar” - Next, Please
The nautical imagery used throughout the poem is perhaps influenced the majority of Larkin’s life being spent in port towns and cities such as Belfast and Hull.
“a black-sailed unfamiliar”, “at her back a huge and birdless silence” - Next, Please
Larkin was consumed by thoughts of death at a very young age and rejected ideas of an afterlife, describing organised religion as “absolute balls”.
“There is an evening coming in”, “lights no lamps”, “drawn up over the knees and breast”, “Where has the tree gone, that locked Earth to the sky?” - Going
Larkin was twenty-three when he wrote this poem, and the use of metaphors in this poem perhaps reflect a grave attitude to the future and a preoccupation with death which is also seen in other poems in the collection (Wants, Next, Please).
“Beyond all this, the wish to be alone” - Wants
Larkin shunned the literary limelight, leading to the nickname, “the hermit of Hull” and perhaps this desire of Larkin’s to be alone is reflected in the speaker of Wants.
“disused”, “by law”, “thankfully confused” - Maiden Name
Larkin’s notably unromantic language is perhaps reflective of Larkin’s own negative experiences by which, although he never married, he described his parents’ difficult marriage as “bloody hell”.
“Its five light sounds” - Maiden Name
While Larkin worked in the library in the University of Belfast, he worked with a woman called Winifred Arnott, with whom he had a close friendship with. Much to Larkin’s disappointment, this relationship was never romantic in nature and later became engaged to another man. Perhaps “Its five light sounds” refers to the five syllables is Winifred Arnott’s name, therefore inspiring the poem Maiden Name.
“unfingermarked” - Maiden Name
The pun may refer to the memory of when the woman didn’t wear a wedding ring and relating the women to a beautiful photograph that was now been damaged and is corrupt. Perhaps this relates to Larkin’s love of photography.
“For Sally Amis” - Born Yesterday
Sally Amis is the daughter of Kingsley Amis, who was a friend of Larkin’s. He was a fellow Movement Writer that attended Oxford with Larkin.
“Lecturers, lispers, losers, loblolly-men, louts”, “live on their wits” - Toads
Larkin graduated from Oxford University, therefore had many peers who came from privilege. Many friends could afford to “live on their wits”. Larkin couldn’t.
“Something sufficiently toad-like squats in me, too” - Toads
Larkin, like the speaker, had a desire to work. This is why he refused the poet laureate twice and worked very hard to reform the library at the University of Hull where he worked as Chief Librarian for 30 years.
“Reprehensibly perfect” - Poetry of Departures
The oxymoron shows the speaker mocking the idea that life could ever be perfect in reality, and life without restriction is also unrealistic. This relates to Larkin describing his poetry as “sad-eyed realism”.
