Going Flashcards
What is this poem about?
Death
What does the speaker fear?
The afterlife
What is the speaker confused about and what does he question?
Confused about life and questions life
How old was Larkin when he wrote this poem?
23
What views does Larkin have about religion?
Agnostic views
What does Larkin say about religion?
He says it’s “absolute balls”
What’s the structure?
Three line stanza, then one line to conclude
1) “there is an __ coming in”
- metaphor? approaching what? when did Larkin first write about death?
1) evening
- for death, death, 21
2) “that __ no lamps”
- who has hope? finality of what?
2) lamps
- religious people, life
3) “__ it seems at a distance”
- device? what does the word distance mean?
3) silken
- sibilance, time/age
4) “what is under my __ that I cannot __?”
- questions what? represents? what does that show?
4) hands, feel
- what life is, poetical ability, his identity
5) “what __ my hands down?”
- what type of question? what does the question mimic? what could his mind be described as? what does he question before death?
5) loads
- abstract confusing question, his state of mind, overwhelmed +fear +unknown, he questions what is life and his identity like who are we