Larkin Poems Context Flashcards
Give 2 pieces of context for Wires
- Larkin and the Movement
- This England - 1950s Britain
How does the Movement link to Wires?
- Larkin referred to his work as ‘sad-eyed realism’; poetry depicting the pain, uncertainty, and compromise of everyday life
- the Movement portrayed unsentimental, honest, realistic depictions of the day-to-day
- Wires is about social conformity and societal expectations that affect everyone
- Wires also portrays many stylistic and technical features of the Movement
How does 1950s Britain link to Wires?
- Britain’s national identity shifted in the aftermath of WWII, as the former global superpower became much less influential
- Key Dates:
- 1945: WWII ended, Labour party comes to power promising to create a fairer, more equal Britain
- 1948: NHS created
- 1954: Food Rationing stops
- 1955: The Less Deceived published
- 1950s: Cold War begins
- Although Larkin is not especially a political poet, we might describe his views as being conservative
- shifting identity, the loss of power and control, and disillusionment are all explored in Wires
Give 3 pieces of context for Next, Please
- The Movement
- Preoccupation with Death
- Mid-Century Expectations & 1950s consumer culture.
how does The Movement link to Next, Please
- The Movement rejected experimental modernism which they saw as pretentious and disconnected from everyday reality.
- Their work was unsentimental, rational, and rooted in a nostalgic idea of English identity, and they favoured poetry that used traditional forms and structures
- Larkin referred to his own work as ‘sad-eyed realism’- poetry depicting the pain, uncertainty, and compromise of everyday life
how does Larkin’s preoccupation with death link to Next, Please
Larkin’s poems were written in the shadow of WWII – an event which led to a significant loss of life – and just before The Cold War, when nuclear testing was becoming more common – foreshadowing further loss of life. This helps to explain Larkin’s focus on death and mortality in various poems from The Less Deceived.
how does Mid-Century Expectations & 1950s consumer culture link to Next, Please
- The changing landscape of world politics and Britain’s difficult financial position meant that the British empire was slowly being dismantled. This led to a change in Britain’s national identity as it became much less influential - disillusionment
- People also felt a renewed sense of optimism, seeing the post-war period as a chance to start again and make Britain a more equal country; perhaps this led Larkin to think people were always expecting too much of the future and not facing the current realities. The painful austerity of post-war years, was made worse by contemporary hopes for a rapid transformation and opening-up of a stagnant society that were never met in full measure
- The ideology of the American Dream also started to influence British thinking and culture
- Larkin transparently belongs to a generation who hoped for much after the war, and were disappointed; his disappointment did not make him angry, but contributed to a strong but gentle irony; any ideal exists only to be betrayed, and therefore perhaps it is better not to have ideals at all
give a piece of historical context for Wedding Wind
Larkin was critical of the post-WWII marriage boom. Larkin believed those who married post-WWII did so for legal purposes and convenience rather than love; Larkin had a cynical view of this behaviour.
give 2 pieces of biographical context for Wedding Wind
- Larkin’s parents endured a difficult marriage, and this was keenly felt by Larkin, explored in his poem This Be The Verse: ‘They fuck you up, your mum and dad.’
- Larkin never married or had children, commenting in his diary, ‘let me remember the only married state I know is bloody hell’.
give a piece of literary context for Wedding Wind
Larkin referred to his own work as ‘sad-eyed realism’- poetry depicting the pain, uncertainty, and compromise of everyday life
give 2 pieces of context for Places, Loved Ones
- Larkin’s Own Lack of ‘Place’
- Larkin’s Own Relationships
how does Larkin’s own lack of ‘place’ link to Places, Loved Ones
- Larkin wrote Places, Loved Ones in 1954 after making the decision to move from Belfast to Hull. Like the speaker, he had no solid sense of home at the time.
- Larkin moved home 5 times between 1943 and 1955 (Oxford, Wellington, Leicester, Belfast and Hull).
how do Larkin’s Own Relationships link to Places, Loved Ones
- Larkin’s first relationship was with Ruth Bowman – they were briefly engaged but this was broken off when he moved to Belfast.
- Larkin’s longest relationship was with Monica Jones, which spanned nearly 40 years from 1946-1985 – when Larkin died. He never married.
give 2 pieces of context for Coming
- Thomas Hardy
- Anti-Romanticism
how does Thomas Hardy link to Coming?
Larkin alludes to the Darkling Thrush; here, the idea of hope is presented, but from an unknown source, or something that is not understood: ‘some blessed Hope, whereof he knew / And I was unaware’
how does Anti-Romanticism link to Coming?
- Larkin interpreted modern reality with a realistic, clear, colloquial style that discarded both Romanticism and Modernism. This gives Larkin’s poetry a kind of simplicity and accessibility.
- In Romantic poetry, the poet engages in a deep philosophising over the soul and sublime landscapes. Larkin’s poetry is also personal, but he never highlights a sage-like wisdom in the speaker.
give 2 pieces of context for Reasons for Attendance
- Larkin’s Hobbies
- Sad-Eyed Realism
how do Larkin’s hobbies link to Reasons for Attendance?
Larkin was a huge fan 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.’
how does sad-eyed realism link to Reasons for Attendance?
Larkin referred to his own work as ‘sad-eyed realism’- poetry depicting the pain, uncertainty, and compromise of everyday life
give 2 pieces of context for Going
- Sad-Eyed Realism
- Death and Mortality
how does sad-eyed realism link to Going?
Larkin referred to his own work as ‘sad-eyed realism’- poetry depicting the pain, uncertainty, and compromise of everyday life
how does Death and Mortality link to Going?
Larkin’s poems were written in the shadow of WWII - an event which led to a significant loss of life - and just before the Cold War, when nuclear testing was becoming more common, foreshadowing further loss of life. This helps explain Larkin’s focus on death and mortality.
