Wild Oats Flashcards
Context around Larkin.
- Cheated on his girlfriend, never had a very serious relationship.
- Advocate for pornography.
- English poet.
Context around 1960’s - when was Wild Oats published?
- Published: 1962
- Sexually liberal time.
- Young men were encouraged to sleep around before settling down.
- “Wild oats” phrase used at time: means to engage in sexual indiscretions.
What could Larkin’s purpose be in this poem? How is this seen by the form of the poem?
- Autobiographical poem.
- Purpose: confessing his own personality’s flaws/ unrealistic expectations of love.
Structure of this poem
- Minimal rhyme: conversational/ confessional, lack of structure = lack of structure in narrator’s own life.
Use of quantifying phrases in poem, significance?
- “four hundred letters.”
- “seven years after that.”
- “ten- guinea ring.”
- Transactional view of relationships/ limited, confined time with each of the women.
Symbolism of the “two girls.”
- “English rose”: standard/ conventional beauty.
- “Friend in specs”: intellectual appeal/ rational choice.
- Does’t give them actual names, not valuing them as women, just objects to sleep with.
- Infantalising in “girls.”
Example of coloquial language used in the poem.
- “I doubt if ever one had like hers.”
- “specs.”
- Enjambement here as well emphasises how love was spontaneous, overhelmed his emotions.
Significance of religious imagery used in stanza 2.
- “numerous cathedral cities Unknown to the clergy.”
- Had an affair right in front of people of church, they didn’t care.
- Metaphor for how religious establishments have turned a blind eye in 1960’s, freedom of this fact?
Significance of “ten guinea ring.”
- Cheap, symbol for cheap relationship - doesn’t have intention to stay with the woman “in specs” for very long.
What does enjambement between stanza 1 and 2 create?
- Creates natural flowing rhythm to their relationship, only pursues the relationship when it feels natural - when it doesn’t, moves onto the next woman.
How is it clear that narrator has a lack of confidence that he tries to cover up by being dismissive?
- “trying (so I thought) not to laugh.”
- Brackets emphasise his uncertainty/ lack of confidence when she laughs at him. Doesn’t know his place in society, how to act/ behave in time of 1960’s = very liberal?
- Brackets, doesn’t understand the woman well- noncholant tone, not bothered to ask her about why she is laughing.
How is the narrator presented as dismissive and noncholant towards his encounters?
- “useful to get that learnt.”
- Is he trying to cover up the fact that he is actually hurt woman doesn’t want him?
- “perhaps” - last line of poem. Not claiming any responsibilty for sleeping around.
Significance of metaphor “parting after five rehearsals.”
- “rehearsals” preparation - almost like he was “trying her out” for the show of showing people what an attractive woman he has slept with.
Significance of description of the man from the “English rose.”
- “too selfish, withdrawn, And easily bored to love.”
- Caseura: listing his traits/ brining a stop to relationship, not naturally flowing like in enjambement previously, demonstrates how this feeling is only temporary.
- Direct speech, speaking directly to “beautiful” woman.
- Confessing his bad traits.
What could Larkin’s purpose be with this poem?
- Confessional: almost a critique of his past behaviour with women?
- Portraying faults in idea of men sleeping around, they develop an emotional connection but try to hide this fact.
Significance of the pictures of the “English rose” the narrator keeps.
- “two snaps of bosomy rose.”
- Photos act as trophees of who has slept with.
- “two” - does he have an emotional connection? Forced not to care/ move onto the next woman by society? Replaced the first woman in “specs” - physical beauty in woman overrides intelectual superiority.
Significance of phrase “unlucky charms” used to describe “snaps” of the “English Rose.”
- “Unlucky” = coloquial but “charms” suggested he found her precious.
- “Perhaps” - suggesting he can’t decide.
- Forced by society to forget about her/ move onto next woman, but he can’t - has grown an attachment/ is hurt by what she has said to him??
Structural features that show relationship between the narrator and “English rose” coming to an end.
- Caesura in stanza 3.
- Full stops at end of stanza 3, sharp end to the relationship.
- Is it the narrator’s fault that relationship bought to end/ society’s idea of how he should act around women (noncholance) that bought it to an end?
