Philip LarkinPhilip Larkin

Poetic Genius?Poetic Genius?

By: Jeff DutchakBy: Jeff Dutchak

A quick biographyA quick biography

Philip Larkin was born on August 9, 1922 in Philip Larkin was born on August 9, 1922 in Coventry, a city in the English Midlands. After Coventry, a city in the English Midlands. After he finished his schooling he applied and was he finished his schooling he applied and was appointed to the position of Librarian in appointed to the position of Librarian in Wellington, Shropshire. He eventually went on Wellington, Shropshire. He eventually went on to become Librarian at the University of Hull to become Librarian at the University of Hull and stayed in this position for most of his life. and stayed in this position for most of his life. He was also a bit of a ladies man, preferring to He was also a bit of a ladies man, preferring to spend his time with a number of women like his spend his time with a number of women like his secretary and fellow workers instead of secretary and fellow workers instead of committing himself to one lady and becoming committing himself to one lady and becoming married. He wrote many poems such as Toads married. He wrote many poems such as Toads Revisited and Dockery and Son.Revisited and Dockery and Son.

Poems he has WrittenPoems he has Written

He has written quite a few, among He has written quite a few, among them are: Mr. Bleaney, An Arundel them are: Mr. Bleaney, An Arundel Tomb, Dockery and Son, Vers De Tomb, Dockery and Son, Vers De Société, and Toads Revisited.Société, and Toads Revisited.

Literary Criticism to Literary Criticism to An An Arundel TombArundel Tomb

I don't dislike this poem but I just think, I don't dislike this poem but I just think, like many of Larkin's poems, it’s so like many of Larkin's poems, it’s so morbid and depressing, it morbid and depressing, it monotonously goes on and on. I think it monotonously goes on and on. I think it gives a reference of time by its gives a reference of time by its description of the two sculptures being description of the two sculptures being slowly worn away. slowly worn away.

MaisyMaisy from from United KingdomUnited Kingdom

My Response to the My Response to the CriticismCriticism

I disagree with the statement that all of his poems I disagree with the statement that all of his poems are depressing, I have read a few of Larkin’s works are depressing, I have read a few of Larkin’s works and have found them not depressing, but calming. and have found them not depressing, but calming. Each one is unique. The Second picture that was Each one is unique. The Second picture that was shown in the presentation was Arundel Tomb. It is shown in the presentation was Arundel Tomb. It is a sculpture of what appears to be a man and his a sculpture of what appears to be a man and his wife together even after death. In the last stanza of wife together even after death. In the last stanza of the poem “Our almost-instinct almost true: What the poem “Our almost-instinct almost true: What will survive of us is love.” defines the symbolism will survive of us is love.” defines the symbolism behind the tomb. Sure, the sculpture itself was a behind the tomb. Sure, the sculpture itself was a masterpiece but it was more then that, it was a masterpiece but it was more then that, it was a testament to two hearts refusing to be parted even testament to two hearts refusing to be parted even through their greatest trial, death. Larkin’s poem is through their greatest trial, death. Larkin’s poem is a masterpiece that transforms stone into words.a masterpiece that transforms stone into words.

What I find “What I find “intellectually intellectually challengingchallenging and and

aesthetically appealingaesthetically appealing” ” about Larkin’s poemsabout Larkin’s poems

I find his poetry to constantly try to I find his poetry to constantly try to open your eyes to what people; in open your eyes to what people; in general are really like. Whether its general are really like. Whether its explaining human emotion like love in explaining human emotion like love in An Arundel TombAn Arundel Tomb or how the older we or how the older we get the more we want company in get the more we want company in Vers Vers De SociétéDe Société there is always a message there is always a message that you can find; a treasure to be that you can find; a treasure to be found, if your just willing to look.found, if your just willing to look.

My attempt at a poemMy attempt at a poem

How does my poem imitate How does my poem imitate Larkin’s? Larkin’s?

I chose one theme (in this case life) and I I chose one theme (in this case life) and I chose to mask over the actual meaning chose to mask over the actual meaning with the construction of a house. When with the construction of a house. When the plans were conceived it was the same the plans were conceived it was the same as a child being conceived. The storm as a child being conceived. The storm represented the trials of life, the more represented the trials of life, the more you face them the better you become at you face them the better you become at handling them, and the weathered old handling them, and the weathered old house being torn down was an old man house being torn down was an old man dying and leaving behind memories.dying and leaving behind memories.

So was Philip Larkin a So was Philip Larkin a poetic genius?poetic genius?

Yes, Philip Larkin was a poetic genius. Yes, Philip Larkin was a poetic genius. His poems get to the very core of the His poems get to the very core of the human heart, if you are able to listen human heart, if you are able to listen and understand what they mean then and understand what they mean then everything becomes clear, his poems everything becomes clear, his poems may have seemed dreary, but for may have seemed dreary, but for certain parts, so are our lives. It is too certain parts, so are our lives. It is too bad that he is no longer around to bad that he is no longer around to write more of his philosophical and write more of his philosophical and insightful poems. insightful poems.

BibliographyBibliography

Retrieved December 13, 2005 from the World Wide Retrieved December 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Larkin*Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Larkin*

Larkin, P. (1956). Larkin, P. (1956). An Arundel Tomb.An Arundel Tomb. Retrieved Retrieved December 13, 2006 from the World Wide Web: December 13, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www.poetryconnection.net/poets/Philip_Lahttp://www.poetryconnection.net/poets/Philip_Larkin/4760**rkin/4760**

*Wikipedia is a website were anyone from around the world can edit the information at *Wikipedia is a website were anyone from around the world can edit the information at any time, I was unable to find the name of the author, the date the article was any time, I was unable to find the name of the author, the date the article was submitted, where it was published, or who it was published by.submitted, where it was published, or who it was published by.

**Once again the place of publication and the publisher’s name escaped me.**Once again the place of publication and the publisher’s name escaped me.