International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017
Elements of Modernity in the Poetry’s Of Philip Larkin- A Critical Study Aasif Rashid Wani
Research Scholar, School of Languages, Dept. of English, DAVV Indore M.P (India) Email: [email protected]
Abstract Introduction
The paper aims at studying elements of Modernity: modernity in the poetry’s of Philip Larkin. The state or quality of being Larkin grew to manhood in the era of modern. Modernity. His poetic job also, which Something modern. begins under modernist control, matures The term Modernity was coined by towards postmodern directions. Thus, Charles Baudelaire in his essay “The Larkin’s poetry, belonging mainly to the Painter of Modern Life” 1864, to explore period of shift from Modernism to the life style of urban metropolis, and the Postmodernism, reflects, from time to responsibility capture that experience. time, modern as well as postmodern Generally, the meaning of modernity is tendencies. Philip Arthur Larkin was an associated with the sweeping changes that poet and novelist. His contribution to The Daily Telegraph as its jazz critic from took place in the society and particularly in the field of literature, between the late 1961 to 1971, articles gathered together in 1950’s and the beginning of Second World All What Jazz: A Record Diary 1961–71 War. (1985) and he edited The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse (1973). However, no clear elaboration by He was the heir of many honors, including date, and although the term the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. He ‘postmodernism’ is increasingly use to was offered, but deny , the position of poet describe changes since the Second World laureate in 1984, following the death of War, there are some people who argue that John Betjeman. modernity persist, and others who see its demise as having occurred much earlier. Key words: Modernity, Era of When modernity explained in terms of modernity,Modernism, Post modernism, history, it said that the world first
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017 experienced renaissance, enlightenment, modern age is also an age of science and modernity and post modernity. technological progress. Adventure and romance and even the peaceful things In a broader way, modernity is associated with the following: seem ruin. Being modern meant hurrying Industrialization and urbanization, through life. The modern world is marked development, democracy, capitalism, by its unprecedented dynamism, its superiority of power, free market, dismissal or marginalizing of tradition, and optimism, rationality, the idea that gaining by its global consequences, time seemed to knowledge of the truth self was the only speed up and space open up. Modernity’s forward - looking thrust relates strongly to foundation for all other knowledge, the search of absolute knowledge in science, belief in progress and the power of human technology, society and politics. Modern reason to produce freedom. literature is characterized chiefly by a Modernists wished to distinguish rejection of 19th-century traditions and of themselves from virtually the entire history their consensus between author and reader. of art and literature. Many Modernist Specifically, Modernists deliberately tried writers felt that every story that could to break away from the conventions of the possibly told, in one way or another, been Victorian era. This separation from 19th told already. Therefore, in order to create century literary and artistic principles is a something new, they often had to try using major part of a broader goal. new forms of writing. The period thus
Modernity associated with the produced many experiments. Perhaps best known for such experimentation are few culture and intellectual movements.Modernity is closely related to fiction writers named James Joyce and Virginia Woolf the ethos philosophy, aesthetic modernism, Marxism, Existentialism, modern art and His poems are marked by what formal establishment of social science, this Andrew Motion calls a very English, glum is an age of change and progress, accuracy about emotions, places, and everything is changing. Because of relationships, and what Donald Davie scientific and technological advancement, described as lowered sights and there is a remarkable change in the pattern diminished expectations. Eric Homberger of life in general. People are conscious of called him “the saddest heart in the post- living in a world of rapid change. The war supermarket”—larkin himself said that
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017 deprivation for him was what daffodils Less Deceived, The Whitsun Weddings were for Wordsworth. Larkin is influenced and High Windows, through an by W.H. Auden, W. B. Yeats, and Thomas extraordinary variety of poetic structure Hardy. His poems are highly structured but the sub-themes of unhappiness. The flexible verse forms. Keith Tuma writes following poem MrBleaney, Church that there is more to Larkin's work than its Going, Going Going is all about the reputation for dour pessimism suggestions. modern society which showcases the Larkin’s poetic craftsmanship has been conflicts within the individuals and regarded by several critics as exemplary, society. and has been admired even by those who MrBleaney This poem expresses find his emotional range to be too narrow. the thoughts of Larkin as he depicts the His use of plain language shows his belief rented room of ‘MrBleaney’. In exposing in the importance of tradition, a faith in the the lonely and monotonous life of this people who maintained a contact with the figure, Larkin is unable to criticize as he land, and a suspicion of modern society, sees reflection of his own life. The poem urban development, and technological addresses the key themes of loneliness and advances. Indeed, he stands as the chief the shallowness of human life from the example among his contemporaries of the outset due to modernity. The name line of anti- modernist poetry represented ‘MrBleaney’ as the title itself evokes the by Thomas Hardy and Rudyard Kipling, emotion of insipidness and very for both of whom he had great admiration. monotonous with no strong syllables. Similar to the nature of the room Larkin Philip Larkin is a person who describes, the name has little stimulation. embarrassed with the traditional concept, This monotony is reinforced in the concept and against to modernity. He portrayed the of him renting a ‘room’ as this has little negative impact of modernity through his status in comparison of being an ‘owner’. poem and all of his poems deal with the The theme of the shallowness of existence life of human between birth and death. is present from the clinical nature in which Larkin’s poetry encapsulates the emotional the landlord refers to his death as ‘they challenges modernity poses to individual. moved him’. The use of indifferent Larkin’s own poetry and sociological language to refer to his death shows the theory is good and better to understand little care for the ending of his life. modernity and how it shaped us. In The
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017
“Behind the door, no room In Mr. Bleaney, Larkin delivers for books or the severity of a life hardly lived. The language is drab, similar to the fraying Bags-.” (MrBleaney 11) curtains in the deceased Mr. Belaney’s Modernity has both negative as room. It is evident that Bleaney led a life well as positive connotations within the of loneliness, cyclically humdrum, and society. Through this line poet want to eventually died in his solitude. The poem explore the actual position of a person on is written through the eyes of Bleaney’s who is living in the rented room, people landlord who, after the death of his tenant, have more neediness at present so they takes Bleaney’s place in a similar life of never feel satisfied with what they have so loneliness and monotony. Larkin far. But her Old man MrBleaney still have foreshadows similar demise for the no neediness of big bungalow but he is landlord to that of Bleaney, whose very struggling for basic needs where he can name sounds watery and forgettable. Mr. have sufficient place to keep his baggage Bleaney is a commentary on just how easy and luggage. The lack of pride MrBleaney it is to fall into the trap of monotony. We felt for the room is shown in the deficiency get a very detailed portrait of Mr. Bleaney of home comforts. The upright chair and his job, routine, and lack of interests are no hook behind the door symbolizes the detailed; however, even after the specifics, pragmatic nature ofMrBleaney’slife, he his life remains entirely forgettable. The didn’t make an impression on the room. landlord literally replaces Bleaney and The use of sixty watt bulb reinforces the shows that loneliness and disinterest idea of an eerie glow, evocative of the similar to quicksand are capable of slowly theme of loneliness. The description of the suffocating those who do not expect them. flowered curtains as ‘thin and frayed’ Larkin’s poem is quite stirring and shows coupled with the fusty bed evokes the idea his adept use of rhymes and language. His of decay and the inconsequentiality of his final lines reiterate his intention with the existence. The use of one hired box to work. describe the room evokes the image of a “That how we live coffin. Modernist poet concerned with the measures our own nature, reality of everyday life and the imminent presence of death.
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017
And at his age having no which had begun to take place in 1945. more to show This poem expresses the view that faith and belief in religion must die but that the Than one hired box should spirit of tradition represented by the make him pretty sure English Church cannot come to an end. He warranted no better, I Here the speaker of the poem sneaks into a don't know.”(MrBleaney church after making sure it’s empty. He 11) lets the door thud shut behind him and glances around at all the fancy decorations, Evidently, it does not matter that showing his ignorance of (or indifference whether Larkin’s readers truly understand to) how sacred all this stuff is supposed to the inner workings of Bleaney. His mind be. After a short pause, he walks up to the may have been great and he may have altar and reads a few lines from the notes been an admirable man; however, he was that are sitting on a lectern. After this, he judged on how he lived, what he actually walks back out of the church and slides an accomplished, or in Bleaney’s case, failed Irish sixpence into the collection box, to accomplish. Good intentions equate to which is basically like donating an old emptiness, similar to what Bleaney had to shirt button. The speaker thinks that the show at the end of his life. All over the place wasn’t worth stopping to check out. poem Larkin tries to explore the defects of But he also admits that he did stop, and modernity, and how people are unsatisfied that this isn’t the first time he’s done so. with their lifestyle. In general longingness He can’t help but wonder what he’s of an individual and expectation of better looking for when he keeps coming back to life is the whole societies concern towards this place, and also asks himself about society, somehow everyone is running what will happen to churches when there their life by the means of adjustment but in are no more believers left in the world. real everyone is frustrated with their day to day materialistic life. “And let the rest rent-free to rain and sheep. In Church Going (1954), clearly reveals the social context of the time when Shall we avoid them as it was written. It was a time of general unlucky places?.”(Church decline in the attendance in churches Going 15)
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017
He wonders if they’ll make herbs growing out of the church in order to museums out of the churches or if they’ll heal someone. Treating the church in this just leave the buildings’ doors open so that way it will decay of all specific morals and sheep can hang out inside them. Nearing meanings the church once stood for. Either the end of the poem, the speaker asks what church seems to be no better than haunted will happen to the world when religion is home in future. It means that simply gone altogether. May be we will open all religion giving the way to superstition. church doors and let the nature have its Will they be an obsessive way. Finally here speaker wonders if we compulsive, who just can’t stop wanting to will avoid churches as unlucky places, smell incense? Or will they be more like meaning is that even if we were no longer the speaker, someone who’s bored and religious, we might still be superstitious. ignorant about the church, and just passing Then he wonders what the very last by without knowing what they’re looking religious person will be like. The title of for? Finally, the speaker just comes out the poem itself denotes the meaning of and admits that he’s pleased by the church ‘departure’ means it’s simply all about because it’s a serious place for serious what is going actually at present scenario. questions. Humanity, he concludes, will “Or, after dark, will always have a hunger to ask those big dubious women come questions like ‘Why are we here?’ and ‘Where do we go when we die?’ And for To make their children this reason, the kind of urge that created touch a particular stone; religion in the first place will never go Pick simples for cancer; or away, even if organized churches do. on some Sorry, atheists. If you were looking for a poem that just trashes religion and calls Advised night see walking spiritual people stupid, you’ll have to look a dead one?.”(Church someplace else. The poem refers both to Going 15) theerosion of the Church as an institution In doubtful nature women brings and to the perpetuation of some kind of their children to touch a certain part of the ritual observance. In other words, the poet church just for good luck. Speaker here explores different perceptions of the wonders that people might come and pick
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017 same event (the event being the decline of beautiful landscape is being replaced with attendance in the churches). the modern buildings and cafes where a crown of people will spend their time. In Going Going is another nice poem of Larkin. Here, the title is the key to “Their kids are screaming the whole poem. In Larkin’s view, the for more – landscape of England as a green and More houses, more parking pleasant is going away. It is being replaced allowed,”(Going Going 25) by shoddy development. Thus, like William Wordsworth, the gradual loss of In addition, the new generation natural beauty of the country moves the demands more and more houses, caravans speaker to pessimism from optimism. sites, pay and so on. Afterwards, the From the beginning of the poem, Philip speaker of the poem frustrated and Larkin has a disillusioned air about the shocked, mourns for the loss of the natural future of England. He thinks that it will beauty in England in the similar way last his time. There is a comfortable public Wordsworth morns for the loss of natural belief that traditional England will not be beauty in ‘Intimation of Immortality’. overwhelmed by development. There will “For the first time I feel always be an England. He knows that there somehow will be alarms, but thinks them false. Despite that, Larkin already signals danger That it isn’t going to in the words: last,”(Going Going 26)
“There would always be Later on, the speaker of the poem fields and farms, feels almost alarmed at the thought that after his demise everything will be bricked Where the village louts and there will be a sign of development could climb everywhere because with the passage of Such trees as were not cut time, progress is a must by the dishonest down ;”( Going Going 25). people in society. And such development implies the destruction of the beauty of the In the poem bears the stamp of city county by cutting down trees and by life because it is seen in cities and towns building industries and mills or cafes there. not in the country. It also indicates that the
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017
He is giving awareness to the people that raw feelings about ordinary life, and from what are all the things, we are going to what he called ‘unsorted experience’. He lose. Especially here, the speaker names writes honestly and directly about the valuable things that will be lost soon in whatever happens to arouse and hold his England as: interest. Larkin certainly does not approve of the soulless modernity of the kind of “The shadows, the atomistic society which is governed by a meadows, the lanes, commercial ethic. The guildhalls, the carved It is in keeping with this choirs.”(Going Going 28) modernistic notion of progress that Larkin Towards the end of the poem, the sardonically describes Britain as the first narrator predicts the future of England that slum of Europe in his poem Going Going. there will be time when the natural beauty And it is in keeping with this attitude of of the country will vanish with so called his that in poems like Here, In Mr. development in England. As a result, Bleaney, he shows his great compassion England losing her past beauty will soon for people whose search for happiness in be bleak. In summing up the elaborate the modern world seems doomed to failure discussion above, it can be said that once in the atmosphere of unashamed and the natural beauty of England was growing materialism. Larkin’s charming that it influenced many a poet Conservatism Larkin is a conservative in along with Wordsworth and John Keats to the profoundest sense of the word. His compose poetry and also gave peace to disgust with urbanization, cheap stores, people but now people have brought a and foul-smelling roads all these add up to radical change in nature doing cruel things a tradition of profound conservatism. He to it. Such loss of natural beauty has left shows his scorn for the commercialism Philip Larkin pessimistic in true sense. and collectivism which are responsible for the moral, social, and aesthetic breakdown. Therefore, Larkin’s response to life Finally this paper critically analyzed how and experience is characterized by Larkin foreshadows his view of modernity freshness and by poetic integrity. Larkin with negative connotations. Due to himself emphasized the way in which his modernity lots of changes happen in the poems derived their basic impulse from his society which has both positive as well as
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International Journal of Research p-I SSN: 2348-6848 e-I SSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Vol ume 04 I s s ue 01 Ja nua ry 2017 negative results so as per the society’s Thwaite, to be written in welfare concern, they should make use of September the same year. Though positive things rather than worrying for he puts’?’after September in his negative. Else people will lead isolated life dating of his poem in his edition of for sure, may have all luxurious things but collected poems, it is accurate they feel lack of satisfaction, happiness. In because of the nearness of the the ultimate analysis the continuing effect themes of the poems. of the Industrial Revolution right from the Web sources previous era [the Victorian Age]
Bibliography <- www.oxbridgewriters.com/essays/ Primary sources English-literature/criticism/critical Larkin,Philip.The Less analysis on Philip Larkin> Deceived.Hessle:Yorkshire,1964.
Ricks,Christopher.The Force of poetry.Newyork:Oxford University Press,1984.
“Mr Bleaney” was written in may 1955 and “Counting” is belived,according to Antony
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