Portrayal of Death in Philip Larkin’s

PoetryPresented by:

S M Firoz AlamExam Roll- 740

Introduction

Death - leading constant theme in Larkin’s poetry.

Larkin was so obsessed with the concept of death that he has been often called “a graveyard poet”

Concept of death according to LarkinDeath is unpreventable. “All streets in time are

visited” (Ambulances)“No trick dispels” (Aubade)

Death- a source of fear and fright in life.“__ the dread Of dying, and being dead,Flashes afresh to hold and horrify.” (Aubade)

Death- “So permanent and blank and true”. “That lies just under all we do.” (Ambulances)

Concept of death according to Larkin: Continued

Death- a perpetual vehicle for our travel to eternity.

“The sure extinction that we travel toAnd shall be lost in always. Not to be hereNot to be anywhere,” (Aubade)“Brings closer what is left to come.”

(Ambulances)

Death gives chances to think and calculate our life and its activities.

“__ The good not done, the love not given, timeTorn off unused__” (Aubade)

Death and Religion

Religion is “a special way of being afraid.”

“Religion used to try” “to pretend we never die.”

Life after death?

In fact, nothing can ensure a life hereafter.

Death and RationalitySocrates’ rationality is not enough in

facing the dread of death. According to Sorcates,

“No rational being Can fear a thing it will not feel.” (Aubade)

Death has “ __no sight, no

sound,No touch or taste or smell, nothing to think

with,Nothing to love or link with.” (Aubade)

Death and CourageWe cannot defeat the fear of death with our

courage.

“Courage is no good:It means not scaring others. Being braveLets no one off the grave.” (Aubade)Only

“realization of it rages outIn furnace-fear when we are caught withoutPeople or drink.”

Attributes used by Larkin to Give a Picture of Death

“Unresting”;

“the total emptiness”;

“the sure extinction”;

“nothing more terrible, nothing more true.”

“The anesthetic from which none come round.”

“__stays just on the edge of vision. A small unfocused blur, a standing chill.”

“__ the solving emptiness”

ConclusionsLarkin has got the stereotype feeling of an

agnostic(?). Death- not a gateway to heaven.

Death is the ultimate truth- our lives and activities are absurd (Albert Camus).

Myth of Sisyphus?

No. Our love, deeds and attitudes are immortal.“Only an attitude remains”“What will remain of us is love” (An Arundel Tomb)