'Essential Beauty' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:
'Essential Beauty' is a poem about the contrast in life on advertisement and reality. The poem is still very much relevant to modern day advertisement - TV advertisements, billboards, magazines and posters. Beauty and the idea of 'perfection' is plastered everywhere for everyone to see. Larkin's point in this poem is the idea that everyone wants this 'beautiful' life, but this is not in fact realistic. This fits in well with Larkin's usual pessimistic attitude throughout the collection of The Whitsun Weddings.

Themes:
The theme in this poem is about how people will continue to chase an unreachable goal of perfection - to be like the fairytales and life shown on TV.




Links:
'The Whitsun Weddings' - Larkin does not believe in the show of happiness. Larkin suggests that the coupes are acting/faking their happiness to make themselves and others believe it. This does not fool Larkin, and he sees sadness and regret in everyone.

'An Adrundel Tomb' - There is a display of eternal love, however Larkin uses the idea the their faces are unclear and love is in fact not 'eternal'. Larkin sees this again - as a false display of happiness, linking well to 'Essential Beauty'.

'Talking in Bed' - Talking in bed should be a happy thing. However Larkin uses the emotions of the couple to display a front each uses in order to keep the other happy, even though neither of them are. A false front from both people suggests that their marriage is untrue and unhappy. Like reality compared to life in advertisements.

Analysis:
 

 

 

'Broadcast' - The Whitsun Weddings

Broadcast from eleanorainslie

'Faith Healing' - The Whitsun Weddings

Faith Healing from eleanorainslie

'For Sidney Bechet' - The Whitsun Weddings

For Sidney Bechet from eleanorainslie

'Take One Home for the Kiddies' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:
This is a poem about the way children can be unintentionally brutal. The way children 'play' with pets like toys is the example used by a Larkin. Unsurprisingly, this poem fits perfectly with many other poems written by Larkin. It is morbid and depressing.

Themes:
The theme in this poem mostly summarises it. It is about the savagery and also innocence of children.

Title:
The word ' kiddies' is used to descrbie the children. This almost sounds sarcastic after reading the poem. 'Kiddies' suggests that the children are sweet and innocent, however this is not how they are potrayed in the poem.

Analysis:

'Home is so Sad' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:

'Home is so Sad' is a poem about time passing and the coming and going of families. The home being described is neglected and lonely. Anthropomorphia is used to make the audience feel for the house. It is also used to perhaps show the way Larkin feels about the idea of his home.

Also, looking at the way the poem can be analysed, it represents many aspects of a rough relationship or even a break up. The 'emotions' of the house represents a one-sided story of how one may feel during the absence of a person they were once in love with. This poem is quite emotional for Larkin as it may represent past relationships Larkin may have had. However, Larkin talks about 'how things ought to be', suggesting that he was once in love.
 

Themes:

The main theme featured in this poem is the passing of time and also how feelings and emotions can be expressed through anthropomorphia.

Analysis:

'Whitsun Weddings' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:

‘Whitsun Weddings’ is a poem about a stopping train journey from Hull to London. It is described by Larkin as ‘the train that all the wedding couples would get on and go to London for their honeymoon’.  Larkin mentions the appearance, class and emotions of each member of the bridal party; the girls, fathers, mothers, uncles, the couples and the children.

Themes:

The recurring theme in this poem is the class and hierarchy of society. Larkin often makes references to the idea that the wedding is cheap, such as "nylon gloves" and "jewellery-substitutes". Larkin displays is snobbish background which is not only a recurring theme in 'Whitsun Weddings' but throughout the whole collection of The Whitsun Weddings.

The Wedding Party:

'Talking in Bed' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:
'Talking in Bed' is a poem about the absence romance and passion in a relationship. It is also about how relationships can deteriorate over time and broken communication between two people who were once in love.

Title:
The title gives a false sense of the actual poem. When we think of 'Talking in Bed' the image given is a couple in their intimate space and who are likely having a private conversation. However, it can also give the impression that this romantic couple has lost the spark - as rather than being intimate with each other, the idea is to avoid anything of the sort.

Analysis:

'Here' - The Whitsun Weddings

Summary:
'Here' is a slow-moving poem describing the imagery in Larkin's home town of Hull.

Imagery:
The imagery in the poem is very vivid. For example "The piled gold clouds, the shining gull-marked mud". Simple or ugly sights are given a 'pretty' look such as "Hidden weeds flower". Larkin almost makes the most out of the scenes surrounding him.

However, Larkin also shows that the town is not the nicest of all. "swerving through fields
Too thin and thistled to be called meadows".

Themes:

The themes in the poem are pessimism/realism and nature. Nature as a theme can often represent peace and hope shown by the line "of skies, scarecrows, haystacks, hares and pheasants".

Rhyming Pattern:

1st Stanza: A B A B C D D C?

2nd Stanza: A B B? A C D C D

3rd Stanza: A B A B? C D D C

4th Stanza: A B B A? C D C D

Critical Analysis:
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