Sunday 16 March 2014

Here

This poem is about travelling the repetition of "swerving" gives the idea of movement through different places. He uses an enjambment which creates a fast tone, perhaps symbolising the movement of a journey by a train perhaps. Larkin offers a realistic and pessimistic view in this poem using the landscape to show the urban industrial side and the romantic view on life.
"thin and thistle to be called meadows"-  the romantic view of a meadow is ruined by the harsh thistles, perhaps showing a danger.
"piled gold clouds, the shining gull-marked mud"- offers a contrast with 'gold' and 'mud' nature sounds more appealing but is often undermined.
"workmen at dawn, swerving to solitude"- people work hard all day, they become tired and wait for the peace and relaxation at the end of the day.
"domes and statues, spires and cranes cluster"- again a contrast between the 'domes' sounding appealing and rich whereas 'cranes' is less attractive and gives an sense of building sites, symbolising destruction.
"cheap suits, red kitchenware, sharp shoes, iced lollies"- 'cheap' 'ice' 'sharp' may all suggest danger or darker views. May be showing his prejudice to the poorer and them being unpleasant.
This poem shows how nature can occasionally offer hope and it sounds nicer and calmer.

Ends the land suddenly beyond a beach
Of shapes and shingle. Here is unfenced existence:
Facing the sun, untalkative, out of reach.
 
The last stanza offers hope and freedom. The 'beach' gives a sense of relaxation and opportunity giving an end to bad things. But facing the chance to change becomes 'out of reach' you will never be able to get there. This is a pessimistic view on life. 

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