Analysis of Philip Larkin
Analysis of Philip Larkin’s poem ‘First sight’ in relation to the idea of natural progression through stages of life.
First sight is an intense yet fulfilling interpretation of a newly born lambs first glimpses of the world. The poem also explores the difficulties the young lamb faces through its first experiences of the harsh environment and how they have to deal with it as they find their feet in the world. Been born in winter the lambs have yet to experience “earth’s unmeasurable surprise” which is the warmth and beauty the earth can provide. The title “First Sight” could be interpreted as being the “first sight” the new born lambs have of their new surroundings or it could be the poet’s “first sight” of the new born lambs. Whatever the interpretation, the readers are left in no doubt that the poem is about new beginnings in harsh environments and survival against all odds.
The poem consists of two regular stanzas each containing 7 lines. Throughout the poem there is a sense of regularity Larkin uses the regularity of the poem to assure the reader that although the lambs have been born at winter what the lambs have to endure is temporary despite their lack of awareness to conditions which will come. This is supported through the regular iambic pentameter which generally gives a sense of natural flow. Also, throughout the poem, A, B rhyme scheme adds to regularity of the poem even though the lambs see this as harsh as they know no different. The internal rhyme scheme at the end two lines of each stanza indicate change is on the horizon and inevitable for the lambs whether they realise this or not this structural technique of internal rhyme allows the reader to feel sympathy for the lambs but also hope that they the best to come. As well as the link between both stanzas through rhyme, the ideas of the links of the last stanza link also “cold” and “snow” are both detrimental to lambs at birth as they will not have the fleece of a fully grown sheep, Larkin uses
First sight is an intense yet fulfilling interpretation of a newly born lambs first glimpses of the world. The poem also explores the difficulties the young lamb faces through its first experiences of the harsh environment and how they have to deal with it as they find their feet in the world. Been born in winter the lambs have yet to experience “earth’s unmeasurable surprise” which is the warmth and beauty the earth can provide. The title “First Sight” could be interpreted as being the “first sight” the new born lambs have of their new surroundings or it could be the poet’s “first sight” of the new born lambs. Whatever the interpretation, the readers are left in no doubt that the poem is about new beginnings in harsh environments and survival against all odds.
The poem consists of two regular stanzas each containing 7 lines. Throughout the poem there is a sense of regularity Larkin uses the regularity of the poem to assure the reader that although the lambs have been born at winter what the lambs have to endure is temporary despite their lack of awareness to conditions which will come. This is supported through the regular iambic pentameter which generally gives a sense of natural flow. Also, throughout the poem, A, B rhyme scheme adds to regularity of the poem even though the lambs see this as harsh as they know no different. The internal rhyme scheme at the end two lines of each stanza indicate change is on the horizon and inevitable for the lambs whether they realise this or not this structural technique of internal rhyme allows the reader to feel sympathy for the lambs but also hope that they the best to come. As well as the link between both stanzas through rhyme, the ideas of the links of the last stanza link also “cold” and “snow” are both detrimental to lambs at birth as they will not have the fleece of a fully grown sheep, Larkin uses