How the Thing That Killed Him Won.
Here by Phillip Larkin and ‘Returning to Cardiff’ But
In these poems, Larkin and Abse both write about places in a very different, very unique style. One the one hand Larkin talks about the places of his past and how they are no longer accessible; the changing of a beautiful, unspoilt place to something short of an eyesore; a pace he is in but does not feel he belongs and even places within his mind. Alternatively Abse talks longingly of the places he once lived in, and how upsetting it is to find they are no longer the same.
Both poets create a sense of place as they write about their own environments in these poems. Larkin uses a more detached observation as he uses a third person viewpoint, seen in ‘Here’, where he shows the journey of life. This differs to Abse, who presents a personal connection with the place in the poem ‘Return to Cardiff’; Abse uses this place to evoke memories.
‘Here’ is the first poem in Philip Larkin’s collection, so it suggest that it has a significant importance, however controversially he uses a third distant viewpoint, seen through the use of a third person narrative, so there is no personal connection. Larkin describes a journey through the use of extended enjambment, which creates a sped-up tone and a fast pace to the poem. This is shows in the rhythm throughout the poem. At the beginning of the stanza, it is suggested that it set in the city, “industrial shadows” and “traffic”, then towards the end of the stanza, it is suggested that it is set in the countryside with “scarecrows, haystacks and pheasants” and “solitude”. The peacefulness of the countryside is also suggested by the fact the use of alliterated words, “swerving”, “solitude”, “skies” and “scarecrows”, which are also emphasized because of the repeated sibilant sound of the words. Stanza 2 is set in the town of Hull, which seems very cluttered, from the use of listing and the sped-up tone. This continues into stanza 3, until towards the end of the stanza when
In these poems, Larkin and Abse both write about places in a very different, very unique style. One the one hand Larkin talks about the places of his past and how they are no longer accessible; the changing of a beautiful, unspoilt place to something short of an eyesore; a pace he is in but does not feel he belongs and even places within his mind. Alternatively Abse talks longingly of the places he once lived in, and how upsetting it is to find they are no longer the same.
Both poets create a sense of place as they write about their own environments in these poems. Larkin uses a more detached observation as he uses a third person viewpoint, seen in ‘Here’, where he shows the journey of life. This differs to Abse, who presents a personal connection with the place in the poem ‘Return to Cardiff’; Abse uses this place to evoke memories.
‘Here’ is the first poem in Philip Larkin’s collection, so it suggest that it has a significant importance, however controversially he uses a third distant viewpoint, seen through the use of a third person narrative, so there is no personal connection. Larkin describes a journey through the use of extended enjambment, which creates a sped-up tone and a fast pace to the poem. This is shows in the rhythm throughout the poem. At the beginning of the stanza, it is suggested that it set in the city, “industrial shadows” and “traffic”, then towards the end of the stanza, it is suggested that it is set in the countryside with “scarecrows, haystacks and pheasants” and “solitude”. The peacefulness of the countryside is also suggested by the fact the use of alliterated words, “swerving”, “solitude”, “skies” and “scarecrows”, which are also emphasized because of the repeated sibilant sound of the words. Stanza 2 is set in the town of Hull, which seems very cluttered, from the use of listing and the sped-up tone. This continues into stanza 3, until towards the end of the stanza when