The Work of Philip Larkin

Philip Larkin wrote many different poems in his life time he was described to be “The Poet that created a movement in poetry”(Craik). Poems that are famous by Larkin are “Days”, “High Windows”, “Love Again”, “Toads”, and “Church Going”. Some critics say “ That his poetry was very offensive in the manner he wrote it because it was dark and gloomy and sent a very negative message to the reader.” (Thwaite, 268) The poet Philip Larkin is a gloomy, death-obsessed and darkly humorous observer of human foibles and failings.

Philip Larkin’s life behind the scenes with his parents. Philip Larkin was born in 1922 in Coventry, England. He grew up in Coventry, England a city known for its cathedral and its Daumier motor-car factory. When he died “This Be the Verse” was written on his tombstone. Larkin’s father was a bully but his mother was a house wife who was anxious all the time. He lived a much more dramatic life than what he led on to people. Larkin could not escape his house or his parents until he was eighteen and Oxford became his new home. After college at Oxford “Larkin’s life was set” (Margo), he was a librarian. He had met Monica Jones who was the love of his life. Also he was a jazz critic for the Daily Telegraph in the 1960’s and 70’s. As he was a librarian he became a bookish dandy (Margo). He wore a waistcoat and a green or cerise trousers and thick eye glasses.

Philip Larkin wrote the poem “Days” which is very short but it has a deep meaning. “Days” shows that it has a gloomy meaning because he asks the question “What are days for?” (1). Larkin makes it seem that he had a rough life and it was very depressing because it comes out in his writing. Also he mentions “Brings the priest and the doctor” (8) by Lar...

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...on (Sullivan). In another poem “Faith Healing” it says In everyone there sleeps A sense of life lived according to love. To some it means the difference they could make By loving others, but across most it sweeps As all they might have been had they been loved. That nothing cures. (Faith Healing). “Larkin had the feeling of being gay when he was around fifteen years” (Sullivan).

The poet Philip Larkin is a gloomy, death-obsessed and darkly humorous observer of human foibles and failings. In conclusion many critics have a lot to say about Philip Larkin some say he was gloomy others say he had high spirits. Others say he was a homosexual while some do not. “’I had actually addressed the subject in front of others’” (Sullivan), personally I do not see why critics say he was not a homosexual or maybe he was a bisexual these are questions we will never know.