Phillip Larkin Case

Phillip Larkin wrote 'Mr Bleaney' in 1955 in a series of poems The Whitsun Weddings, he presents the reader with a poem written in a local context, which not only makes the poem more accessible but also gives the poem character. The points that the poem raises are frighteningly relevant today and are another reason for its accessibility. Larkin gives every word in 'Mr Bleaney' a unique tonal quality that is set with a chilling ambience. A bleak and depressing poem, reflecting the sociological and economic state of mid 1950s Britain 'Mr Bleaney' carries a sombre message that places the emphasis on uncertainty rather than certainty. Serving to reinforce the pessimism inherent in the poem. One certainly gets the feel that the poet himself was going through a particularly depressing period of his life and use's the departed Mr Bleaney to express his emotions but the intention of the poem is much more implicit than just the emotional expression of the poet. Larkin's message becomes clear the more you read the poem. We are asked to take a look at our own lives and consider how we might evaluate our sense of worth, and how we measure it. Larkin was asking himself the same question, unfortunately he could not answer it, he left that to 'Mr Bleaney.'

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