Aubade by Phillip Larkin

CfE Higher

S Tyler

“A graveyard poet”

The theme of death features heavily in much of Larkin’s poetry – so much so that he was called “a graveyard

poet”.

The graveyard poets were a group of pre-Romantic poets in the 18th century whose works were characterised by

their gloomy thoughts on mortality. They were typically Christian clergymen. The graveyard poets

wer the pre-cursor for the Gothic genre (Frankenstein, Dracula, J &H, Dorian Grey).

Larkin being described as such, over 100 years after the fact, emphasises how much of his poetry was

concerned with death.

S Tyler

Learning Intentions

1.) Understand and be able to comment on the form and meter of the poem.

2.) Understand and be able to comment on the symbolism of night, darkness and death in the poem.

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Form & Meter

Basics:

• 5 stanzas, 10 lines per stanza• Strict rhyme scheme - ABABCCDEED

pattern throughout.• Consistent rhythm – iambic

pentameter

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Iambic Pentameter

5,000 SWAG points (What is SWAG anyway? As far as I can tell it’s being the most arrogant and idiotic embodiment of yourself that you can possibly

manage –why does anyone want to be have this. Anyway, I digress...) up for grabs if you can (accurately) tell me what this is..........Any takers?

S Tyler

Form - IambIamb

An iamb (pronounced ‘I am’) is a metrical rhythm pattern, sometimes called an ‘iambic foot’.

Its pattern is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

The word “allow” is a good example of an iambic foot;say “allow” out loud and you hear an iambic foot in action: daDUM – alLOW.

We stress the second syllable of “allow” more than the first.

S Tyler

Form – Iambic Pentameter

Iambic Pentameter what we would get if we said “allow” five times in a row (the prefix ‘penta’ means five).

Iambic Pentameter is a line of poetry with five iambic feet. E.g.“I work all day, and get half-drunk at night.” da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

S Tyler

Form - Iambic Pentameter

Task:

In pencil, breakdown the iambs in the poem using vertical slashes.

Do you notice anything about the rhythm?

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic PentameterSo, why did Larkin use iambic pentameter in ‘Aubade’?

We’ve established that the poem’s main theme is death/futility and monotony of life.

The repeated rhythm pattern created by iambic pentameter reflects that monotony. It also reinforces the feeling of knowing what is coming next, in this case: death.

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic Pentameter

Iambic pentameter is used for the majority of the poem.

However, this rhythm does change on a number of occasions.

When the rhythm changes, the pattern is broken and this has a jarring effect on the reader or listener.

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic PentameterLook at line 7 - this line ends with a double stressed syllable:

“…I shall myself die.”da DUM daDUM DUM

If it was following the pattern of iambic pentameter, the line should have ended with an unstressed syllable.

The sound of the stressed syllables side by side mirrors the speaker’s feeling when he realises death is inevitable. Hence, the metrical deviation* mirrors and emphasises the line’s content.

S Tyler**Sophisticated Essay Vocab: change in metrical rhythm

Commenting on Iambic Pentameter

The penultimate line of each stanza is shorter than the rest, and sound different when read aloud.

This deviation from the pattern means that the line is emphasised.

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic Pentameter

Line 9

“of dying and being dead”da DUM da da DUMda DUM

This line starts and ends with iambs (daDUM) but the middle of the line has two unstressed syllables then a stressed syllable(dadaDUM). This is called an anapestic foot.

Larkin manipulates the rhythm so that the word “dead” is emphasised. – metrical deviation.

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic PentameterLine 19 is another example of the metrical rhythm being changed.

“Not to be anywhere” DUM da da DUMdada

This DUMdada pattern (a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables) is called a dactylic foot. So in this line there are two dactylic feet.

S Tyler

Commenting on Iambic PentameterIn this line the established iambic pentameter rhythm is cut short – this is the shortest line in the poem. The sound of the line mirrors the suddenness of the end of a life.

The reader is left ‘hanging’ in the space between the longer lines, not really anywhere in the poem – just as the speaker is saying that when we die we aren’t anywhere.

Again, the metrical deviation mirrors the idea of the line.

S Tyler

Symbolism

The poem relies on dark imagery to set the mood.

Some examples:•Line 1: “night” Immediately we, as reader, are thrust into the darkness.•Line 2: Imagery carried on by “soundless dark” – removal of two primary senses: we can neither see nor hear, creates a void-like feeling, as though the night is so dark and silent that nothing can penetrate it. Brings to mind similarity with death.

S Tyler

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Symbolism

Line 5: After just 4 lines we arrive a the idea of “unresting death”

Stanza 1 (lines 6-10) is escalating the idea of death. We begin with “night” and “darkness”, both of which have connotations of death, before moving onto the idea of “death” in a fairly general sense. The stanza culminates/climaxes with speaker’s thoughts of his own demise – personal & frightening as the reader begins to consider their own mortality.The night and darkness have acted as a trigger for the speaker’s thoughts.

S Tyler

S Tyler

Symbolism

Lines 17-20: The imagery escalates further in this stanza.

“sure extinction” – consider word choice of extinction. Definitive end.

“…Not to be here,Not to be anywhere” - links to stanza 1’s “soundless dark” and the idea of death as a void.

S Tyler

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Symbolism

Lines 27-30

“No sight, no sound…or smell” Again, links back to “soundless dark” of stanza 1.

“Nothing to love or link with”Removal of all human connection – truly alone

S Tyler

S Tyler

Symbolism

The poem relies on dark imagery to set the mood.

Some examples:•Line 1: “night” Immediately we, as reader, are thrust into the darkness.•Line 2: Imagery carried on by “soundless dark” – removal of two primary senses: we can neither see nor hear, creates a void-like feeling, as though the night is so dark and silent that nothing can penetrate it. Brings to mind similarity with death.

S Tyler

S Tyler

Symbolism

Lines 37-40:

“Death is no different whined and than withstood”

Removal of all hope in the poem - Putting a ‘brave face’ on death makes not difference to the ultimate outcome – we/you will still die. Removal of

S Tyler

S Tyler

Symbolism

Day-Light-LifeLine 1: We start off in “day”. How does this “day” feel though?

Line 11: “glare” positive or negative connotations?

Lines 41-44: “Light strengthens” but what is still there?

Line 48: “The sky is white as clay, with no sun”

S Tyler

S Tyler

Mini-essay

Larkin wrote ‘Aubade’ in 5, ten-line stanzas:•Which stanza feels darkest to you and why? •Which stanza captures the speaker’s sense of dread the best?

S Tyler

S Tyler