Philip Larkin

Philip Arthur Larkin was an English writer. He was a poet, a novelist, and a librarian. He lived from August 9, 1922, to December 2, 1985. He wrote two novels, Jill (1946) and A Girl in Winter (1947), after his first book of poems, The North Ship, in 1945. His second collection of poems, The Less Deceived, came out in 1955. After that, he published The Whitsun Weddings in 1964 and High Windows in 1974. Larkin edited The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse in 1973 and wrote about jazz for The Daily Telegraph from 1961 to 1971. His writings are gathered in a book called All What Jazz: A Record Diary 1961-71, published in 1985. Philip Arthur Larkin received the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. In 1984, after Sir John Betjeman passed away, he was asked to be the Poet Laureate but decided not to take on the role.

After graduating from Oxford University in 1943 with a first-class degree in English language and literature, Larkin became a librarian. He spent about thirty years working at the University of Hull's Brynmor Jones Library, where he produced most of his published work. Critics like Donald Davie referred to his poetry as having "lowered sights and diminished expectations," while Andrew Motion described it as reflecting "a very English, glum accuracy" in depicting relationships, emotions, and places.

In Larkin's view, facing hardship was like how daffodils mattered to Wordsworth. Eric Homberger, echoing Randall Jarrell, called him "the saddest heart in the post-war supermarket." Larkin's poetry, influenced by W. H. Auden, W. B. Yeats, and Thomas Hardy, follows highly organized yet flexible forms. Jean Hartley, the ex-wife of Larkin's publisher George Hartley (the Marvell Press), described it as a "piquant mixture of lyricism and discontent." According to anthologist Keith Tuma, Larkin's art is more intricate than its reputation for being gloomy and depressing suggests.

To the public, Larkin appeared as a simple, private Englishman who disliked fame and found the challenges of the literary world difficult. After his death in 1992, Anthony Thwaite published his letters, sparking discussions about his personal life and political views. John Banville found them both frightening and sometimes amusing. Lisa Jardine described Larkin as a "casual, habitual racist and an easy misogynist," while in 2008, scholar John Osborne argued that Larkin's "poor taste in porn is worse than what passes for mainstream entertainment" and that his letters were "somewhat crude." Even though there was controversy surrounding him, a 2003 Poetry Book Society survey declared Larkin as Britain's best-loved poet of the previous 50 years, almost twenty years after his passing. In 2008, The Times also voted him the country's finest post-war writer.

Philip Larkin passed away in 1985, and in 2010, Kingston upon Hull, the city he adopted as his hometown, celebrated him with the Larkin 25 Festival. The festival concluded with the unveiling of a statue of Larkin by Martin Jennings on December 2, 2010, marking the 25th anniversary of his death. In 1973, a reviewer for the Coventry Evening Telegraph referred to Larkin as "the bard of Coventry." On December 2, 2016, the 31st anniversary of his passing, a floor stone memorial for Larkin was revealed in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Early Life and Education

Philip Larkin was born on August 9, 1922, at 2, Poultney Road, Radford, Coventry. He was the only child of Sydney Larkin (1884-1948) and his wife Eva Emily (1886-1977). Eva Emily was the daughter of William James Day, a first-class excise officer. Sydney Larkin's family, originally from Kent, had been in Lichfield, Staffordshire, since at least the eighteenth century, working as tailors, coach builders, and shoemakers. The Day family, originally from Epping, Essex, moved to Leigh, Lancashire, in 1914, when William Day took a job managing pensions and other dependent benefits.

The Larkin family lived in the Radford neighborhood of Coventry until Philip Larkin turned five. Then, they relocated to Manor Road, a large three-story middle-class house with servant quarters near the Coventry train station and King Henry VIII School. Although their old Manor Road home survived the bombings of the Second World War, it was later demolished in the 1960s to make way for an inner ring road as part of a road modernization project. Philip Larkin's sister, Catherine, who was nicknamed Kitty, was ten years older than him.

Philip Larkin's father was an unusual individual, experiencing profound disillusionment in middle age and holding both a love for literature and a fervent support for Nazism. He had attended two Nuremberg rallies in the mid-1930s. Despite being a self-made man who rose to become the Treasurer of Coventry City, he had a nihilistic outlook. He introduced his child to the works of James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and, most significantly, D. H. Lawrence. On the other hand, Larkin's mother was a nervous and submissive woman who was under the control of her husband, described as "a kind of defective mechanism." Her ideal was to "collapse" and be taken care of.

Philip Larkin's early life had some distinctive features: he was taught at home by his mother and sister until the age of eight, the family received no visitors, and he began to stammer. However, once he started attending Coventry's King Henry VIII Junior School, he formed close and enduring friendships with individuals like James "Jim" Sutton, Colin Gunner, and Noel "Josh" Hughes. Despite the generally cold atmosphere at home, Larkin had the support of his parents.

Philip Larkin passionately pursued his love for jazz by purchasing a saxophone and a drum kit, and he subscribed to DownBeat. After completing junior school, he moved on to King Henry VIII Senior School. At the age of sixteen, he took the School Certificate exam but did not perform well. Despite the poor results, he was allowed to continue his education. He successfully passed the entry exams for St. John's College, Oxford, where he studied English. Two years later, he graduated with honors in both history and English.

In October 1940, one year into the Second World War, Philip Larkin began his studies at Oxford University. Most male students were on fast-tracked degree programs due to the wartime conditions, and traditional upper-class university customs had, at least temporarily, changed. Despite failing the military medical examination due to poor eyesight, Larkin was permitted to continue his studies for the standard three years. Through his tutorial partner, Norman Iles, he met Kingsley Amis, who shared Larkin's appreciation for irreverence and mockery. This meeting marked the beginning of a close friendship that endured throughout Larkin's life.

During their college days, Kingsley Amis, Philip Larkin, and a few other friends, known as "The Seven," gathered to talk about poetry, listen to jazz, and enjoy plenty of alcohol. It was during this time that Larkin had his first meaningful social interaction with someone of the opposite sex, but his romantic relationship didn't progress. Despite putting in a lot of effort into his studies, Larkin was surprised to receive a first-class honors degree in 1943 when he took his final exams.

Early Career and Relationship

In 1943, Philip Larkin became the librarian at the public library in Wellington, Shropshire. In early 1944, he met Ruth Bowman, a 16-year-old with academic ambitions, during his time there. Ruth went on to attend King's College London in 1945, and it was during one of Larkin's visits that their acquaintance blossomed into a romantic relationship. Larkin, having fulfilled the necessary requirements, became an assistant librarian at University College, Leicester, in June 1946.

Inspired by the Senior Common Room at the university in Leicester, Kingsley Amis wrote "Lucky Jim" (1954), the novel that brought him fame, with significant help from Philip Larkin during its lengthy creation. After his father's death from cancer in March 1948, Larkin proposed to Ruth just six weeks later. The couple then began their annual summer vacations together, exploring the region known as Hardy country.

In June 1950, Philip Larkin was appointed sub-librarian at The Queen's University of Belfast, and he began working in that role in September of the same year. Before he left, Larkin and Ruth had a falling out. During this period, Larkin's friendship with English lecturer Monica Jones at Leicester evolved into a romantic relationship, which occurred sometime between his appointment at Queen's and the end of his relationship with Ruth. Belfast appeared to be a relatively contented period in his life for those five years. Simultaneously growing closer to Jones, Larkin also had what he described as "the most satisfyingly erotic" relationship of his life with Patsy Strang, who was then in an open marriage with one of Larkin's coworkers.

Monica Jones once proposed marrying Philip Larkin instead of her husband. Starting in 1951, Larkin and Jones went on vacations together, exploring various parts of the British Isles. Larkin also developed a close, though non-sexual, friendship with Winifred Arnott while in Belfast. Their connection was the subject of "Lines on a Young Lady's Photograph Album" and concluded when she got married in 1954.

During this period, Larkin provided Kingsley Amis with significant writing advice for "Lucky Jim." In recognition of this support, Amis dedicated the completed work to Larkin.

Philip Larkin became the University Librarian at the University of Hull in 1955, holding that position until his death. Professor R. L. Brett, a friend and chairman of the library committee that appointed him, recalled being initially impressed with the time Larkin spent in his office—arriving early and leaving late. It was only later that Brett realized Larkin's office also served as his study, where he would dedicate hours to both personal and library projects.

In his first year of lodging, Philip Larkin stayed in bedsits before returning home and resuming his work on several evenings. When he was thirty-four, in 1956, he rented a detached apartment on the top floor of 32 Pearson Park. This three-story red-brick building, once the American Consulate, provided a view of the park. This viewpoint is believed to be the inspiration for the poem "High Windows" later written by Larkin.

"I never thought about Hull until I was here," remarked Larkin about the city. "Now that I'm here, it fits me well in many aspects. Even the locals, I believe, would agree that it is a little on the edge of things. Being on the brink of things appeals to me. You apply for jobs and move around; I've lived in several cities, so one doesn't really go anyplace by design."

Like many British universities in the post-war era, Hull University underwent significant expansion during those years. When Philip Larkin began working there, plans were underway to construct a new university library. In the brief period before the plans were presented to the University Grants Committee, Larkin made substantial efforts to familiarize himself with them, and some of his suggestions, both major and structural, were incorporated. The Brynmor Jones Library, constructed in two phases, was named after the university's vice-chancellor, Sir Brynmor Jones, in 1967.

Larkin gained prominence in post-war British librarianship, as noted by one of his colleagues in Hull. He played a significant role in implementing the Geac computer system, making the library the first in Europe to use this automated online circulation system. The computerization of records for the entire collection occurred ten years after the completion of the new library. Richard Goodman described Larkin as an excellent committee member, administrator, and arbitrator, stating, "He motivated them and treated his staff decently."

Larkin achieved this with a blend of efficiency, high standards, humor, and compassion. Notably, he chose not to sign the Net Book Agreement. Betty Mackereth served as Larkin's secretary from 1957 until his death. She became the primary point of contact for his coworkers seeking access to him, eventually acquiring considerable knowledge about Larkin's dual life. Over his three decades at the university, the budget increased from £4,500 to £448,500, marking a twelvefold increase in real terms, while the library's collection quadrupled.

Despite Maeve Brennan's strong Roman Catholic beliefs, she and Larkin developed a sexual relationship in February 1961. Larkin typically preferred smaller gatherings, but in early 1963, Brennan convinced him to join her at a dance for university employees. This event was commemorated in his longest (and unfinished) poem, "The Dance," which appears to have marked a turning point in their relationship. Around this time, Larkin acquired his first car, a Singer Gazelle, and learned to drive at Brennan's insistence. Monica Jones, who had lost her parents in 1959, had a vacation home near Haydon Bridge, close to Hexham, and Larkin frequently visited with her. The Bellingham exhibition in the North Tyne valley in 1973 is detailed in his poem "Show Saturday."

In 1964, after the release of "The Whitsun Weddings," a segment about Philip Larkin was featured on the arts show Monitor, directed by Patrick Garland. Through this program, Larkin had a considerable influence on shaping his public image—the one he wanted his audience to envision. The show included interviews with Larkin conducted by fellow poet John Betjeman in various settings in and around Hull.

Larkin declined the offer of an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 1968 but later accepted the honor of becoming a Companion of Honour at a later stage in his life.

Philip Larkin invested significant effort in the construction of the new Brynmor Jones Library at Hull University. Following the completion of the second and larger phase of the building in 1969, Larkin could redirect his energies. In October 1970, he initiated the compilation of "The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse" (1973), a new anthology. Larkin was granted permission to study the copyrighted Bodleian Library in Oxford for two academic terms as a visiting fellow of All Souls College. During his time in Oxford, Brenda Moon, his deputy, assumed the responsibilities of managing the library.

In Larkin's "idiosyncratic" and "controversial" anthology, Thomas Hardy was the most generously represented poet. Larkin played a significant role in reevaluating Hardy's poetry, which had been somewhat neglected in comparison to his novels. While T. S. Eliot was renowned for his long poems, Hardy's twenty-seven poems outnumbered Eliot's nine. Other heavily represented authors included W. B. Yeats, W. H. Auden, and Rudyard Kipling. Larkin contributed six of his own poems, matching the total number by Rupert Brooke. Larkin expressed dissatisfaction during the compilation process, viewing it as evidence that the commotion over the Modernists had overshadowed the voices of traditionalists, and he wished he had discovered more and better poems for the volume.

Auden and John Betjeman gave the most favorable responses to the anthology, appreciating Larkin's efforts. However, Donald Davie had the least positive reaction, accusing Larkin of "positive cynicism" and fostering "the perverse triumph of philistinism, the cult of the amateur... the weakest kind of Englishry." Despite initial concerns about how the anthology would be received, Larkin found satisfaction in the attention it garnered.

In 1971, Larkin reconnected with Colin Gunner, a former schoolmate who had led a privileged life. Their renewed contact drew attention as Larkin used racist language and expressed right-wing opinions. During the years 1973-1974, Larkin received honorary degrees from the universities of Warwick, St Andrews, and Sussex. Additionally, he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford. In January 1974, Hull University informed Larkin of their intention to demolish the Pearson Park building where he resided.

Shortly afterward, Larkin acquired a detached two-story 1950s home in Newland Park, described by John Kenyon, a colleague at the university, as "an entirely middle-class backwater." Upon moving into the four-bedroom home in June, Larkin commented, "I can't say it's the kind of dwelling that is eloquent of the nobility of the human spirit," finding the place "utterly undistinguished."

In August 1973, Larkin attended W. H. Auden's memorial ceremony at Christ Church, Oxford, with Monica Jones as his official girlfriend. This occurred not long after he and Maeve Brennan had parted ways. Although they resumed their relationship in March 1975, Brennan had a secret affair three weeks later with Betty Mackereth, Larkin's secretary of 28 years, for whom he had written the previously unpublished poem "We met at the end of the party." This complex situation persisted until March 1978, despite the practical challenges of maintaining three relationships simultaneously. After that, Larkin and Jones remained monogamous.

In 1976, Larkin was featured as Roy Plomley's guest on BBC's Desert Island Discs. Among the pieces of music he selected were "Dallas Blues" by Louis Armstrong, "Spem in alium" by Thomas Tallis, and Edward Elgar's Symphony No. 1 in A flat major. His favorite song, as expressed on the show, was "I'm Down in the Dumps" by Bessie Smith.

In December 2010, a BBC documentary titled "Philip Larkin and the Third Woman" aired, marking the 25th anniversary of Larkin's passing. The documentary focused on his affair with Betty Mackereth and included her first-ever remarks about their connection. In the program, Larkin revealed that Mackereth had served as one of his literary influences. He also read aloud from the recently discovered secret poem "Dear Jake."

Final Years and Death

In 1982, Larkin celebrated his sixtieth birthday, and the most impactful coverage of this milestone came from articles compiled by Anthony Thwaite in a collection titled "Larkin at Sixty," published by Faber & Faber. Two television shows were also produced to mark the occasion: a half-hour special on the BBC, created and hosted by Labour Shadow Cabinet Minister Roy Hattersley, and an episode of The South Bank Show, hosted by Melvyn Bragg, in which Larkin made off-camera contributions.

In 1983, Monica Jones experienced shingles, a skin outbreak, and was hospitalized. Larkin was troubled by the intensity of her symptoms, which affected her eyes. Within a month of her health deteriorating, she moved into his Newland Park home, where she lived for the remainder of her life.

During the memorial service for John Betjeman, who passed away in July 1984, Larkin was asked if he would accept the position of Poet Laureate. He declined, partly because he believed that, in a meaningful sense, he had long since stopped writing poetry. In the following year, Larkin was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. He underwent surgery on June 11, 1985, but it was discovered that the cancer had spread and was incurable. After falling on November 28, he was brought to the hospital again. Larkin passed away on December 2, 1985, at the age of 63, and he was buried at Cottingham Municipal Cemetery, near Hull, four days later.

As he lay dying, Larkin requested that his diaries be destroyed. Betty Mackereth, the primary beneficiary of Monica Jones's estate, approved the request and had the unread journals destroyed by tearing each page. However, legal guidance left the decision to Larkin's literary executors, who determined that the material should not be destroyed after discovering that his will contradicted other private files and unpublished work.

Upon Monica Jones's passing on February 15, 2001, she bequeathed £1 million to Durham Cathedral, Hexham Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral. In Kingston upon Hull's The Avenues, there is a green plaque honoring Philip Larkin.

Creative Output

Juvenilia and Early Works

Larkin began writing extensively in his midteens, producing both fiction and poetry. His early poetry reflected the influence of poets like Eliot and W. H. Auden. Despite creating five full-length novels during this time, he discarded all of them soon after completion. His first published poem, "Ultimatum," appeared in The Listener while he was a student at Oxford University. Larkin also employed the pseudonym Brunette Coleman for his prose during this period.

In addition to two novellas, "Trouble at Willow Gables" and "Michaelmas Term at St Brides" (2002), he crafted an imaginary artistic credo titled "What we are writing for" and an alleged autobiography under the pen name Brunette Coleman. According to Richard Bradford, these peculiar pieces exhibit "three registers: cautious indifference, archly overwritten symbolism with a hint of Lawrence, and prose that seems to disclose its writer's involuntary feelings of sexual excitement."

After completing the earlier pieces, Larkin began writing his first published novel, "Jill" (1946). Published by Reginald A. Caton, who primarily dealt in barely legal pornography but used this as a cover for his serious literature publications, the novel was released. Caton, curious about Larkin's poetry, prompted the publication of "The North Ship" (1945), a collection of poems written between 1942 and 1944 that showcased the growing influence of Yeats. Notably, "The North Ship" was published three months before "Jill."

Following the completion of "Jill," Larkin started working on "A Girl in Winter" (1947), which he finished in 1945. Published by Faber and Faber, the novel received positive reviews, with The Sunday Times describing it as "an exquisite performance and nearly faultless." Despite attempts, Larkin made at least three more efforts to write a third novel, but none progressed beyond a strong beginning.

Mature Works

Larkin's poetry underwent significant development during his five years in Belfast. While eight of the twenty-nine poems in "The Less Deceived" (1955), his next published collection, were mostly written in the late 1940s, the majority of them were composed during his time in Belfast. Around this period, Larkin also made his final attempts at prose fiction and played a significant role in assisting Kingsley Amis with "Lucky Jim," Amis's first published book. The term "The Movement" was initially coined to describe the prevailing trend in British post-war writing in an article published in The Spectator in October 1954.

Larkin was considered part of "The Movement" because his poetry was included in a 1953 PEN Anthology alongside poems by Amis and Robert Conquest. In 1951, Larkin compiled "XX Poems," a book of poems, with only 100 copies privately produced. Many of the poems from this collection later appeared in his subsequent book.

The Marvell Press, an independent business located in Hessle near Hull, released "The Less Deceived" in November 1955 (dated October). Although the book initially received little attention, The Times listed it as one of the Books of the Year in December. Subsequently, the book's popularity grew, and between 1956 and 1957, sales soared. Some of Larkin's most well-known poems, including "Arundel Tomb," "The Whitsun Weddings," and "Here," were written during his first five years in Hull, a period marked by the demands of his job, which limited his output to an average of just two and a half poems annually.

In the 1963 reissue of "Jill" by Faber and Faber, Larkin added a lengthy introduction, providing detailed insights into his time at Oxford University and his friendship with Kingsley Amis. This introduction also served as an entry point to "The Whitsun Weddings," a book that solidified Larkin's fame and swiftly earned him admission as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature the next year. Following this success, Larkin penned some of his most renowned poems. However, in the 1970s, he shifted his focus to longer and more introspective sequences of poems, such as "The Building" and "The Old Fools."

Larkin's final collection, "High Windows," was released in June 1974, featuring poems like "This Be The Verse," "The Explosion," and the title poem. While the collection did not receive universal acclaim due to its more straightforward language, it still sold over 20,000 copies in its first year. Despite including some of his best-loved poems, some critics viewed it as a departure from the quality of his previous two books.

One notable passage from the volume is "Annus Mirabilis" (Year of Wonder), where the narrator reflects on the belated start of sexual relations in 1963, described by Bradford as a tribute to the transition of Larkin and Brennan's relationship from romantic to sexual, influenced by remarks in Maeve Brennan's memoir.

In 1974, Larkin commenced work on "Aubade," his final significant poem to be published. It was completed in 1977 and published by The Times Literary Supplement on December 23 of the same year. Larkin wrote only one more poem after "Aubade," which has attracted substantial criticism: the intensely personal and posthumously published "Love Again."

Poetic Supply

Jean Hartley aptly characterizes Larkin's style of poetry as a "piquant mixture of lyricism and discontent." This distinctive style combines elements such as an "ordinary, colloquial style," "clarity," a "quiet, reflective tone," "ironic understatement," and a "direct" connection with "commonplace experiences."

Larkin's early works reflected the influences of Yeats, Auden, and Eliot. However, in the early 1950s, his mature literary personality began to emerge, strongly influenced by Thomas Hardy. The "mature" Larkin style is characterized by the detached, sometimes lugubrious, sometimes tender observation of ordinary people doing ordinary things. This style became notably evident in "The Less Deceived." Larkin's poems avoid excessive imagery, and he criticized those that relied on "shared classical and literary allusions" or what he called the "myth-kitty." The "plainness and skepticism" of Larkin's mature poetic persona are notable, along with the use of shocking openings and highly-structured yet flexible verse forms, which are recurring features in his mature work.

According to Terence Hawkes, while the poems in "The North Ship" are heavily influenced by Yeats's symbolist lyrics and metaphoric in nature, Larkin's mature style is not a shift from Yeats to Hardy but an encirclement of the Yeatsian moment (the metaphor) within a Hardyesque frame. In Hawkes's perspective, Larkin's poetry revolves around two losses: the loss of modernism, manifested as the desire to find a moment of epiphany, and the loss of England, or more precisely, the loss of the British Empire, which necessitates England to define itself in its own terms after having previously defined "Englishness" in opposition to something else.

Larkin's famous poem "Going, Going" from 1972 expresses a strong belief that reflects his later years' pessimism about England. He foresees a future where England will vanish, only surviving in art galleries, while the landscape transforms into concrete and tires. The poem ends with a clear statement: "I believe it will happen, soon."

Larkin often explores recurring themes like death and fatalism in his poems, including his last significant one, "Aubade." These themes are closely tied to his writing style. Poet Andrew Motion describes Larkin's poetry by saying that even though it might convey strong emotions like rage or contempt, it is always balanced by the vigor of language and the skillful control of form. Larkin's fondness for "symbolic moments" and "imaginative stories" is contrasted with two other sides of his artistic style: a commitment to presenting facts as they are and the use of straightforward language.

Motion describes it as a "positive fight between opposites" and suggests that Larkin's poetry usually has mixed feelings. He explains, "In his three main collections, he has formed attitudes and styles that show bold imagination. In his long discussions with despair, his poems reveal broad understanding, have parts of extraordinary beauty, and show a poetic openness that greatly matters for those who come after him in literature."

Prose Non-Fiction

Larkin didn't hold back his criticism of modernism in literature and art. You can find his thoughtful doubts in "Required Writing," a collection of his essays and book reviews. He is even more direct and forceful in criticizing modernism in the introduction to "All What Jazz," a compilation of his jazz reviews from 1961 to 1971 in The Daily Telegraph. While he focuses on modern jazz, his criticism extends to a broader view of modernism in the arts. Despite unintentionally being seen as a modernism opponent, some recent critical reviews of his works have actually identified certain modernist aspects in them.

Legacy

Reception History

In 1945, The Coventry Evening Telegraph's review of "The North Ship" concluded that "Mr. Larkin has an inner vision that must be sought for with care." It acknowledged the beauty in the eloquent images he crafted, even though the language might lack clarity. The review suggested that, at that time, only a select group of people might appreciate Larkin's writing and expressed hope that as his talent develops, his work will resonate with a wider audience. However, a few years later, Larkin received a letter from poet and critic Charles Madge, praising his work.

In 1966, when "The North Ship" was reissued, reviewers were courteous and showed respect. Elizabeth Jennings from The Spectator gave a straightforward compliment, saying that "few will question the intrinsic value of The North Ship or the importance of its being reprinted now." The acknowledgment of Larkin's talent at such a young age was considered encouraging.

The Times first acknowledged "The Less Deceived" when it included it in their 1955 List of Books. Following that, numerous reviews were written, with most focusing on the book's emotional impact and its sophisticated, witty language. The Spectator went so far as to declare that the collection was "in the running for the best published in this country since the war." G. S. Fraser, referring to Larkin's alleged association with The Movement, asserted that Larkin embodied "everything that is good in this 'new movement' and none of its faults." The Times Literary Supplement highlighted his status as "a poet of quite exceptional importance."

In a glowing article from June 1956, the Times Educational Supplement described Larkin's work as "as native as a Whitstable oyster," capturing contemporary thought and experience with a sharpness unparalleled in its time. They suggested that it might be seen by future generations as a poetic monument, triumphing over the formless mystifications of the preceding two decades. The article also credited Larkin with bringing poetry back to the middle class. Poet Robert Lowell, in his review for America, asserted that no post-war poetry had so effectively captured the moment without straining for its fleeting aspects. He characterized Larkin's work as an uncertain yet skillful and flawless expression of creativity.

Over time, a counter-reaction emerged, as expressed by David Wright in Encounter. He stated that "The Less Deceived" fell victim to the "palsy of playing safe." In an April 1957 essay titled "The Middlebrow Muse," Charles Tomlinson criticized poets associated with The Movement, including Larkin, for their "middle-cum-lowbrowism," "suburban mental ratio," and "parochialism." Tomlinson noted that Larkin had a "tenderly nursed sense of defeat." A. Alvarez, the compiler of The New Poetry anthology, accused Larkin in 1962 of "gentility, neo-Georgian pastoralism, and a failure to deal with the violent extremes of contemporary life."

Alvarez expressed his criticisms in a review for The Observer after the release of "The Whitsun Weddings," lamenting the "drab circumspection" and "commonplace" subject matter in Larkin's writing. On the other hand, John Betjeman believed that Larkin had "closed the gap between poetry and the public," which experiments and obscurity of the previous fifty years had widened. Despite some criticism, praise for Larkin outweighed it. Christopher Ricks, in The New York Review of Books, commended Larkin for capturing "the world of all of us, the place where, in the end, we find our happiness, or not at all." Ricks also praised the "refinement of self-consciousness, usually flawless in its execution," stating that, in his opinion, Larkin is "the best poet England now has."

Richard Bradford's biography notes that reviews of "High Windows" were "genuinely admiring," but there was a recurring challenge in articulating "the individual genius at work" in poems like "Annus Mirabilis," "The Explosion," and "The Building." Critics struggled to explain why each poem was "so radically different" from the others. According to Robert Nye of The Times, this difficulty was overcome by treating the differences as "ineffective masks for a consistently nasty presence."

"Larkin at Sixty" featured examinations of various aspects of Larkin's work by critics and poets. This included analyses of his poems, novels, and jazz criticism by Donald Mitchell and Clive James. Additionally, friends and colleagues such as Kingsley Amis, Noel Hughes, and Charles Monteith provided portraits, while John Betjeman, Peter Porter, and Gavin Ewart contributed dedicatory poems.

Critical Opinion

In 1980, Neil Powell noted that "It is probably fair to say that Philip Larkin is less highly regarded in academic circles than either Thom Gunn or Donald Davie." However, Larkin's stature has grown since the year 2000. Tijana Stojkovic considers Philip Larkin to be a great illustration of the straightforward style in contemporary times. Robert Sheppard claims, "The work of Philip Larkin is taken to be exemplary by general consent." According to Keith Tuma, Larkin is "the most widely celebrated and arguably the finest poet of the Movement," and his writings are "more various than its reputation for dour pessimism and anecdotes of a disappointed middle class suggests."

Books like Stephen Cooper's "Philip Larkin: Subversive Writer" and John Osborne's "Larkin, Ideology and Critical Violence" highlight the evolving nature of Larkin studies. Osborne critiques prominent critics like James Booth and Anthony Thwaite for treating the poems primarily as biographical pieces, asserting that Larkin's genius lies in his deconstructionism and universality.

Cooper, on the other hand, contends that "The interplay of signs and motifs in the early work orchestrates a subversion of conventional attitudes towards class, gender, authority, and sexual relations." He portrays Larkin as a progressive author, suggesting that the letters express a "call for alternative constructs of social and political organization, femininity, and masculinity." Cooper challenges the perception of Larkin as solely a racist, misogynist reactionary by referencing the entire canon of Larkin's writings, including unpublished letters. Instead, he acknowledges Larkin's possession of a "subversive imagination," particularly emphasizing "Larkin's objections to the hypocrisies of conventional sexual politics that hamper the lives of both sexes in equal measure."

Stephen Regan, echoing Cooper's perspective, notes that Larkin frequently utilizes methods associated with experimental Modernism practices. These methods include "linguistic strangeness, self-conscious literariness, radical self-questioning, sudden shifts of voice and register, complex viewpoints and perspectives, and symbolist intensity."

Sisir Kumar Chatterjee's assertion that "Larkin is no longer just a name but an institution, a modern British national cultural monument" signals a changing trend in the critical evaluation of Larkin.

Chatterjee's interpretation of Larkin is grounded in a thorough examination of his lyrical style. He traces a progression from Larkin's early works to later ones, noting a shift in style from "verbal opulence through a recognition of the self-ironizing and self-negating potentiality of language to a linguistic domain where the conventionally held conceptual incompatibles" are seen as the final challenge for an artist seeking to transcend the limitations of the worldly. This contrasts with an earlier perspective that argued Larkin's style remained relatively constant throughout his poetic career. Bernard Bergonzi's statement that "Larkin's poetry did not... develop between 1955 and 1974" is cited by Chatterjee as an example of this viewpoint. Chatterjee asserts that Larkin's poetry strongly responds to changes in "economic, socio-political, literary, and cultural factors."

According to Chatterjee, "Under the defeatist veneer of his poetry, the positive side of Larkin's vision of life is hidden." This optimistic outlook, as Chatterjee argues, becomes increasingly evident in Larkin's later works. Across Larkin's entire poetic career, Chatterjee notes, "The most notable attitudinal development lies in the zone of his view of life, which, from being almost irredeemably bleak and pessimistic in The North Ship, became more and more positive with the passage of time."

Chatterjee's research suggests a growing movement to challenge outdated perceptions of Larkin, with many disagreeing that the poet is a nihilist or pessimist. Instead, there is an emerging recognition of positivity in his works. Maeve Brennan illustrates this shift with a quote from Bryan Appleyard, stating that among writers who "have adopted a personal pose of extreme pessimism and loathing of the world... none has done so with quite such a grinding focus on littleness and triviality as Larkin the man." Recent critiques of the poet highlight a more nuanced and sophisticated set of ideals present in Larkin's writings and poetry as a whole.

According to Matthew Johnson, in many assessments of Larkin, "one is not really discussing the man, but actually reading a coded and implicit discussion of the supposed values of 'Englishness' that he is held to represent." Johnson outlines the Larkin argument, pointing out that as opinions about what it means to be English have evolved, so has Larkin's reputation among academics. One key factor contributing to this shift has been the ongoing emphasis on the English national character, exemplified by works such as those by Peter Mandler.

Robert Crawford's overall perspective, asserting that "Larkin's work depends on, and develops from, Modernism in various ways," aligns with the views of Johnson and Regan. Moreover, Crawford illuminates the complexity of the term 'English.'

Larkin and his circle continue to face strong disapproval from modernist critics and poets, despite recent reconsiderations. Poet Andrew Duncan, for instance, expresses a widespread consensus that The Movement, including Larkin's poems, is viewed negatively, describing them as "tedious, shallow, smug, sententious, emotionally dead, etc." He suggests that these characteristics persist in the successors within the mainstream. In his book "Little Magazine Profiles," Wolfgang Gortschacher highlights the extreme scarcity of magazines in the 1950s, which is linked to a climate of rigid and conservative poetry, and the dominance of a small group of individuals who were willing to suppress dissenting voices.

Participating in the British Poetry Revival as a response to The Movement's poets, Peter Riley criticized Larkin for having a narrow and uncritical viewpoint. Riley argued that Larkin and The Movement rejected the expressive and ethical aspects of poetry that had been present since 1795. Instead, they favored a straightforward portrayal of life, as if assuming that their representation accurately captured reality. Dylan Thomas and W.S. Graham chose to leave the movement because they recognized that the concept of "life" only held meaning when defined in a particular way.

Posthumous Reputation

The release of Andrew Motion's biography, "Philip Larkin: A Writer's Life," in 1993, and Anthony Thwaite's collection of Larkin's letters in 1992, had a significant impact on how Philip Larkin was perceived after his death. These works brought to light aspects of Larkin's character, such as his racism, interest in pornography, increasing alignment with right-wing politics, and frequent displays of anger. Even before these publications, in 1990, Tom Paulin had observed that Larkin's use of obscenity was influenced by prejudices that were not ordinary, commonplace, or socially acceptable, despite being clearly expressed in his poetic language (Ibid).

The letters and Andrew Motion's biography became sources for ongoing assessments of Philip Larkin, with subsequent evaluations referencing these materials. Lisa Jardine, in The Guardian, asserted that "the Selected Letters now make explicit the attitudes that the Britishness of Larkin's poetry carries." However, in his work titled "The War Against Cliché," novelist Martin Amis dismissed these revelations. Amis argued that the letters, in particular, merely showcased Larkin's tendency to adjust his language based on the intended audience.

In an effort to reconcile Philip Larkin's conflicting perspectives on race, author Richard Palmer drew on a letter the poet wrote to Betjeman in his book "Such Deliberate Disguises: The Art of Philip Larkin." Palmer suggested that this letter disproves "all the post-Motion and post-Letters furore about Larkin's 'racism' as the nonsense it is."

Richard Bradford's 2005 biography of Larkin presented a similar argument. In Graeme Richardson's 2010 review of "Letters to Monica," Larkin was depicted as "not quite the sinister, black-hearted near-rapist everyone thought it was OK to abuse in the '90s." Richardson suggested that this revelation played a role in "repairing Larkin's damaged reputation."

Author Richard Palmer, in his book "Such Deliberate Disguises: The Art of Philip Larkin," used a letter from the poet to Betjeman to address Larkin's conflicting views on race. Palmer argued that this letter exposes as absurd "all the post-Motion and post-Letters furore about Larkin's 'racism.'"

John G. Rodwan, Jr. implies in his review of Palmer's work that, in response to the reconciliation attempts regarding Larkin's views on race, a less tolerant reader might question whether this reflects the mindset of a "true racist." He cites examples of racially insensitive statements made by Larkin, such as expressing fear about a future where "hordes of black people take anything they can get their hands on" or making derogatory remarks about the presence of black people at cricket Test matches.

Philip Larkin's poetry continues to be widely read in Britain, enduring despite controversies surrounding his personal life and beliefs. The Poetry Book Society, in a survey conducted over twenty years after his death in 2003, voted Larkin as "the nation's best-loved poet." In 2008, The Times recognized Larkin as the greatest British post-war writer. Notably, three of his poems - "Arundel Tomb," "The Whitsun Weddings," and "This Be The Verse" - were featured in the 1995 BBC Bookworm readers' poll of the nation's top 100 poems.

In the twenty-first century, media attention on Philip Larkin has increased. The AQA English Literature A Level syllabus includes Larkin's book "The Whitsun Weddings" as one of the poetry texts, while the OCR board offers "High Windows." In 2010, poems by Larkin were featured on buses in Hull.

In 2022, a celebration was held to mark the centennial of Philip Larkin.

Recordings

"Listen" features Philip Larkin reading "The Less Deceived" (Listen LPV1), an LP record released by the Marvell Press in 1959. On this recording, Larkin recites all the poems from "The Less Deceived" in the order they appear in the printed edition. Following this, in 1965, Larkin's reading and commentary on "The Whitsun Weddings" (Listen LPV6) were released on the Marvell Press record label. It's worth noting that the printed volume of "The Whitsun Weddings" was published by Faber and Faber.

The poems from Philip Larkin's last collection, "High Windows," were once again read in the order of their appearance in the printed edition, accompanied by notes by Larkin introduced to several of the poems. In 1975, an audio recording of Larkin reciting poetry from "High Windows" was featured in the book "British Poets of Our Time." This recording, titled "Philip Larkin, 'High Windows': Collected Poems Read by the Writer" with an introduction by Peter Orr, was released on the Argo label (Argo PLP 1202). Similar to the two earlier recordings, the poems are presented in the same order as in the printed volume.

In addition, Philip Larkin is showcased in several audio poetry anthologies. One notable inclusion is "The Jupiter Anthology of 20th Century English Poetry - Part III" (JUR 00A8), released in 1963. This anthology features Larkin's poems "Arundel Tomb" and "Mr. Bleaney." The same recording was also released in the United States in 1967 under the Folkways record label as "Anthology of 20th Century English Poetry - Part III" (FL9870).

Philip Larkin's poetry is featured on several audio records. "The Poet Speaks Record 8" (Argo PLP 1088), released in 1967, includes Larkin reciting the poems "Wants," "Coming," "Nothing to be Said," "Days," and "Dockery and Son." Another compilation, "On Record" (YA3), released in 1974 by Yorkshire Arts Association, features Larkin reading "Here," "Days," "Next, Please," "Wedding-Wind," "The Whitsun Weddings," "XXX," and "XIII" (the last two poems from "The North Ship"). In 1984, Faber and Faber released a cassette titled "Douglas Dunn and Philip Larkin," part of the Faber Poetry series, where Larkin reads 13 poems, including "Aubade" for the first time on record.

Philip Larkin recorded audio versions of all three of his mature collections in studio settings and contributed individual poems to various audio anthologies. Despite these recordings, he acquired a reputation as a poet who was somewhat reluctant to read his own poems on recordings. It appears that Larkin's hesitancy was influenced more by his dislike of the sound of his own voice. He once expressed, "I come from Coventry, between the sloppiness of Leicester and the whine of Birmingham, you know—and sometimes it comes out." This aversion to his own voice seems to have played a larger role than any desire to avoid performing his own poems aloud in public.

For the creation of a Watershed Foundation cassette CD featuring a curated selection of his poems, Larkin responded to an invitation from the Poets' Audio Center in Washington in 1980. Handling the recording process in February of that year, Larkin enlisted the expertise of John Weeks, a fellow colleague at the University of Hull and a skilled sound engineer, with the expenses covered by Larkin himself. Despite the breakdown in communication between Larkin, his publishers, and the Watershed Foundation, Larkin took the initiative to independently distribute the 1981 recording. This recording showcased Larkin reciting 26 carefully chosen poems from his esteemed four canonical volumes of poetry and found its home in Harvard University's Poetry Room.

In 2004, a replica of this tape surfaced at the Hornsea garage studio of the engineer responsible for Larkin's original recording. This studio, where the initial recording for Larkin transpired, unexpectedly unveiled a duplicate copy of the tape. Subsequently, within the Larkin Archive at the University of Hull, another copy of Larkin's personal recording came to light. The year 2006 witnessed a Sky News report that showcased excerpts from this "newly discovered" recording, sparking considerable attention. Expanding on this discovery, BBC Radio 4 aired "The Larkin Tapes" in March 2008, providing a comprehensive exploration of the findings. Building on the momentum, Faber and Faber released "The Sunday Sessions" in January 2009, a CD compilation that incorporated these significant recordings.

Television appearances were a rarity for Larkin, a stark contrast to the wealth of audio recordings capturing his own renditions of his works. The exception to this trend is the BBC Monitor series "Down Cemetery Road" from 1964, wherein Larkin agreed to be filmed in an interview conducted by John Betjeman. This unique show offers a glimpse into Larkin's world as he was recorded in familiar settings, including his Pearson Park apartment, the Brynmor Jones Library, and various churches and cemeteries. The majority of the filming took place in and around Hull, with a smaller portion in North Lincolnshire, providing a visual documentation of Larkin's life and surroundings.

The movie was broadcasted on BBC Four. In a heartwarming gesture, Larkin, along with a group of fellow poets, surprised John Betjeman on his 75th birthday in 1981, bearing gifts and warm greetings. Documenting this touching moment, Jonathan Stedall captured the sequence, and it later found its place in the third episode of his 1983 BBC2 series titled "Time With Betjeman." In 1982, The South Bank Show dedicated an episode to Larkin as part of the festivities celebrating his 60th birthday. Despite initially declining to participate, Larkin recorded "a substantial number of poems specifically for it" on audio tape. Melvyn Bragg, in his program introduction, noted the poet's complete cooperation. Airing on May 30, the show featured contributions from notable figures such as Alan Bennett, Andrew Motion, and Kingsley Amis. Several years later, Bennett himself was recorded reciting a selection of Larkin's poems for Channel 4's Poetry in Motion series in 1990.

Fiction Based on Larkin's Life

In 1999, Oliver Ford Davies took on the role of the titular character in Ben Brown's play, "Larkin With Women," at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Later, in 2006, he reprised the same role at the Orange Tree Theatre in London. Faber Faber, Larkin's regular publishers, released the play. Set thirty years after Larkin's arrival in Hull, the narrative delves into his enduring relationships with Monica Jones, Maeve Brennan, and Betty Mackereth. A pre-production performance of another Larkin-inspired show occurred at Middleton Hall, Hull University, in June 2002, written and performed by Sir Tom Courtenay. This special one-man show, titled "Pretending to Be Me," was presented by Courtenay in honor of the Second Hull International Conference on the Work of Philip Larkin.

In November of that particular year, Courtenay marked her stage debut at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Subsequently, she transferred the production to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End. The play, rooted in Larkin's letters, interviews, diaries, and poetry, underwent audio recording and saw publication in 2005. Returning to the University of Hull in June 2010, Courtenay took on the role in "Larkin Revisited," a revised version of "Pretending to Be Me," as part of the Larkin 25 event. This event was dedicated to raising funds for the Larkin statue appeal.

In July 2003, BBC Two presented "Love Again," a play that delved into the final thirty years of Larkin's life, drawing its name from one of his most deeply personal poems. Notably, the drama, though not set in the Hull area, featured Hugh Bonneville in the lead role. Concurrently, Channel 4 aired the documentary "Philip Larkin, Love and Death in Hull" in the same year. Adding another layer to Larkin's life, Chris Harrald penned a drama titled "Mr. Larkin's Uncomfortable Day," which found its airtime on BBC Radio 4 in April 2008. This piece unfolded the practical joke played by fellow poet Robert Conquest on Larkin back in 1957.

Philip Larkin Society

The Philip Larkin Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Philip Larkin's legacy and creative contributions, was established in 1995 on the tenth anniversary of Larkin's passing. It gained charitable status in the UK in 2000. Until his passing in 2021, Anthony Thwaite, one of Larkin's literary executors, held the position of president. Professor Eddie Dawes, the inaugural chair of the organization, along with Professor James Booth, serves as an Honorary Vice-President and Honorary Life Member. Presently, Rosie Millard OBE serves as the President of the Society, while Graham Chesters holds the position of chair, and Lyn Lockwood serves as the deputy chair.

The Philip Larkin Society actively organizes a variety of activities, including talks, walking tours, and events that celebrate not only Larkin but also his literary contemporaries. A significant initiative was the Larkin 25 art festival, held from June to December 2010, commemorating the 25th anniversary of Larkin's passing. Additionally, a poignant tribute to Larkin took place in 2016 with the unveiling of his memorial stone at Westminster Abbey's Poet's Corner. The stone features a poignant quote from "An Arundel Tomb": "Our almost-instinct almost true / What will survive of us is love."

Memorials

In Kingston upon Hull, lasting tributes to Philip Larkin are embodied in structures such as the Larkin Building at the University of Hull. This building, housing lecture halls and teaching facilities, stands as a homage to the renowned poet who spent a significant part of his life in the city, where he not only lived and worked but also penned the majority of his poetry. Additionally, the Philip Larkin Centre for Poetry and Creative Writing, situated in Hull, actively sponsors a range of literary events, further contributing to the acknowledgment of Larkin's literary legacy.

Further recognizing Larkin's connection with the city, King Henry VIII School, where Larkin received his education as a child, unveiled "The Philip Larkin Room" in May 2022. This dedicated space, located adjacent to Burgess Hall, the main school building, serves as a commemorative tribute to the distinguished alumnus.

In 2010, the Larkin 25 Festival took place in commemoration of 25 years since Philip Larkin's passing, bringing various artistic endeavors to honor the esteemed poet's connection with the city. Larkin's ode to Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, "Here," was given a vibrant rendition through a specially commissioned video. The city's celebration of Larkin's poem "Toads" occurred on July 17, 2010, marked by the unveiling of forty creatively adorned toad sculptures collectively named "Larkin with Toads."

A significant highlight of the Larkin 25 festivities took place in December 2010, near Hull Paragon Interchange. Artist Martin Jennings revealed a life-size bronze statue of Larkin, serving as a poignant culmination of the celebrations. The statue features inscriptions from the poem "The Whitsun Weddings," notably beginning with the words "That Whitsun I was late getting away."

The creation of the £100,000 statue of Philip Larkin was masterfully undertaken by sculptor Martin Jennings, with Hull City Council actively contributing to the fundraising efforts for the project. Through auctions and charitable events, the necessary funds were gathered to bring this tribute to fruition. The unveiling ceremony was accompanied by the specially composed piece, "Fanfare for Larkin," crafted by Nathaniel Seaman.

In 2011, the tribute to Larkin near Hull Paragon Interchange expanded with the addition of five plaques featuring poems by Larkin embedded into the floor adjacent to the statue. These poetic inscriptions added an extra layer of literary homage to the surroundings. Further enhancing the commemorative space, a memorial bench was thoughtfully placed around a pillar near the statue in December 2012, providing a contemplative spot for visitors to reflect on Larkin's enduring legacy.

The announcement of Philip Larkin being accorded a floor stone memorial in Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner became public in June 2015. Subsequently, on December 2, 2016, coinciding with the anniversary of his passing, the memorial was officially unveiled. The ceremony featured a speech by poet and author Blake Morrison, and actors Sir Tom Courtenay and Grayson Perry participated by reading passages from Larkin's writings. The memorial bears poignant lines from his poem "Arundel Tomb":

"Love is what will keep us alive, and this is our nearly instinctive truth."

As a part of the Hull UK City of Culture 2017 events, the Brynmor Jones Library at Hull University showcased the exhibition "Larkin: New Eyes Each Year" from July 5 to October 1, 2017. This exhibition featured a collection of items from Philip Larkin's life, including his personal library of books from his former residence in Newland Park. Notably, the arrangement of these books mirrored Larkin's original placement on the shelves.

Adding to the cultural significance of 2017, a bar located in Coventry's Burgess neighborhood underwent a notable transformation. Formerly known as The Tudor Rose, it changed its name to The Philip Larkin, paying homage to the esteemed poet in a distinctive way.