Philip Larkin and his Audiences

"Philip Larkin, one of England's greatest and most popular twentieth-century poets, is nonetheless widely regarded as a misanthropic, provincial recluse. This volume re-examines that critical view and argues that Larkin's poetry, far from demonstrating his misanthropy, highlights his profound awareness of and concern for readers"--Provided by publisher. Philip Larkin can consistently be found at the top of lists of England's best or favourite poet, yet he is widely regarded as a misanthropic, provincial recluse. Philip Larkin and his Audiences takes as its starting point the apparent disconnection between the public love for Larkin and the critical revulsion for what he has come to stand for. By carefully considering poems from Larkin's earliest publications through his last great work, 'Aubade', this volume argues that the most condemning approaches to Larkin misinterpret and oversimplify his literary game-playing and that his famously misanthropic nature is merely one insubstantial facet of a poet whose concern for audience is writ large in his poems and prose. This book argues against Larkin as either a simple or anti-social poet and instead presents evidence for his use of multiple voices, complex speakers, and constant attention to the desires of his readers Contents 8 Acknowledgements 10 List of Abbreviations 12 Preface 13 1 Larkin and Audience 22 2 Larkin’s Voices 53 3 Memory and Change 85 4 Jazz and Audienceship 109 5 Religion and Empathy 142 Conclusion: Two Philips 169 Notes 178 Bibliography 197 Index 201 A 201 B 201 C 201 D 201 E 202 F 202 G 202 H 202 I 202 J 202 K 202 L 202 M 203 N 203 O 203 P 203 R 204 S 204 T 204 W 204 X 204 Y 204 Z 204 Machine generated contents note: AcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsPrefaceLarkin and AudienceLarkins Voices Memory and ChangeJazz and AudienceshipReligion and EmpathyConclusion: Two PhilipsNotesIndex.