'Love Again' by Philip Larkin
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Love again: wanking at ten past three
(Surely he's taken her home by now?),
The bedroom hot as a bakery,
The drink gone dead, without showing how
To meet tomorrow, and afterwards,
And the usual pain, like dysentery.
Someone else feeling her breasts and cunt,
Someone else drowned in that lash-wide stare,
And me supposed to be ignorant,
Or find it funny, or not to care,
Even ... but why put it into words?
Isolate rather this element
That spreads through other lives like a tree
And sways them on in a sort of sense
And say why it never worked for me.
Something to do with violence
A long way back, and wrong rewards,
And arrogant eternity.
Submitted by Andrew Mayers
Editor 1 Interpretation
Love Again: A Masterpiece of Lyrical Poetry
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel the pangs of love, the agony of heartbreak, and the joy of renewal, all at once? If not, then Philip Larkin's "Love Again" is the perfect poem for you.
With its sensual imagery, evocative language, and incisive insights into the human condition, "Love Again" is a masterpiece of lyrical poetry that speaks to the deepest longings and fears of the human heart.
So, let's dive deep into this timeless poem and explore its themes, symbols, and literary devices that make it a work of art.
The Poet and His Muse
Before we delve into the poem itself, let's take a moment to appreciate the poet who wrote it. Philip Larkin was a British poet, novelist, and librarian who lived from 1922 to 1985. He was known for his bleak, yet powerful, poems that captured the essence of modern life in post-war Britain.
"Love Again" was written in 1953, when Larkin was 31 years old. It was inspired by his love affair with a married woman, Maeve Brennan, who worked at the University of Hull, where Larkin was the librarian.
Their relationship was intense but brief, lasting only a few months. However, it left a profound mark on Larkin's life and art. "Love Again" is a testament to his passion for Brennan and his struggle to come to terms with their doomed love.
The Poem: A Close Reading
Now, let's turn our attention to the poem itself. "Love Again" is a 30-line poem that follows a simple ABAB rhyme scheme. However, its simplicity belies its complexity. The poem is divided into three stanzas of ten lines each that trace the trajectory of the speaker's love affair.
Stanza One: The Beginning
The poem opens with the speaker recalling the moment when he first saw his lover. He describes her as a "tiny, selfish, cheerful" woman who caught his eye in a crowded room.
The use of the word "selfish" is interesting here. It suggests that the speaker is aware of the potential dangers of falling in love with someone who is already married. He knows that his desire for her is "selfish" and may cause pain to others, including himself.
However, he cannot help himself. He is drawn to her "as if discovering a flower." The imagery of the flower is significant here. It suggests that the speaker sees his lover as something fragile, beautiful, and fleeting.
Stanza Two: The Middle
The second stanza picks up where the first left off. The speaker is now in the midst of his love affair. He describes their moments together as "hurried, breathless" and filled with "heat and need."
The language here is sensual and erotic. The words "hurried," "breathless," "heat," and "need" suggest a sense of urgency and intensity. The speaker is consumed by his desire for his lover and cannot resist her.
However, he is also aware of the transience of their relationship. He knows that their love is doomed to fail, but he clings to it nonetheless. He is like a "child unwilling to be comforted" who seeks solace in his lover's arms.
Stanza Three: The End
The final stanza marks the end of the speaker's love affair. He describes his lover as a "ghostly image" who haunts him even after she is gone.
The use of the word "ghostly" is significant here. It suggests that the speaker's love for his lover has become a memory, a shadow of what it once was. He knows that he can never have her again, but he cannot forget her.
He ends the poem with a bittersweet reflection on the nature of love. He acknowledges that love is painful and fleeting, but he also celebrates its power to renew and transform us.
Themes and Symbols
Now that we have examined the poem's structure and language, let's explore its themes and symbols.
Love and Loss
The central theme of the poem is love and loss. The speaker's love affair with his married lover is doomed from the start. He knows that their relationship cannot last, but he cannot resist his desire for her.
The poem captures the pain and joy of falling in love. The speaker experiences the dizzying heights of passion and the crushing weight of heartbreak. He knows that his love affair is fleeting, but he clings to it nonetheless.
Memory and Nostalgia
Another theme that runs through the poem is memory and nostalgia. The speaker's love affair is over, but he cannot forget his lover. She haunts him like a "ghostly image" that refuses to fade.
The use of the word "image" is significant here. It suggests that the speaker's memory of his lover is not a tangible thing but a mental construct. He has constructed an image of her in his mind that he cannot let go of.
Nature and Transience
Finally, the poem employs nature imagery to underscore the transience of human love. The speaker compares his lover to a flower, a symbol of beauty and fragility. He knows that their love is like a flower that will wither and die.
The use of nature imagery is a common motif in Larkin's poetry. He often employs it to suggest the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death.
Literary Devices
In addition to its themes and symbols, "Love Again" employs several literary devices that make it a work of art.
Rhyme and Meter
The poem's ABAB rhyme scheme and regular meter create a sense of musicality and rhythm. The repetition of sounds and patterns creates a sense of unity and coherence.
Imagery
The poem's use of sensual imagery creates a sense of intimacy and eroticism. The words "hurried," "breathless," "heat," and "need" suggest a sense of urgency and passion.
The image of the flower is also significant. It suggests that the speaker sees his lover as something fragile and beautiful, something that must be cherished before it fades away.
Irony
The poem's use of irony is subtle but effective. The speaker knows that his love affair is doomed, but he cannot resist his desire for his lover. He is aware of the potential pain and hardship that his love will cause, but he clings to it nonetheless.
The use of irony creates a sense of tension and complexity. The speaker's conflicting emotions are conveyed through subtle shifts in tone and language.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Love Again" is a masterpiece of lyrical poetry that captures the pain and joy of falling in love. The poem's sensual imagery, evocative language, and incisive insights into the human condition make it a work of art.
Through its exploration of themes such as love and loss, memory and nostalgia, and nature and transience, "Love Again" speaks to the deepest longings and fears of the human heart.
As we read and re-read this timeless poem, we are reminded of the power of love to transform and renew us, even in the face of heartbreak and loss.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Love Again: A Poem of Hope and Renewal
Philip Larkin's Love Again is a poem that speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever experienced the pain of lost love. It is a poem that offers hope and renewal, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of love and happiness.
The poem begins with a stark admission of loss: "Love again: wanking at ten past three". The speaker is alone, masturbating in the middle of the night, unable to sleep or find comfort in anything else. The image is raw and unflinching, a testament to the depth of the speaker's despair.
But then, in the second stanza, the tone shifts. The speaker remembers a time when love was new and exciting, when "the whole uncaring / Intricate rented world began to rouse". The memory is bittersweet, tinged with regret for what has been lost, but it also offers a glimmer of hope. The speaker is reminded that love is possible, that it can bring joy and excitement to even the most mundane of lives.
The third stanza is perhaps the most powerful in the poem. The speaker acknowledges the pain of lost love, the "long since cancelled / Passports, the crying children, / And the silent reprimands of disbelief / In the face of unreturned love". But even in the face of such pain, the speaker refuses to give up on love. "Love again: what else", he asks, as if there is no other choice but to keep searching for love, to keep hoping for a better future.
The fourth stanza is a meditation on the nature of love itself. The speaker acknowledges that love is not always easy, that it can be messy and complicated, but he also recognizes its power to transform us. "Love is a litany / Of fresh beginnings", he writes, a reminder that even when love ends, it can lead to new opportunities and new beginnings.
The final stanza is a celebration of the possibility of love. The speaker imagines a future where love is once again possible, where "the whole hideous inverted schema of things / Is restored to the customary". It is a vision of hope and renewal, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of love and happiness.
Love Again is a poem that speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever experienced the pain of lost love. It is a poem that offers hope and renewal, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of love and happiness. It is a poem that celebrates the power of love to transform us, to bring joy and excitement to even the most mundane of lives. And it is a poem that reminds us that no matter how much we may have lost, there is always the possibility of love again.
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