Spiritual Visions in Philip Larkin

Abstract

In this thesis I intend to examine how Larkin expresses his attitude towards religion and/or transcendentalism by introducing these “spiritual visions” in his poems. In the first chapters I aim to focus on those literary traditions which had major impact on the poet and introduce the ever struggling/opposing sides of Larkin as being a romantic writer or a follower of the realistic traditions. I also intend to investigate the relationship between Larkin, religion and transcendentalism and analyse his related poems in the field; my aim is to focus on a previously chosen poem in a given ‘category’. The poems will be the following ones: ‘Church Going’ in his expression of need to believe; ‘The Building’ related to his thoughts on death; ‘The Explosion’ to offer immortality; ‘An Arundel Tomb’ that questions the existence of surviving love; ‘The Trees’ which sets the image of re-birth in front of us; ‘High Windows’ on rejection of God and finally ‘Water’ that aims to construct some kind of religion if we are left without faith.