Dystopie Philipa Larkina

• Authors: Przemysław Michalski

Title variants

EN

Philip Larkin’s Dystopias

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

This essay sets out to examine the problem of dystopia in the poetry of Philip Larkin. Itmayseematfirstthathispoetryisratherremotelyrelatedtodystopia,especiallyifwe define it as a highly pessimistic narrative, which predicts and depicts the catastrophic state of man kind in the future. However, up on adoption of as lightly more comprehensive definition of dystopia, which defines it as a work of literature describing the subjective feeling of being in a “bad place”, Larkin’s poetry immediately reveals its dystopian dimension. For Larkin, this “bad place” is life itself with its irremediable finitude and inherent imperfection. That is why the bulk of his poetry is profoundly pessimistic. At the same time, Larkin knows that such constant awareness of ultimate pointlessness of life is an impossibility, and people must rely on certain analgesics, whose goal is to make life at least temporarily bearable. Two such pain-relieving strategies analysed in this essay include an effort to forge an intimate relationship with another person, and seeking solace in narratives of religion.

Keywords

PL

Larkin; dystopia; utopia; poezja; religia

EN

Larkin; dystopia; utopia; poetry; religion

• Publisher: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
• Journal: Prace Filologiczne. Literaturoznawstwo
• Year: 2014
• Issue: 4(7)
• Pages: 177-192

Dates

published

2014-06-02

Contributors

author

Przemysław Michalski

• Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny w Krakowie