Poetry of Departures

By Philip Larkin

Themes of the Poem

Escape
Boredom
Restlessness

Escape
Larkin firstly introduces the theme through dialogue. However, he
shows it to be dialogue through italics, not speech marks for
example:
He chucked up everything
And just cleared off
This is at the beginning of the poem, when Larkin appears to
approve of the idea of escapism:
Certain you approve
This audacious, purifying,
Elemental move.

However, by the end of the poem he changes this view to sarcasm, which
indicates that, after weighing up the pros and cons of leaving, he is
doubtful and has his suspicions about escaping every day life.
Yes, swagger the nut-strewn roads,
Crouch in the focsle
Stubbly with goodness, if
werent so artificial

It

The word swagger has connotations of something unrespectable and

ignorant indicating Larkins thoughts of those who run away and escape
from the continuous routine which he is currently suffering from. This
indication leads to the next theme in the poem: boredom.

Boredom
And my life, in perfect order
This is said at the end of the second verse, and demonstrates
Larkins feelings that his life has been unexciting and uneventful. His
hatred is illustrated through describing his currently dull life as
something in perfect order. This is also shown in the phrase,
Sober and industrious.
Once again, the theme of boredom is illuminated, showing not only
his hatred in work, but his disgust in his life he hates that his life is
boring and wishes to be free.

Restlessness
Larkin firstly conveys his feeling of restlessness in the poem in the
second verse, with the notion of departure, which is then illuminated
throughout the rest of the poem.
We all hate home
And having to be there
Larkins disdain towards his home life demonstrates his need to
escape.

Techniques of the Poem

Oxymoron
Enjambment

Oxymoron
In the final line of the poem, Larkin leaves the reader with an
oxymoron:
Reprehensibly perfect.
The denotation of the word reprehensive is a feeling of guilt. This
indicates that Larkin feels guilty about these perfect surroundings,
and is desperate to leave. Therefore, Reprehensively perfect is an
oxymoron: how can something be perfect, when it triggers his guilt?

Enjambment
In the poem, Larkin uses the technique of enjambment when he
continues a sentence in the last lines of the second verse, on to the
next.
And my life, in perfect order:
So to hear it said
He walked out on the whole crowd
Leaves me flushed and stirred
This successfully creates a smooth and flowing link; leading the
reader on to the next verse.

Philip Larkin, 1922-1985