Death, Decay and Disillusionment: A Study of Cynicism and Agnosticism in Philip Larkin’s Select Poems

Abstract

Philip Larkin (1922-1985) is regarded as a British national-cultural icon. Most of the poems are based on the gloomy atmosphere which is related to death, decline and disappointment. He is a pessimistic poet with sceptic and agnostic sensibility by dismantling the moral and spiritual grounds which are not in order in his contemporary time. In most of his poems, he talks about the hopelessness and meaninglessness of life in order to portray the bleak and devastating scenario of England after the Second World War. The gloomy atmosphere of his poems reminds us of sickness, helplessness, and uncertainty of life. His poems, related to the sense of death, frustration, futility and alienation, are very heart-rending and certainly force us to think about the negative aspects of life.