Compare the Ways in Which Larkin and Abse Discuss the Subject of Death in Their Poems
Compare the ways in which Larkin and Abse discuss the subject of death in their poems
When the subject of death is addressed by poets Larkin and Abse they imply that death is a certain and predetermined demise to our lives. However through analysing there style of poetic writing, readers can appreciate their different attitudes towards death. Larkin appears accepting of death, acknowledging fate in a realistic way. Abse however is emotionally impacted and overall unaccepting of the part it plays in our lives.
Larkin’s poem ‘Ambulances’ describes the fate of a person falling victim to death. The onlookers watch as an individual is put inside an ambulance which transforms a scene of a placid mood to a construct of an elegy. Throughout his poem Larkin uses ambulances consistently as a metaphorical substitute to death. He does this because they act in a similar fashion, taking ‘poor souls’ from their average everyday life, in the ambulances case, taking them to hospital. In the case of death they are often taken from life altogether. Larkin’s metaphor of ambulances lingers throughout the entire poem, much like the message of death. Alternatively however when looking at the metaphor as something symbolic we can see how more precise links to death. For example the ambulance is a form of both literal and metaphoric meaning. In a literal way is precedes a journey throughout the poem where they ‘come to rest at any kerb’, however metaphorically it shows the journey of life and how it can come to an end at any point.
In addition to this metaphorical construction, ‘ambulances’ are further more personified. The personification can be seen through phrases such as ‘they come to rest’ this gives an eerie tone and reinforces the idea that life can be taken from people Furthermore when the ambulances stop and take a victim, it loses its humanity becoming ‘it’. The way the ambulances interact with the human seems as though it swaps identities, the ambulance taking human form
When the subject of death is addressed by poets Larkin and Abse they imply that death is a certain and predetermined demise to our lives. However through analysing there style of poetic writing, readers can appreciate their different attitudes towards death. Larkin appears accepting of death, acknowledging fate in a realistic way. Abse however is emotionally impacted and overall unaccepting of the part it plays in our lives.
Larkin’s poem ‘Ambulances’ describes the fate of a person falling victim to death. The onlookers watch as an individual is put inside an ambulance which transforms a scene of a placid mood to a construct of an elegy. Throughout his poem Larkin uses ambulances consistently as a metaphorical substitute to death. He does this because they act in a similar fashion, taking ‘poor souls’ from their average everyday life, in the ambulances case, taking them to hospital. In the case of death they are often taken from life altogether. Larkin’s metaphor of ambulances lingers throughout the entire poem, much like the message of death. Alternatively however when looking at the metaphor as something symbolic we can see how more precise links to death. For example the ambulance is a form of both literal and metaphoric meaning. In a literal way is precedes a journey throughout the poem where they ‘come to rest at any kerb’, however metaphorically it shows the journey of life and how it can come to an end at any point.
In addition to this metaphorical construction, ‘ambulances’ are further more personified. The personification can be seen through phrases such as ‘they come to rest’ this gives an eerie tone and reinforces the idea that life can be taken from people Furthermore when the ambulances stop and take a victim, it loses its humanity becoming ‘it’. The way the ambulances interact with the human seems as though it swaps identities, the ambulance taking human form