Question

Explanation of poem'church going by philip larkin

Answer 1

Philip Larkin and Church Going

Church Going is a medium length lyrical poem that explores the issue of the church as a spiritual base. It begins ordinarily enough, as do many of Larkin's poems, then progresses deeper into the subject matter, the narrator questioning why people still need to go to church.

Although set in England at a time when traditional religion was beginning to decline, the poet skilfully teases out more universal issues, using metaphor and pun and other devices to produce a memorable, technically efficient poem.

Larkin's narrator is initially just curious, stepping into a quiet church, but then becomes more perceptive, knowledgeable and dry. Each stanza furthers the inquiry until the conclusion comes at the end, radical yet tempered.