Thorough analysis and summary of Larkin's poem 'Coming'', produced by all A* achieving student at A level.
7 views 0 purchase
Course
Unit 3 - Poetry
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
This is a 3 page document that acts as a thorough essay plan and revision resource, produced by a student who achieved all A* at A level. It is split into an analysis of the poem itself, context, form, structure, language and ideas. (Hence touching upon all A0s assessed in the A level poetry exam.)
‘Coming’ subtly hints at a sense of newness
and change, as spring is arriving to replace
winter. Perhaps this also symbolises the
coming of happiness, as spring appears to
‘Coming’ bring with it feelings of hope and
happiness.
‘Coming’ connects the arrival of spring with feelings of hope and happiness, a time of renewed
warmth and growth potentially reflective of human life cycles. The speaker describes what it’s like to
watch spring slowly reawaken the world, and compares the happiness of the coming spring to the
superficial joy a child may feel after misinterpreting the forced laughter of two adults who have just
finished arguing. However, this metaphor might also be suggestive suggesting that these feelings are
shallower and more tenuous than they appear. This comparison implies that the joys of spring- with
all its symbolic connotations of renewal and rebirth- are shallower and less meaningful than people
may want to believe.
Different themes:
Natural world and nature
Happiness
Birth and renewal- passage of time
Key poems to link to and why:
‘Spring’- sense of affinity for natural world and its ability to soothe or heal.
‘At grass’
‘Going’- flips the message of ‘coming’ on its head, with a much more sinister tone.
‘Reasons for attendance’- naivety about the truth of happiness.
Contextual links:
Links to childhood in this poem might link to Larkin’s own experiences in youth- in his
unpublished biography: ‘The marriage left me with two connections: that human beings
shouldn’t live together, and that children should be taken from their parents at an early
age.’
Larkin was famous for his self-loathing and pessimism- perhaps this poem shows a new side
to his poetry and a lyric intensity with nature.
The verse of the movement poets was also rooted in nostalgic idea of English identity- the
landscape described in Larkin’s poem is distinctly English.
Key aspects of form and structure:
Although there is no rhyme scheme in ‘Coming,’ it is unified by the similar lengths of the
lines, as well as the blissfully peaceful tone that runs throughout the piece.
One long stanza creates a narrative that seems to build up towards something spectacular-
anticipation of the arrival of spring.
Each line represents a snapshot of the scene as it unfolds, and there is the sense that the
speaker is taking the reader on a journey of both the setting and his emotions.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller abibillingham123. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.88. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
