‘at grass’ by philip larkin. at grass the eye can hardly pick them out from the cold shade they...
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‘At Grass’ By Philip Larkin
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AT GRASS
The eye can hardly pick them out
From the cold shade they shelter in
Till wind distresses mane and tail,
Then one crops grass, and moves about
-The other seeming to look on
And stands anonymous again.
Ambiguity – 2 meanings – poem similarly has 2 readings: positive and more pessimistic at the passage of time.
Anonymity – happy in the distance/unknown? Or do they want to remain hidden/out of sight?
Use of synecdoche- Detached, lacking interest – casual observation that leads to a profound reflection on the passing of youth.
Connotations of emptiness, unhappiness?
Want to remain hidden/out of sight or gain comfort from finally being ignored – now have peace, quiet etc.
Connotations of pain, misery – they are old, fragile – even the wind causes them pain
First veiled reference to horses – keeps it vague/unspecific to create the wider reading that old age/anonymity will affect us all.
Meaninglessness of their lives now – no drive, focus, point – has +ve and –ve associations – relaxed or now empty?
Have been anonymous for a long time.
Stands- no point in moving, nothing to do – boredom or at ease?
Present tense – he is standing looking at the horses which leads to his reflection later on the poem on the universal theme of the passage of youth/glory and the entry to old age.
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Yet fifteen years ago, perhaps
Two dozen distances sufficed
To fable them: faint afternoons
Of Cups and Stakes and Handicaps,
Whereby their names were artificed
To inlay faded classic Junes -
Difference in time – present past
Suggests their old age and also the length of time since their former glory – now no point/focus in life - flashback
Fame came easy – 24 races was it all it took ‘to fable them’
Past tense – now focussing on what made them famous
Use of colon to elaborate on how they became famous – lists all the competitions they took part in
Capitals – suggests important competitions they took part in – were admired/revered for their skill
Alliteration – speeds up rhythm- suggests the speed at which we are forgotten/ glory is fleeting/ lives become meaningless /passage of youth etc.
Repetition of and suggests monotony of all the races they have taken part in or enjoyment at what they have achieved/what we achieve also in life?
Grand, formal diction – reflects the grandeur of Ascot etc - ceremonial
Connotations of excitement, fame being lost – compare faded photo etc.
Faster rhythm in this verse compared to stanza 1 – suggests the difference from their former action packed past to the solitude and tranquility of their retirement. Created by listing, alliteration.
To mark them as legends
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Change in rhythm suggestive of the change from observation to reflection of horses’ earlier lives.
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Silks at the start: against the sky
Numbers and parasols: outside
Squadrons of empty cars, and heat
And littered grass: then the long cry
Rhythm has again increased to suggest vitality, excitement, bustle etc. of the races and by extension the horses’ careers – makes more poignant the state of the now by contrasting this and revealing to the reader what their lives used to be like.
Colours of jockeys’ clothes – vivid, colourful symbolises horses’ vitality, joy etc.
Colon – listing the excitement of the races and suggests the emptiness of the horses lives now or again the peace /contentment.
Enjambment between stanzas 3 and 4 – increases tension/suspense as the competitors are being cheered by the crowds. Again note contrast between horses’ past and present lives.
Tension/ suspense as they wait for start of race
Repetition of and – emphasises the building excitement of crowds – breathlessly describing the scene.
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Hanging unhushed till it subside
To stop - press columns on the street
Suggests their importance – could bring news to a standstill – columns reserved for news come in after pages have been set for printing.
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Themes: passing of time and the joy it can bring – anonymity, the passing of youth, consequences of old age etc.
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Stanza 5:Change in rhythm – slower pace as Larkin again returns to the present to reflect on the horses’ current lives.
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Do memories plague their ears like flies?
They shake their heads. Dusk brims the shadows.
Summer by summer all stole away,
The starting-gates, the crowds and cries
All but the unmolesting meadows.
Almanacked, their names to live; they
Rhetorical question – pauses now to reflect on wider issues of poem – passing of youth, old age etc.
Poet now focussing on horses’ present status – use of present tense.
Simile- memories seen as a pest/irritant something that bothers them? Larkin is projecting his own fears/beliefs on to horses – misses his youth/past glory?
Is this all our achievements become?
Doesn’t bother them as they have forgotten what they achieved – dulls the pain – again Larkin’s view – using them as a stimulus for his own reflections on age.
Punctuation – more full stops being used – slows down the rhythm – form suits the content – suggest slow, lazy, relaxed lives now of horses.
Connotations of lexical (word) choice: summer+ spring symbolise times of youth – here have passed (‘stole away’ – entry in to old age (as is ‘dusk’/’shadows’ – close to end of lives.
Larkin’s bitter/angry tone – feels his own youth/glory has been robbed/taken from him – no choice in the matter.
All the excitement and bustle has been taken from them – no longer able to enter comps. - +ve or –ve? Do they enjoy the solitude? Does Larkin?
Lexical choice: no longer shouted out, pushed beyond the limit – now are free to relax – not forced to race (literal+metaphorical connotations on our own lives + Larkin’s.
Names recorded in history – will never be lost – compare with Larkin’s poetry – able to leave something of his character behind – comforting.
Pessimistic? All that will remain – nothing of character/life – just names.
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Have slipped their names, and stand at ease,
Or gallop for what must be joy,
And not a fieldglass sees them home,
Or curious stop-watch prophesies:
Only the groom, and groom’s boy,
With bridles in the evening come.
Connotations of freedom/escape – have ‘slipped their previous controlled lives – now content/peaceful – something Larkin wished he had: he was a profoundly reclusive/solitary figure. Envy as he reflects on privacy of horses?
No longer forced to run – free will – can stand still if wish – symbolises old age – static no longer active/busy – previous racing lives.
Larkin too hated his job - attention that came with it - saw retirement as a time of freedom.
No longer to win but just for the pure enjoyment of it – what Larkin believes our journey/progression through life should be.
Lonely/happiness to avoid all the fuss?
No longer have to perform to other people’s expectations (compete race in time they expect) – again symbolises Larkin’s own frustration at wanting to write poetry for his own pleasure where people had set expectations he felt he had to meet.
Sadness/bittersweet? Larkin’s worry of being so easily forgotten?
Alliteration – harsh sound – grim reaper? Arrival of death to collect them?
Connotations of menace/restraint?
Again symbolic of life coming to a close – day coming to an end etc.
All of these poems are lyric poems – expressing poet’s own feelings/emotions – views are therefore subjective.
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