Wild oats
Title- alludes to the euphemistic idiom “sewing your wild oats”- connotes
youthful indiscretion- if a young man sews his oats, he has a period in his
life where he has an active sex life. Superficial sexual connotations,
inherently undermines to exemplify his own overwhelming feeling of
inadequacy. An encouragement for men to sleep around prior to marriage
while women. Remained chaste. Ironic as Larkin details mild flirtation
instead of promiscuity. Title is paradoxical, hints this is a poem about
nature but tells the tale of a failed love.
Themes- disillusionment in romantic relationships, idealism v pragmatism,
regret, inevitability, objectification of women, physical appearances v
emotional communication, fantasy v reality.
“About twenty years ago”- concrete poem with a conversational tone.
Relaxed tone-mediocre attempt at committing to a relationship. Adverb-
approximate timing, distance from the present-retrospective lens,
anecdotal tone- lot of time for reflection.
“a bosomy English rose”- epithet/nature metaphor- isolated, prize, idyllic
beauty, avert sexuality. Enjambement isolates her exceptionalism and
superiority to “specs”. Quintessential and Cliché image of femininity which
includes the national flower of England-associated with attractiveness, lust
and desire. Sexual objectification reveals speaker’s lascivious intention-
it’s an image of the ‘female ideal through the male gaze’- A05 FEMINIST
POV. Introduced first- she is the priority and the focal point.
“And her friend in specs I can talk to”- paradox to Rose- insignificant, safe
and ordinary. intimidation, lack of personality, unflattering connotations,
but attainable. Larkin’s feelings of inferiority and lack of confidence- irony
in that he describes her in a derogatory way- mechanism of control.
Colloquial syntax draws upon stereotypical connotations of a more plain
appearance, perhaps more serious-connotes a distinctly inferior choice-
only mentioned in extension to someone else.
COMPARE THE WOMEN-assonance and long vowel sounds (“o”) “bosomy
English rose” juxtaposes harsh consonants and slight sibilance in “friend
in specs”- clash of sound. Neither of the women have an eponymous
nature, helps to denigrate their agency in their own lives-exploration of
gender inequality in relationships - women weren’t allowed to have non-
committal sexual relationships while young, men were. Enjambement
when describing jane Exall-rush of feelings. Women dehumanised and
deindividualized emblematic of a 1950s society where imbedded
misogyny was rife culturally and socially.
“Faces in those days sparked the whole shooting match off, and I doubt if
ever one had like hers”- hyperbole- Rose surpasses all beauty,
representing an unattainable perfection. Colloquial metaphor/mechanism
Title- alludes to the euphemistic idiom “sewing your wild oats”- connotes
youthful indiscretion- if a young man sews his oats, he has a period in his
life where he has an active sex life. Superficial sexual connotations,
inherently undermines to exemplify his own overwhelming feeling of
inadequacy. An encouragement for men to sleep around prior to marriage
while women. Remained chaste. Ironic as Larkin details mild flirtation
instead of promiscuity. Title is paradoxical, hints this is a poem about
nature but tells the tale of a failed love.
Themes- disillusionment in romantic relationships, idealism v pragmatism,
regret, inevitability, objectification of women, physical appearances v
emotional communication, fantasy v reality.
“About twenty years ago”- concrete poem with a conversational tone.
Relaxed tone-mediocre attempt at committing to a relationship. Adverb-
approximate timing, distance from the present-retrospective lens,
anecdotal tone- lot of time for reflection.
“a bosomy English rose”- epithet/nature metaphor- isolated, prize, idyllic
beauty, avert sexuality. Enjambement isolates her exceptionalism and
superiority to “specs”. Quintessential and Cliché image of femininity which
includes the national flower of England-associated with attractiveness, lust
and desire. Sexual objectification reveals speaker’s lascivious intention-
it’s an image of the ‘female ideal through the male gaze’- A05 FEMINIST
POV. Introduced first- she is the priority and the focal point.
“And her friend in specs I can talk to”- paradox to Rose- insignificant, safe
and ordinary. intimidation, lack of personality, unflattering connotations,
but attainable. Larkin’s feelings of inferiority and lack of confidence- irony
in that he describes her in a derogatory way- mechanism of control.
Colloquial syntax draws upon stereotypical connotations of a more plain
appearance, perhaps more serious-connotes a distinctly inferior choice-
only mentioned in extension to someone else.
COMPARE THE WOMEN-assonance and long vowel sounds (“o”) “bosomy
English rose” juxtaposes harsh consonants and slight sibilance in “friend
in specs”- clash of sound. Neither of the women have an eponymous
nature, helps to denigrate their agency in their own lives-exploration of
gender inequality in relationships - women weren’t allowed to have non-
committal sexual relationships while young, men were. Enjambement
when describing jane Exall-rush of feelings. Women dehumanised and
deindividualized emblematic of a 1950s society where imbedded
misogyny was rife culturally and socially.
“Faces in those days sparked the whole shooting match off, and I doubt if
ever one had like hers”- hyperbole- Rose surpasses all beauty,
representing an unattainable perfection. Colloquial metaphor/mechanism
