フィリップ・ラーキン 'Talkingin Bed'を読む

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According to James Booth, a famous Larkin scholar, Philip Larkin composed 'Talking in Bed' as the anniversary poem that 10 years had passed since he first shared a bed, had sexual intercourse with his lover Monica Jones. Although the poem is a commemorative one, we readers feel the poem to be a dark, depressed one. As most Larkin scholars indicate, the word 'Lying' in the poem shows two meanings: having sexual intercourse and telling a lie, so the most comfortable time for the couple also shows the most painful time. Therefore 'Talking in Bed' cannot be 'an emblem of two people being honest'. They feel 'unique distance from isolation' while 'Lying' and 'Talking in bed'. Needless to say, the relationship between Larkin and Monica is close physically, while emotionally they are far apart. However, this emotional separation is caused not by Monica but by Larkin himself. At that time Larkin's feeling for Meave Brennan, who was a colleague of his in the library of University of Hull, developed into love. Since Meave was a devout Catholic, Larkin could not have sexual intercourse with her. Nevertheless he fell in love with her emotionally, while his feeling for Monica declined, so he felt 'more and more time passes silently', became interested in 'Outside' after sexual intercourse with Monica. However, we must not overlook the adverb 'together' modifying 'Lying'. It means that not only Larkin but also Monica tells a lie. But Monica tells a lie in order to pretend not to recognize Larkin's words as a lie, in other words, she tells a lie in order to keep Larkin. Although he understands her pretention, Larkin also pretends not to recognize Monica's words as a lie in order to continue to have sexual intercourse with her. As it turns out, 'Lying together' might be 'an emblem of two people being honest'.
2012-02-25

著者

君島利治
東京農業大学

フィリップ・ラーキン 'Talkingin Bed'を読む

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