フィリップ・ラーキン'Self's the Man'を読む

概要

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According to Philip Larkin's biography written by Andrew Motion, Larkin wrote 'Self's the Man' to slander his colleague ("Arnold" in the poem). In this poem, while he mocks at Arnold's actual circumstances, Larkin longs for a marriage and a family and regrets his present situation without them. This poem also shows how Larkin's situation would have been 10 years after if he had got married to Ruth Bowman to whom he had been engaged. These interpretations lead to the meanings of the poem's title, 'Self's the Man'. Superficially this title means "selfishness is manliness". However, this title also means that "myself is the man, the speaker of the poem" and we understand Larkin is conscious of Larkinesque. Furthermore, though he compares Arnold and himself and judges that "myself is a manly man", this title also means that "myself is the man, Arnold", therefore Larkin assimilates himself to Arnold.
2012-12-25