Money


Money

 

By Philip Larkin

 

Quarterly, is it, money reproaches me:

‘Why do you let me lie here wastefully?

I am all you never had of goods and sex.

 You could get them still by writing a few cheques.’

 

So I look at others , what they do with theirs:   

They certainly don’t keep it upstairs.

By now they’ve a second house and car and wife

 Clearly money has something to do with life 

 

In fact, they’ve a lot in common, if you enquire:

You can’t put off being young until you retire,

And however you bank your screw, the money you save

Won’t in the end buy you more than a shave.

 

I listen to money singing . It’s like looking down

From long french windows  at a provincial town,   

The slums , the canalthe churches ornate  and mad

In the evening sun. It is intensely sad.

 

Philip Larkin

 

He was born on 9th August 1922.   He was an English poet and a great novelist.  His first work “The North Ship” was published in 1945, “Jill in 1946 and A Girl in winter in 1947.  He refused to accept the position of Poet Laureate.  After graduation in English Language and Literature Philip Larkin became a librarian.  His relationship with his colleague Maeve Brennan became romantic.  From 1973 to 1974 Larkin became an honorable Fellow of St. Johns College, Oxford.  Larkin suffered from esophageal cancer and on 2nd December 1985 at the age of 63 he died four days after his operation.  He was buried at Cottingham municipal cemetery.  

 

 

Summary of the poem

The poem Money is written by the poet to express the after effects of the oil shock in 1973.  The poet has compares the money to a human.  Money must be spent to lead a good life.  The poet indirectly satirizes the value of money which is spent on the materialistic pleasures.  Modern culture is only money and the worldly pleasures.  Ironically he says saving money is waste and doesn’t not prove anything so it has to be spent on all entertainments and enjoyments. The poem describes the influence of money our lives.

Detail analysis of the poem

Stanza 1

 

Quarterly, is it, money reproaches me:

“Why do you let me lie here wastefully?

I am all you never had of goods and sex.

You could get them still by writing a few cheques.’

 

The poet compares the money to a human and questions why does he lie there wastefully. He says once in every four months the money has to be spent to lead a good life.  Money is one of the most essential wants of man to get all things under his thumb.  He wants all comforts which he prefer to buy with money.  The poet satirizes the modern value of money which buys them all comfort and worldly pleasures.  One can get all the pleasures of the world by just writing a few cheques.

 

Stanza 2

So I look at others , what they do with theirs:   

They certainly don’t keep it upstairs.

By now they’ve a second house and car and wife

Clearly money has something to do with life 

 

The poet in the second stands points at those who enjoy their lives with the money.  No doubt they won’t keep it upstairs.  They would enjoy with luxury houses and cars and wives.  The money they have has many works to do for them.  Life become more comfortable for those who have money.  The wealth has the power to bring them all they want.  The poet ironically tell how the money could influence the life.

 

 

Stanza 3

In fact, they’ve a lot in common, if you enquire:

You can’t put off being young until you retire,

And however you bank your screw, the money you save

Won’t in the end buy you more than a shave.

 

In the third stanza the poet makes a comparison of money and the life.  He thinks of the old age life and the money one saves.  The money you saves will not come till the end of one’s life.  The money one saves in the bank will not be useful after the death. The poet brings out the short time life and impermanence of money.

 

 

Stanza 4

 

I listen to money singing . It’s like looking down

From long french windows  at a provincial town,   

The slums , the canalthe churches ornate  and mad

In the evening sun. It is intensely sad.

 

It is the final stanza, Larking points out how money could control the lives of the people.  He says that he could hear the song of money and the dancing of the people according to its tune. 

Money could influence all, irrespective of the social upper class or the status.  The money knows no difference between a provincial town, the slums, the canal, and the churches as all are under its influence.  The poet is sad to see the slavery of the society to the Money, they are trapped and could not be saved.

 

Literary Devices

 

The theme is about the influence of money on people, a message to the society about greediness of money, material importance, impermanence of money and the importance of modern life and the relationship between money and happiness.

 

Personification is used by the poet to compare the money to a living person.  An inanimate object to living object.  Money reproaches me, “Why do you let me lie here wastefully” the poet gives human qualities to the money as he personifies money to a person. 

 

 I listen to money singing . It’s like looking down” money tunes the people and they dance according to its tune.  It is an interesting personification which brings out the reality of life.

 

 

Goods and sex, symbolizes worldly pleasures. “From long french windows  at a provincial town.” Symbolizing the status of the upper class.

 

 

The Metaphor also used to give a great message to the ruined society such as, “Screw, the money you save, won’t in the end buy you more than a shave.”   The money which is the reward of your hard work has little worth like a final shave of the dead body.  One cannot be young till he or she retires.  Everyone has to go through their final stages.  Money could not stop the final destination.  One cannot buy everlasting life on earth with money.

 

The title is could be seen as a very common one.  But a deep study or analysis of the poem would give a very power message and the reality of life. The power of money is well described with pain.

A Rhyming scheme if followed AA BB a simple but powerful to give a good message.

First person narration, the poem is structured as a conversation.

The poet starts the poem using ironical questions and by using personifications and metaphors gives a message to realise the values of modern life styles.  He is sadly ends the poem by highlighting the final destination of every man who fails to accept and respect the reality of life.

 thank you

 

 


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