Compare the ways in which Larkin and Plath present their views on human relationships in the "Whitsun Weddings" and "Ariel"

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 Literature and Language

Compare the ways in which Larkin and Plath present their views on human relationships in the “Whitsun Weddings” and “Ariel”

In confronting an analysis of “The Whitsun Weddings” by Phillip Larkin and “Ariel” by Sylvia Plath, it is immediately obvious that both authors consider human relationships in different ways. There are some similarities between the way in which they look upon other individuals, as both are prone to moments of depressive thought and in some cases such as “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath and “Mr Bleaney” by Phillip Larkin their expressions become somewhat exaggerated and one could say even hysterical in parts. Throughout the two Anthologies the feelings and emotions of the authors become apparent in the use of rhetorical devises and lexical choice, and thusly show the inner state of the poet at the time of composition.

Plath is known for writing from her emotions; her poetry is really a reflection of self and generally carries a sinister undertone with a depressive view to humanity and the relationships she encounters through her life. “The Applicant” personifies Plath’s image of marriage as an archaic and fake ceremony that allows people to put on the false pretence of happiness; in some ways this is reminiscent of her own life. The connotations of death and life are heavily linked with the idea of marriage in the fourth and fifth stanza; Plath identifies the wedding suit similarly to that of the suit a man would be buried in:

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“Black and stiff, but not a bad fit…” (line 21)

“Believe me; they’ll bury you in it…” (line25)

This powerful imagery displays a sense of cynicism about the bonds of marriage and creates a disdainful tone throughout the rest of the poem, which becomes like an imperative sales pitch with the repetition of the line:

“Will you marry it?...” (line 14)

The use of the impersonal pronoun “it” distances both Plath and the reader from the subject of the poem, and contrasts wonderfully to “The Whitsun Weddings” by Phillip Larkin. Although prior knowledge of Larkin suggests that his view of marriage is somewhat ...

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