Philip Larkin's Theme Of Isolation In Mr Bleaney

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Isolation in Mr Bleaney Philip Larkin portrays a theme of isolation in the poem “Mr Bleaney”. In addition to the sombre feelings of emptiness and solitude demonstrated in the poem, language techniques are used deliberately by Larkin to really emphasise the poem’s theme. To begin with, the short, formality of the title ‘Mr Bleaney’ indicates that, without knowing this man’s first name, only his title ‘Mr’, that he is unimportant, and that the use of the title that is standard to every man demonstrates that his identity has been wrecked by the ever-homogenisation of society, his life lacks excitement and originality. The monotonous phonetic pronunciation of ‘Mr Bleaney’ gives the impression of boredom, of a life lived unfulfilled. Larkin uses imagery to describe how the room in which the poem is set, as well as the poem in its entirety, is a metaphor for Mr Bleaney’s life. The way in which Larkin describes the room is very dull and dreary, leaving little…show more content…
Like with many of Larkin’s poems, the point of view is very cynical and pessimistic, and the buyer shows a distinct lack of pride. The quotation “I lie where Mr Bleaney lay” seems to stretch beyond the physical aspect of laying in the same place, to imply that although the buyer may judge Mr Bleaney’s life and where he ended up, but currently, he is in the same position, his life is no different. Drawing further parallels between Mr Bleaney’s life and the life of the buyer is the fact that he is actually buying the same room Mr Bleaney lived and died in, which, according to the descriptions given, is a very unpleasant place to live, implying that the buyer has little money. It is also reasonable to assume that the buyer is alone in the room, implying that, like Mr Bleaney, the buyer has nobody in his/her
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