Introduction: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
“Aubade” by Philip Larkin, first appeared in 1969 in the collection High Windows, is renowned for its bleak and melancholic tone, explores the dread of waking up and facing another day. Larkin’s characteristically blunt and unflinching language paints a vivid picture of the speaker’s existential despair. Themes of mortality, the futility of life, and the relentless passage of time are central to the poem, culminating in a haunting and resigned acceptance of one’s fate.
Text: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
I work all day, and get half-drunk at night.
Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare.
In time the curtain-edges will grow light.
Till then I see what’s really always there:
Unresting death, a whole day nearer now,
Making all thought impossible but how
And where and when I shall myself die.
Arid interrogation: yet the dread
Of dying, and being dead,
Flashes afresh to hold and horrify.
The mind blanks at the glare. Not in remorse
—The good not done, the love not given, time
Torn off unused—nor wretchedly because
An only life can take so long to climb
Clear of its wrong beginnings, and may never;
But at the total emptiness for ever,
The sure extinction that we travel to
And shall be lost in always. Not to be here,
Not to be anywhere,
And soon; nothing more terrible, nothing more true.
This is a special way of being afraid
No trick dispels. Religion used to try,
That vast moth-eaten musical brocade
Created to pretend we never die,
And specious stuff that says No rational being
Can fear a thing it will not feel, not seeing
That this is what we fear—no sight, no sound,
No touch or taste or smell, nothing to think with,
Nothing to love or link with,
The anaesthetic from which none come round.
And so it stays just on the edge of vision,
A small unfocused blur, a standing chill
That slows each impulse down to indecision.
Most things may never happen: this one will,
And realisation of it rages out
In furnace-fear when we are caught without
People or drink. Courage is no good:
It means not scaring others. Being brave
Lets no one off the grave.
Death is no different whined at than withstood.
Slowly light strengthens, and the room takes shape.
It stands plain as a wardrobe, what we know,
Have always known, know that we can’t escape,
Yet can’t accept. One side will have to go.
Meanwhile telephones crouch, getting ready to ring
In locked-up offices, and all the uncaring
Intricate rented world begins to rouse.
The sky is white as clay, with no sun.
Work has to be done.
Postmen like doctors go from house to house.
Annotations: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
| Stanza | Annotation |
| 1st Stanza | The speaker describes their daily routine of working all day and drinking at night. They wake up at 4 a.m., facing the darkness and contemplating death. The “curtain-edges” slowly brightening symbolize the passage of time, and death is portrayed as an ever-present force, growing nearer every day. The fear of death becomes all-consuming, blocking out all other thoughts. |
| 2nd Stanza | The speaker’s fear of death intensifies. It is not rooted in regret for unfulfilled life experiences or wasted time, but in the sheer finality and permanence of death. The speaker fixates on the idea of non-existence, which they describe as an “emptiness” that is terrifying and inevitable. This fear is expressed as a confrontation with the total annihilation of self. |
| 3rd Stanza | The speaker explores the idea that no rational argument can alleviate the fear of death. Religion, once a source of comfort, is dismissed as a “moth-eaten” construct designed to deny mortality. The argument that one cannot fear what one cannot experience (death) is rejected, as the speaker suggests that it is precisely the absence of all experience—”no sight, no sound, no touch”—that terrifies them. Death is portrayed as an anesthetic from which no one can awaken. |
| 4th Stanza | Death remains a distant, ever-present fear, described as a “blur” or “standing chill” just out of focus. The speaker admits that most of the things we fear may never happen, but death is the one certainty. When faced without distractions like people or alcohol, the “furnace-fear” of death erupts. Courage, the speaker cynically notes, only prevents others from feeling fear, but it cannot stave off death itself. |
| 5th Stanza | As morning comes, light slowly fills the room, symbolizing the return to the ordinary world. Yet death remains ever-present, plain as day and inescapable. The speaker acknowledges that one side—either acceptance or denial of death—must eventually “go.” Meanwhile, the everyday world begins to stir, with postmen and office workers resuming their daily tasks, indifferent to the existential dread the speaker feels. The day starts, but the underlying anxiety about mortality remains. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
| Device | Definition | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | Repetition of initial consonant sounds. | “Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare” | Emphasizes the speaker’s isolation and the quiet of the early morning. |
| Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. | “Not to be here, <br> Not to be anywhere” | Reinforces the speaker’s sense of nothingness and annihilation. |
| Antithesis | Contrast between opposing ideas or elements. | “Death is no different whined at than withstood” | Highlights the futility of resistance to death. |
| Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds within words. | “Arid interrogation: yet the dread” | Creates a haunting and melancholic tone. |
| Connotation | The emotional or associative meaning of a word. | “Vast moth-eaten musical brocade” | Suggests the decay and ineffectiveness of religion. |
| Consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds within words. | “Unresting death, a whole day nearer now” | Creates a sense of rhythm and emphasizes the relentless passage of time. |
| Enjambment | Running over of a sentence from one line to the next. | “In time the curtain-edges will grow light. <br> Till then I see what’s really always there:” | Creates a sense of urgency and anxiety. |
| Imagery | Use of vivid language to create mental images. | “A small unfocused blur, a standing chill” | Evokes a sense of dread and uncertainty. |
| Irony | A contrast between what is expected or intended and what actually happens. | “Courage is no good: <br> It means not scaring others.” | Suggests that bravery is a selfish act. |
| Metaphor | A comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” | “This is a special way of being afraid” | Compares fear to a unique state of being. |
| Oxymoron | A combination of contradictory terms. | “Unresting death” | Creates a paradox, emphasizing the unchanging nature of death. |
| Paradox | A statement that seems contradictory but expresses a truth. | “Most things may never happen: this one will” | Highlights the certainty of death despite the uncertainty of life. |
| Personification | Giving human qualities to non-human things. | “Telephones crouch, getting ready to ring” | Creates a sense of impending doom and surveillance. |
| Repetition | The repeated use of words, phrases, or sounds. | “Nothing to love or link with” | Emphasizes the emptiness and isolation of death. |
| Rhyme | The correspondence of sounds at the ends of words. | “Death is no different whined at than withstood” | Creates a musical and rhythmic quality. |
| Simile | A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.” | “The sky is white as clay” | Creates a vivid image of a bleak and lifeless sky. |
| Symbolism | The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. | “The vast moth-eaten musical brocade” | Symbolizes the decay of religion and its inability to provide comfort. |
| Tone | The attitude of the speaker or writer towards the subject matter. | Melancholic, pessimistic, resigned | Reflects the speaker’s despair and acceptance of mortality. |
| Verbal Irony | Saying the opposite of what is meant. | “Courage is no good” | Suggests that courage is ineffective in the face of death. |
| Word Choice | The selection of specific words to convey meaning and create effects. | “Arid,” “dread,” “extinction” | Evokes a sense of desolation and despair. |
Themes: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
· Mortality and the Inevitability of Death: Larkin’s poem is a meditation on death, exploring its inevitability and the dread it inspires. The speaker’s constant awareness of death is evident throughout the poem, from the opening lines that describe waking up to the “unresting death” that looms over him. Larkin’s use of stark imagery, such as “the sure extinction that we travel to,” emphasizes the finality of death and the speaker’s fear of nonexistence.
· The Futility of Life and the Passage of Time: “Aubade” explores the futility of human existence in the face of death. The speaker’s daily routine, from work to drinking, is presented as meaningless and ultimately futile. The poem’s focus on time, particularly the relentless passage of time, reinforces the sense of the fleeting nature of life. Larkin’s use of enjambment and repetition, such as “And soon; nothing more terrible, nothing more true,” emphasizes the inexorable march of time towards death.
· The Failure of Religion and the Absence of Meaning: Larkin critiques religion as a failed attempt to provide comfort and meaning in the face of death. He describes religion as a “vast moth-eaten musical brocade” that offers false hope and specious consolation. The speaker’s rejection of religion highlights the absence of any ultimate purpose or meaning in life.
· The Dread of the Unknown: The poem explores the fear of the unknown that accompanies the thought of death. The speaker’s anxiety is evident in his descriptions of the “total emptiness for ever” and the “anaesthetic from which none come round.” Larkin’s use of imagery that suggests darkness, coldness, and isolation reinforces the speaker’s dread of the unknown that awaits him after death.
Literary Theories and “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
| Literary Theory | Application to “Aubade” | References from the Poem |
| Existentialism | Larkin’s poem explores existential anxiety, focusing on the inevitability of death and the meaninglessness of life. The speaker reflects on the absurdity of existence, where death is the ultimate end and nothingness awaits. The fear of “the total emptiness for ever” mirrors existential concerns of life’s futility and the struggle to find meaning in a universe indifferent to human life. | “The sure extinction that we travel to / And shall be lost in always” (lines 16-17). This reflects existential dread of non-existence, a core concern in existentialism. |
| Psychoanalytic Theory (Freudian) | The poem taps into the subconscious fear of death, which Freud termed as “Thanatos” or the death drive. The poem also touches on repression, as the speaker avoids facing their mortality by working and drinking, only to confront death during moments of solitude. The poem’s obsessive focus on death reveals the speaker’s internal struggle with repressed fears. | “Courage is no good: / It means not scaring others” (lines 38-39). This suggests a repressed fear of death that surfaces despite attempts to avoid or rationalize it. |
| Modernism | “Aubade” reflects modernist themes of alienation, disillusionment, and the breakdown of traditional structures of belief, such as religion. The speaker dismisses religion as an outdated, ineffective means of coping with death. The fragmented, introspective narrative and the bleak outlook on existence are characteristic of modernist literature. | “Religion used to try, / That vast moth-eaten musical brocade / Created to pretend we never die” (lines 23-25). This illustrates the modernist skepticism toward religion and traditional comforting narratives. |
Critical Questions about “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
- How does Larkin convey the inevitability of death in “Aubade”?
Larkin emphasizes the inescapable certainty of death throughout the poem, portraying it as an ever-looming presence. The speaker wakes at dawn to contemplate death, which “is really always there” (line 4). Death’s inevitability is reinforced by the phrase “Most things may never happen: this one will” (line 34), which asserts that while many fears in life may be unfounded, the certainty of death is undeniable. The finality of death, depicted as “the total emptiness for ever” (line 15), underscores Larkin’s focus on the fact that death is not only inevitable but also permanent and devoid of any spiritual or existential solace. - What role does existential dread play in the poem?
Existential dread is central to “Aubade,” as the speaker grapples with the fear of non-existence. The dread of death emerges in the line “The sure extinction that we travel to” (line 16), expressing the anxiety of life’s ultimate end. The poem’s focus on the fear of nothingness—”No sight, no sound, no touch or taste or smell” (lines 28-29)—highlights a deep-seated fear of the void that follows death. This existential dread becomes an emotional paralysis, as expressed in the line “The mind blanks at the glare” (line 11), indicating the speaker’s inability to process or rationalize the reality of death. - How does Larkin critique religion in relation to death in “Aubade”?
Larkin presents religion as an outdated and ineffective solution to the fear of death. He refers to it as “That vast moth-eaten musical brocade / Created to pretend we never die” (lines 23-24), critiquing religion as a comforting illusion that fails to confront the harsh truth of mortality. The dismissive tone toward religion reflects the speaker’s modernist disillusionment with traditional structures that offer hope or meaning. Instead, the poem insists that death is “no different whined at than withstood” (line 40), rejecting the notion that faith can provide a meaningful escape from death’s inevitability. - How does the poem reflect a modernist view of alienation and isolation?
Larkin’s “Aubade” reflects a profound sense of alienation and isolation, particularly in the speaker’s solitary confrontation with death. The speaker experiences this isolation most intensely in the moments without distractions, stating “furnace-fear when we are caught without / People or drink” (lines 35-36). This reveals how the speaker, stripped of social interaction or numbing substances, is left alone to face the terrifying reality of death. The world around the speaker is indifferent and uncaring, as highlighted by “the uncaring / Intricate rented world” (lines 47-48), reinforcing the modernist theme of isolation in a universe devoid of inherent meaning or compassion.
Literary Works Similar to “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
- “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas: Both poems confront the inevitability of death, though Thomas advocates for defiance while Larkin reflects on resignation and fear.
- “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson: Similar to “Aubade,” this poem personifies death and contemplates the passage toward it, though Dickinson’s tone is more accepting than Larkin’s dread.
- “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot: Like “Aubade,” this poem expresses existential despair and a sense of hopelessness in the face of death and meaninglessness.
- “Death Be Not Proud” by John Donne: Both poems grapple with the concept of death, with Donne challenging its power while Larkin emphasizes its inevitable and terrifying nature.
- “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray: This poem reflects on mortality and the universality of death, themes also central to Larkin’s “Aubade,” though Gray offers more solace in remembrance.
Representative Quotations of “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “I work all day, and get half-drunk at night.” | The speaker introduces their routine, using work and alcohol to distract from their existential fear. | Existentialism – Highlights the futility of distractions in the face of mortality. |
| “Unresting death, a whole day nearer now.” | The speaker acknowledges the relentless approach of death, growing closer with each passing day. | Existentialism – Death is portrayed as an unavoidable and constant presence. |
| “Arid interrogation: yet the dread / Of dying, and being dead.” | Reflects the speaker’s persistent anxiety about death and the emptiness it brings. | Psychoanalytic Theory (Freud) – Reveals the death drive and repressed fear of non-existence. |
| “The sure extinction that we travel to / And shall be lost in always.” | The speaker confronts the inevitability of death and the permanent loss of existence. | Existentialism – Focuses on the ultimate futility of life and the certainty of annihilation. |
| “Religion used to try, / That vast moth-eaten musical brocade / Created to pretend we never die.” | Criticizes religion as an outdated, comforting illusion that fails to address the truth of mortality. | Modernism – Reflects disillusionment with traditional beliefs and religious comfort. |
| “No sight, no sound, / No touch or taste or smell, nothing to think with, / Nothing to love or link with.” | Describes the terror of death as total sensory and emotional annihilation. | Phenomenology – Expresses fear of the loss of subjective experience and being. |
| “Most things may never happen: this one will.” | The speaker emphasizes the certainty of death amidst life’s uncertainties. | Existentialism – Death is presented as the only guaranteed reality. |
| “Courage is no good: / It means not scaring others.” | Suggests that bravery does nothing to change the reality of death; it merely masks fear for the sake of others. | Psychoanalytic Theory (Freud) – Exposes the repression of fear and the social facade of courage. |
| “Death is no different whined at than withstood.” | The speaker acknowledges that resistance or acceptance of death makes no difference to its inevitability. | Nihilism – Denies any inherent value in responses to death, reflecting the futility of resistance. |
| “The sky is white as clay, with no sun.” | Describes the bleak, indifferent morning, mirroring the speaker’s grim outlook on life and death. | Modernism – Illustrates a world devoid of meaning or warmth, aligned with modernist alienation. |
Suggested Readings: “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
- Chatterjee, Sisir Kumar. Philip Larkin: Poetry That Builds Bridges. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2006.
- Booth, James. Philip Larkin: Life, Art and Love. Bloomsbury, 2014.
- Motion, Andrew. Philip Larkin: A Writer’s Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1993.
- Cavanagh, Michael. “Fighting off Larkin: Seamus Heaney and ‘Aubade.’” The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies, vol. 24, no. 2, 1998, pp. 63–75. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/25515251. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
- Banerjee, A. “Larkin Reconsidered.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 116, no. 3, 2008, pp. 428–41. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27507700. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
- Gilbert, Sandra M. “Darkness at Dawn: From ‘Bavarian Gentians’ to ‘Aubade.’” The D.H. Lawrence Review, vol. 40, no. 2, 2015, pp. 120–27. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44234630. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
- GARDNER, PHILIP. “‘One Does One’s Best’: Larkin Posthumous.” Critical Survey, vol. 1, no. 2, 1989, pp. 194–99. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41556498. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.