In Philip Larkin's "This Be The Verse", readers see a swing of three different emotions and opinions of Larkin, in just three short stanzas: pointing, an acceptance and a suggestion. Instantly hooking readers in with a risky first line, the poem “continues to convey emotions like despair and bitterness, then ends with an imperative.” This article will examine the tone of the poem, the subject changes of each stanza, and review key images that connect one element of the poem to another. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay From the title of Larkin's poem "This Be The Verse", readers may get the first impression that the tone of something serious will be discussed. By reading the writing in more detail, the reader can recognize that the poem has strong undertones of an important lesson that should be known to all, which sets the tone for Larkin's writing. However, the conventionality of his insight is altered by the first line of the poem “They screw you over, your mama and your daddy” (Larkin 1). This introduction sets a standard that although Larkin is trying to advise the reader on an important topic, he also wants the reader to understand that not everything in life has to be completely serious. Readers can clearly see Larkin's position on reproduction and child rearing. : “the poem revolves around a very misanthropic perspective with a misery transmitted from generation to generation” (Stuart 2011). Not only does Larkin refer to it in the first line of the third stanza when he says: "man transmits misery to man" (Larkin 9), but he goes on to suggest that the problem of procreation concerns the generation that preceded him: “they were screwed in their turn”. That being said, author Bethany Stuart introduces a very good point, referring to the penultimate line of the poem: “Get out as soon as possible” (Larkin 11). Stuart states: “Larkin proposes a solution that, quite literally, would prevent conception in the first place” (Stuart 2011). This constant tone of discontent seen throughout the poem is a constant reminder of Larkin's view on reproduction: don't do it. Throughout “This Be The Verse,” the subject changes from stanza to stanza. In the first stanza, Larkin writes, “They screw your mama and daddy” (Larkin 1). This first line gives the reader a harsh first impression of the subject of the poem. However, between the first and second stanzas, readers see the subject turn. In the second stanza, Larkin writes, "who half the time were stern and the other half at each other's throats" (Larkin 7), embodying the reality that family conflict is a standard concept in almost every household . Carriere addresses this change of subject. , to which she must respond that "Larkin no longer speaks to you directly about your parents, but he now addresses, in a sense, parents of different generations and creates a feeling of equality between each of them" (Carriere 2012). . In the third stanza, “Larkin's poem is transformed from a simple statement of anger into a letter of advice for all the children who read it” (Commis 2012). In this last stanza, Larkin writes, “Get out as soon as possible and have no children yourself” (Larkin 11-12). At this point in the poem, Larkin has moved from a state of anger to a state of anger. possible understanding of the cycle of a parent raising a child, up to simple abandonment. This change is visible in the final stanza and the quote above shows thatLarkin recognizes the “continuous cycle of corrupted mind after corrupted mind” (Carriere 2012). To this, he offers his miracle solution; I don't have any children at all. From Larkin's pointing finger in the first stanza to moderate acceptance in the second stanza to his suggestion not to breed in the third stanza, it is clear that there is a change of subject in each stanza, and " as the reader continues to fall into Larkin's words, the narrator replaces his aggressive tone with a more understanding tone that accepts the parents' faults” (Carriere 2012). Repetition is often seen in this poem, with the word “they” being used frequently. It is used six times, “including five only in the first stanza, as a leitmotif” (This Be the Verse | Analysis). Each time it is used, it makes a point to parents and their predecessors (This Be the Verse | Analysis). Rhythm is also present in this poem. There are four lines in each stanza, and in each line the rhythm is the same. This shows the reader that “the ‘cycle’ is the same for every generation and never changes” (Newman). Katie Newman expressed that by having three stanzas, all with the same rhythm, these identically paced stanzas "could represent a family unit, a mother, father and child or 3 generations in a family" (Newman). The poem also has a repetitive rhyme scheme, and just like above where Newman compared the rhythm of the poem to the "cycle" of generations, readers can also see how the rhyme scheme used in this poem supports Larkin's message. In this sense, his rhyme scheme becomes “a pattern from which we cannot escape” (Churchill 2016). All things considered, Philip Larkin's "This Be The Verse" is an ideal precedent of a poem because it has such considerable tone, subject changes, the subject matter of each stanza, and key images that associate an element of the poem with a other. With a unique take on the family status quo, "Larkin is very successful in creating a cynical view of the relationship between parents and children in our society, one that will not be forgotten." The poem “This be the verse” by Phillip Larkin expresses the idea that parents have a negative influence on their children's lives. This shows that parents unintentionally spoil their offspring, they place all their emotional weight on their children, which leads the child down the path of destruction. It is clear that the curse is generational and inevitable: parents can hurt their children simply by raising them; sons and daughters carry the pain into adulthood and then pass the wounds on to their offspring. Philip Larkin further establishes the theme of his poem using literary devices such as irony, internal rhyme, alliteration, and repetition. The title of the poem "This Be the Verse" is ironic, the importance given in the word "the" and the greatness of the phrasing mockingly demands that the reader pay attention to the poem because it is "the" poem which contains great wisdom. Larkin also plays on the word "verse", which can be used to refer to poetry in general, as well as specific stanzas but also the Bible. Here there is an ironic echo of phrases such as “This is the word of the Lord.” The fact that there are 4 lines in each stanza and the rhythm in each line is the same shows the reader that the “cycle” is the same. for every generation and may it never change. This idea is reflected in the third stanza of the quote “deepens like a coastal shelf.” With this comparison, Larkin shows how difficult it is to escape the "cycle" because the deepening of a coastal shelf is a natural process that occurs on every coastline. in the world and this image..