Philip Larkin

Q. Critically explain the poem Mr. Bleaney by Philip Larkin.

Mr. Bleaney by Philip Larkin was first published in 1955 and later included in his third major collection, “The Whitsun Weddings,” in 1964. This collection is known for its use of everyday language to discuss profound themes.

The poem “Mr. Bleaney” highlights the monotony of life, the isolation of individuals, and how one’s living conditions can reflect their self-worth.

Explanation of Mr. Bleaney by Philip Larkin

Stanza 1

This was Mr Bleaney’s room. He stayed
The whole time he was at the Bodies, till
They moved him.’ Flowered curtains, thin and frayed,
Fall to within five inches of the sill,

This was Mr Bleaney’s room. He stayed
The whole time he was at the Bodies, till
They moved him.

The poem introduces the eponymous character, Mr. Bleaney, through the perspective of the speaker who has taken over his room.

“Bodies” is deliberately vague, potentially referring to a faceless, bureaucratic organization or work environment. It suggests a life led within a mundane, depersonalized routine.

“They moved him” implies that Mr. Bleaney had little control over his circumstances, portraying a life led at the behest of others.

Flowered curtains, thin and frayed,
Fall to within five inches of the sill,

These lines describe the state of the room Mr. Bleaney lived in. The “Flowered curtains, thin and frayed” suggest a room that has been lived in for a long time.

It hints at both an attempt to bring beauty into the room and the inexorable passage of time that wears everything down.

The fact that the curtains do not quite fit (“fall to within five inches of the sill”) could symbolize the incomplete or imperfect aspects of Mr. Bleaney’s life.

Stanza 2

Whose window shows a strip of building land,
Tussocky, littered. ‘Mr Bleaney took
My bit of garden properly in hand.
Bed, upright chair, sixty-watt bulb, no hook

Whose window shows a strip of building land,
Tussocky, littered.

These lines describe the view from Mr. Bleaney’s window. The “strip of building land” that is “tussocky” (covered with clumps of grass) and “littered” paints a picture of an unkempt, desolate, and perhaps neglected environment.

This view metaphorically mirrors Mr. Bleaney’s life. It suggests a barrenness or lack of cultivation in both the physical and existential sense.

‘Mr Bleaney took
My bit of garden properly in hand.’

The line, presumably spoken by the landlady, contrasts the previous description. It suggests that Mr. Bleaney did exert some care or control over his immediate environment, at least in the garden.

This could imply that despite the overall bleakness of his situation, there were aspects of his life where he demonstrated attention and perhaps a sense of responsibility or pride.

Bed, upright chair, sixty-watt bulb, no hook

Listing the room’s sparse furnishings underscores the simplicity and perhaps the austerity of Mr. Bleaney’s life. The “bed” and “upright chair” are necessities, while the “sixty-watt bulb” implies a dimly lit, possibly gloomy room.

The mention of “no hook” suggests a lack of amenities and perhaps a metaphorical lack of support or connection in Mr. Bleaney’s life. These details collectively show a life devoid of luxury, comfort, and perhaps even basic conveniences.

Stanza 3

Behind the door, no room for books or bags —
‘I’ll take it.’ So it happens that I lie
Where Mr Bleaney lay, and stub my fags
On the same saucer-souvenir, and try

Behind the door, no room for books or bags —

This line further emphasizes the cramped and limited nature of the room. The lack of space for “books or bags” not only speaks to the physical constraints of the room but also metaphorically suggests a life with limited room for personal growth, intellectual pursuits, or even personal belongings.

‘I’ll take it.’ So it happens that I lie 
Where Mr Bleaney lay, and stub my fags 
On the same saucer-souvenir, and try

These lines mark a shift in the poem from a description of Mr. Bleaney’s life to the speaker’s own experience. The speaker decides to rent the same room, lying “where Mr Bleaney lay.”

This physical occupation of the same space creates a symbolic connection between the speaker and Mr. Bleaney, suggesting a shared experience or fate.

The act of stubbing cigarettes (“stub my fags”) on the “same saucer-souvenir” further binds the speaker to the memory of Mr. Bleaney.

The saucer, likely a cheap and nondescript item, symbolizes life’s mundane and repetitive aspects. The word “souvenir” is ironic here – it typically denotes a memento of a place or event with sentimental value.

However, in this context, it is just a mundane object used in a habitual, unremarkable routine.

Stanza 4

Stuffing my ears with cotton-wool, to drown
The jabbering set he egged her on to buy.
I know his habits — what time he came down,
His preference for sauce to gravy, why

Stuffing my ears with cotton-wool, to drown 
The jabbering set he egged her on to buy.

In these lines, the speaker describes an action to isolate themselves from the outside world’s noise, represented by “the jabbering set,” which could refer to a radio or television.

Using “cotton-wool” to drown out the noise is a literal and metaphorical attempt to create a barrier. It suggests a desire for solitude or an escape from an overwhelming or unstimulating environment.

The phrase “he egged her on to buy” implies that Mr. Bleaney had some influence on the landlady, perhaps persuading her to purchase the radio or television set.

It suggests that Mr Bleaney had specific desires or exerted some level of agency in his otherwise seemingly passive existence.

I know his habits — what time he came down, 
His preference for sauce to gravy, why

Here, the speaker reflects on the knowledge they have gained about Mr Bleaney, likely from the landlady or through observation of the remnants left in the room.

Knowing small, intimate details such as “what time he came down” and “his preference for sauce to gravy” creates a sense of familiarity with Mr. Bleaney despite never having met him.

In British culinary terms, “sauce” and “gravy” differ. Gravy is typically made from the juices of cooked meat, thickened with flour, and is a staple in traditional British cuisine.

It is often associated with homely, comforting meals. Depending on the context, Sauce can imply a broader range of culinary choices, potentially more refined or varied than gravy.

Stanza 5

He kept on plugging at the four aways —
Likewise their yearly frame: the Frinton folk
Who put him up for summer holidays,
And Christmas at his sister’s house in Stoke.

He kept on plugging at the four aways —

In this line, Philip Larkin provides details about Mr. Bleaney’s life. The phrase “plugging at the four aways” is cryptic but could be interpreted in a few ways.

It might refer to a routine or mundane activity that Mr Bleaney regularly engaged in, such as betting on horse races (where “away” races are those not held at the local track) or perhaps playing the football pools, a popular betting activity in the UK, especially during the mid-20th century.

The word “plugging” suggests a persistent, perhaps dogged, effort in this activity, indicating a habitual pastime or a form of escapism.

Four Aways

In sports betting, an “away” win is a match or game where the visiting team (not playing in its own venue or stadium) wins against the home team.

Therefore, correctly predicting ‘four aways,’ meaning four games where the visiting teams win, would be considered a significant accomplishment and could lead to substantial rewards.

The mention of Mr. Bleaney “plugging at the four aways” suggests a habitual engagement with this form of betting. It implies a routine or persistent hope for a stroke of luck.

This activity could have been a form of escapism for Mr. Bleaney, a way to inject excitement or unpredictability into an otherwise unremarkable life.

Likewise their yearly frame: the Frinton folk
Who put him up for summer holidays,

These lines reveal a little about Mr. Bleaney’s social life and how he spent his holidays. Frinton is a seaside town in Essex, England, known for being a quiet, conventional holiday spot.

The mention of “Frinton folk” who put him up suggests that Mr. Bleaney had acquaintances or friends there, possibly indicating a break from his routine life.

However, the fact that he stayed with others rather than having a holiday home of his own reinforces the theme of his limited means and perhaps a lack of family connections.

And Christmas at his sister’s house in Stoke

This final line of the stanza adds another personal detail about Mr Bleaney’s life, mentioning how he spent Christmas at his sister’s house in Stoke (likely referring to Stoke-on-Trent, a city in England).

This rare mention of Mr. Bleaney’s family provides a glimpse into his relationships. Spending Christmas with family might suggest some normalcy or connection in his otherwise seemingly lonely existence.

Stanza 6

But if he stood and watched the frigid wind
Tousling the clouds, lay on the fusty bed
Telling himself that this was home, and grinned,
And shivered, without shaking off the dread

But if he stood and watched the frigid wind
Tousling the clouds,

Here, Larkin portrays Mr Bleaney observing the outside world, specifically the “frigid wind” affecting the clouds.

This image is evocative and somewhat melancholic, suggesting a sense of isolation. The word “frigid” not only describes the coldness of the wind but might also metaphorically reflect the coldness or bleakness of Mr Bleaney’s life.

Watching the wind “tousling the clouds” could imply a passive engagement with the world, as if Mr Bleaney is an observer of life rather than an active participant.

lay on the fusty bed
Telling himself that this was home, and grinned,

Larkin describes Mr Bleaney lying on a “fusty” (musty or stale-smelling) bed.

This detail further emphasizes the drabness of his living conditions. Telling himself “that this was home” suggests a forced acceptance or a resigned attitude toward his unfulfilling living situation.

The grin here is particularly poignant; it could be interpreted as a grimace or a forced, hollow attempt at positivity.

This grin could also be seen as a façade, a way of putting a brave face on an unhappy situation.
It reflects a more profound sense of despair or resignation.

And shivered, without shaking off the dread

The physical shivering, coupled with the inability to “shake off the dread,” powerfully conveys a sense of discomfort and unease.

It is not just the physical coldness that Mr. Bleaney cannot escape from but also a profound existential dread – a deep, lingering unease about his life and perhaps the futility of his existence.

Without shaking off the dread

This part of the line is crucial. The word “dread” suggests a profound fear or apprehension about existence. It implies that Mr Bleaney lives with a constant, underlying sense of anxiety or foreboding.

The phrase “without shaking off” indicates that this dread is persistent, something Mr Bleaney cannot escape or dispel. It is as if the dread is a permanent part of his existence, a shadow he always carries.

Together, these phrases paint a picture of a man deeply affected by his circumstances. He is physically reacting to his environment (shivering), but the reaction is more than just physical; it symbolizes his emotional and existential state.

Mr Bleaney’s inability to “shake off” this dread suggests a resignation to his life’s unfulfilling and monotonous nature.

Stanza 7

That how we live measures our own nature,
And at his age having no more to show
Than one hired box should make him pretty sure
He warranted no better, I don’t know.

That how we live measures our own nature,

This line introduces a contemplative notion, suggesting that a person’s living conditions and lifestyle reflect their inner self or character.

It implies that our choices, circumstances, and lives indicate our identity. In the poem’s context, it is a poignant observation about Mr. Bleaney’s seemingly unremarkable and constrained existence.

And at his age having no more to show
Than one hired box should make him pretty sure
He warranted no better,

Here, Larkin reflects on Mr. Bleaney’s achievements or the apparent lack thereof. The “hired box” refers to the small, rented room in which Mr. Bleaney lived, symbolizing his modest, unfulfilled life.

The line poignantly suggests that, at his age, Mr. Bleaney might have come to a resigned acceptance that, given the life he led, he deserved no better than what he had.

It speaks to a sense of self-assessment, where one’s living conditions become a measure of self-worth.

The phrase “He warranted no better” from Philip Larkin’s “Mr. Bleaney” encapsulates the poem’s central theme: the reflection on self-worth and life’s achievements.

This line suggests that, based on his lifestyle and choices, Mr. Bleaney did not deserve anything more than the small, modest room he inhabited. This notion could reflect Mr. Bleaney’s sense of resignation or societal judgments about success.

It raises questions about whether one’s material circumstances are a fair measure of one’s value or success. The phrase also indicates a contemplative, possibly critical, stance on how individuals perceive their worth in life circumstances.

This introspection is not just limited to Mr. Bleaney but extends to the speaker, who, inhabiting the same space, ponders over similar thoughts about their own life.

Larkin’s use of this line effectively brings to the fore the complexities of self-evaluation and societal judgments, leaving the reader with a sense of the nuanced and often ambiguous nature of assessing a life’s worth.

The concluding line, “I do not know,” in Philip Larkin’s Mr. Bleaney, is significant in its ambiguity and introspection. After detailing Mr. Bleaney’s mundane life, the speaker admits uncertainty and ponders how living conditions reflect a person’s life, one’s worth, or one’s nature.

This line reflects a moment of existential contemplation, a recognition of the complexities and unknowns in understanding a person’s life, including one’s own.