Sacramental Images in Philip Larkin's Poems
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Department of English
Abstract
The sacramental in Larkin's poetry is linked to a fully realized experience of spiritual
grace. Sacrament is normally defined as asign, seal, or symbol of Christian experience or
profession the visible means by which divine grace is sought or conferred. In Larkin's poetry
the sacramental is defined as a metaphysical mystery or secret somehow just beyond human
understanding. It is holy or sacred, evocative of visionary moment. Sometimes there is the
suggestion that the persona in one of his poems intuitively grasps the existence of the
sacramental; often this occurs unexpectedly while the persona is meditating on some
unrelated topic.This experience, while momentary, belies Larkin's otherwise terse, slightly
repressed inventory of a world stripped of spiritual meaning. His sacramental relics may have
relinquished their transforming power, but the fact that he muses on them at all indicates they
have not lost for him their mysterious, their secret appeal. He is fascinated with how to
interpret the sacramental in light of his own penchant for skepticism.