Introduction
In an age of inflation, Larkin wrote 'Money' as a criticism against consumerist values and society's obsession with spending. He personifies money in an exploration of spending habits and through a biting comment on the futility of saving. Ultimately, society's obsession with money is deemed 'intensely sad'
The Poem 'Money'
Quarterly, is it, money reproaches me:
‘Why do you let me lie here wastefully?
I am all you never had of goods and sex.
You could get them still by writing a few cheques.’
So I look at others, what they do with theirs:
They certainly don’t keep it upstairs.
By now they’ve a second house and car and wife
Clearly, money has something to do with life
In fact, they’ve a lot in common, if you enquire:
You can’t put off being young until you retire,
And however, you bank your screw, the money you save
Won’t in the end buy you more than a shave.
I listen to money singing . It’s like looking down
From long french windows at a provincial town,
The slums, the canal, the churches ornate and mad
In the evening sun. It is intensely sad.
- Philip Larkin
Who is the writer of the Poem 'Money'
Philip Larkin was born on 9th August 1922. He was an English poet and a great novelist. His first work “The North Ship '' was published in 1945, ''Jill in 1946 and'' A Girl in winter "in 1947. He refused to accept the position of Poet Laureate. After graduation in English Language and Literature Philip Larkin became a librarian. His relationship with his colleague Maeve Brennan became romantic. From 1973 to 1974 Larkin became an honourable Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford. Larkin suffered from oesophagal cancer and on 2nd December 1985 at the age of 63, he died four days after his operation. He was buried at Cottingham municipal cemetery.
Summary of the Poem Money
The poem Money is written by the poet to express the after-effects of the oil shock in 1973. The poet has compared money to a human. Money must be spent to lead a good life. The poet indirectly satirises the value of money which is spent on materialistic pleasures. Modern culture is only about money and worldly pleasures. Ironically he says saving money is a waste and doesn’t prove anything so it has to be spent on all entertainment and enjoyment. The poem describes the influence of money in our lives.
Detail Analysis of the Poem
The poet compares money to a human and questions why he lies there wastefully. He says once every four months the money has to be spent to lead a good life. Money is one of the most essential wants of man to get all things under his thumb. He wants all the comforts which he prefers to buy with money. The poet satirises the modern value of money which buys them all comfort and worldly pleasures. One can get all the pleasures of the world by just writing a few cheques.
The poet in the second stands points at those who enjoy their lives with money. No doubt they won’t keep it upstairs. They would enjoy luxury houses and cars and wives. The money they have has many works to do for them. Life becomes more comfortable for those who have money. Wealth has the power to bring them all they want. The poet ironically tells how money could influence life.
In the third stanza, the poet makes a comparison between money and life. He thinks of old age and the money one saves. The money you save will not come till the end of one’s life. The money one saves in the bank will not be useful after death. The poet brings out the short time life and impermanence of money.
It is the final stanza, Larking points out how money could control the lives of the people. He says that he could hear the song of money and the dancing of the people according to its tune.
Money could influence all, irrespective of the social upper class or status. The money knows no difference between a provincial town, the slums, the canal, and the churches as all are under its influence. The poet is sad to see the slavery of the society for Money, they are trapped and could not be saved.
Literary Analysis of The Poem
The theme is about the influence of money on people, a message to society about the greediness of money, material importance, the impermanence of money and the importance of modern life and the relationship between money and happiness. Personification is used by the poet to compare money to a living person. An inanimate object to a living object. “Money reproaches me, “Why do you let me lie here wastefully? The poet gives human qualities to money as he personifies money to a person.
“I listen to money singing. It’s like looking down” money tunes the people and they dance according to its tune. It is an interesting personification which brings out the reality of life. “Goods and sex symbolize worldly pleasures. “From long french windows in a provincial town.” Symbolising the status of the upper class. The Metaphor is also used to give a great message to the ruined society such as, “Screw, the money you save, won’t, in the end, buy you more than a shave.” The money which is the reward for your hard work has little worth like a final shave of the dead body. One cannot be young till he or she retires. Everyone has to go through their final stages. Money could not stop the final destination. One cannot buy everlasting life on earth with money.
The title could be seen as a very common one. But a deep study or analysis of the poem would give a very powerful message and the reality of life. The power of money is well described with pain. A Rhyming scheme if followed by AA BB is simple but powerful to give a good message. In first-person narration, the poem is structured as a conversation.
The poet starts the poem using ironic questions and by using personifications and metaphors gives a message to realise the values of modern lifestyles. He sadly ends the poem by highlighting the final destination of every man who fails to accept and respect the reality of life.