Negation Forms in the Poetry of Philip Larkin

This article presents an analysis of negation forms in Philip Larkin’spoetry, specifically forms negated by suffixes and prefixes. Drawing onthe literary stylistic analysis approach, as proposed by Geoffrey Leech,we progress from linguistic description to literary interpretation, withthe assumption that linguistics and literature should complement oneanother. We discuss nine poems by Larkin, with the focus placed onpatterns that deliver precise understanding of the text’s unifyingtheme. The major argument is that the frequent use of negationforms by Larkin is not arbitrary; rather its use might illustrate an effortmeant to make these forms resonate with the poem’s atmosphere andsocial contexts. The results suggest that linguistic choices and poeticstyle have helped Larkin convey messages concerning three themes,namely, 1) uncertainty, 2) futility of life, and 3) agnosticism. By focusingon Larkin’s poems and the ways in which the poems are read, differentstrands are plaited, and multilevel stylistics approaches help readers tofocus on the gaps concerning social contexts that could illuminateother possibilities and meanings.