Short Questions & Answers of An Arundel Tomb ,
Critical Appreciation of “An Arundel Tomb” by Philip Larkin.
The poem “An Arundel Tomb” is one of the most famous poems written by Philip Larkin, a modern English poet. In this poem, Larkin describes the stone statues of an earl and a countess lying side by side on an old tomb in a church. The poet looks at this tomb and begins to think deeply about love, time, and human life.
At the beginning of the poem, Larkin tells us that the faces of the earl and the countess have become blurred with time. Their stone clothes, the armour of the earl, and the dress of the lady show that they lived in the old medieval period. There are even two little stone dogs under their feet, which make the scene look calm and homely.
When the poet looks more closely, he notices something very touching — the earl’s hand is holding the hand of his wife. This small detail fills the poet with emotion. He feels that this act of holding hands shows their love and faithfulness. The sculptor who made the tomb might not have thought much about it, but now it has become the symbol of eternal love.
The poet then thinks about how time has passed. Centuries have gone by. The tomb has been damaged by air, dust, and weather. The old visitors who once came to see it have long died. New people come and go, and they do not even read the Latin words written on the tomb. Still, the two figures remain together, lying hand in hand through the long ages of history.
Larkin tells us that time has changed everything, but it has also given a new meaning to the tomb. The couple are now seen as a picture of true and endless love. Even though they might not have meant to show this in real life, their stone figures have come to represent love that never dies.
The last lines of the poem are very famous. Larkin writes,
“What will survive of us is love.”
This means that when we die, our wealth, power, and name will be forgotten, but our love and kindness will remain. This is a beautiful and hopeful message.
The poem is simple but very deep. The language is clear, and the images of stone, snow, and sunlight make it peaceful and moving. Larkin uses the old tomb to speak about the power of love and the passing of time.
“An Arundel Tomb” is a touching poem that teaches us that love is stronger than death. Time can destroy everything — buildings, names, and faces — but it cannot destroy love. The poem gives us hope that what truly survives in this world is not money or fame, but the love we give to others.
Comments
Post a Comment