MCMXIV: 1914 by Philip Larkin Short Questions

MCMXIV: 1914 Short Questions

How does the poet describe the situation of war in the poem?
The poet tells in this poem that there is no hustle and bustle in the streets. The shops are opened but the  customers are not seen.

Which colour dresses are the children wearing?
The children, in the poem, are wearing black dresses that are a sign of mourning. It also indicates towards the gloomy situation they are passing through.

What type of people we find in the village?
In the village, we see only children and aged people; there are no youngsters because either they have been killed in war or fighting in the battlefield.

What type of houses we see in the village?

In the village, we see large houses with vehicles. The people are rich and there are countless servants.

What is less in numbers in the village?

There are women, children and aged people but the young ones are less in numbers in the village.

In how many parts is the poem divided ?

The poem is divided into two main parts. In first two stanzas, there is description of urban life whereas the remaining part describes the rural life.

What do you mean by 'oval' and 'villa park?

Oval and Villa Park are two towns in England but here it mean that there are open place with a little population; there is destruction everywhere.

Why the shops are closed?
The shops are closed due to lack of customers. It seems as if it were a holiday and the markets are closed.

What do the shopkeeper do to sell their goods?
The shopkeepers use advertisements to attract the customers in order to sell their goods. There are advertising sign boards every where.

Why there is rush in bars?
The people are worried; they are upset because their loved ones have been killed in war so they come to drink wine again and again to forget their sorrows.

What do we see in the fields?
We see that the grass is withered; there is not flower on the plants; fields look like barren lands; it is all because of destruction brought by war.

What do the different colors suits of the laborer signify?
The different colors suits of the laborer signify the poor economic condition of the area because the English are famous for their manners; they have special suits for each type of events.

Why there are little rooms in big houses?

There are little rooms in big houses because the number of the members of families has been reduced due to the war.

What does the title of the рoem indicates?
The title of the poem indicates towards the historical event of the First World War that was started in 1914. 

Which countries supported Germany in First World War?
In the First World War, Turkey, Italy and Australia supported Germany. The allies supported one another through thick and thin.

Which countries supported England in the First World War?
In the First World War, France, Russia and Japan supported England.

What were the effects of the First World War on the economy of the world?
There were worst effects of the First World War on the economy of the world. There were also negative effects on social and political lives of the people.

Mr.Bleaney short by Philip Larkin Questions

Mr. Bleaney by Philip Larkin

What is the background of the poem?

The background of the poem is the destruction brought by wars. It is related to the economic slump that rules the world due to which the modern man is living a dog's life.

Who is Mr. Bleaney?

Mr. Bleaney is a factory worker. He is the protagonist of the poem. His character rounds the whole of the poem.

What is the name of Bleaney's house?

The name of the Bleaney's house is "The Bodies"; it is a boarding house that is ill furnished.

What is the condition of the curtains of Bleaney's room?

The curtain of Bleaney's room are worn out and thin with the faded flowers. The curtains are too short to

cover the windows.

From Whom the poet get information about Mr. Bleaney?

The poet gets information about Mr. Bleaney from the land lady of the boarding house.

Is Mr. Bleaney a portrait of the poet?

According to a few critics, Mr. Bleaney may be the self portrait of the poet.

Where does the poet sleep?

The poet sleeps on the ill smelling bed of Mr. Bleaney. The poet calculates that the former person was leading on low standard life.

What did the poet calculate about Mr. Bleaney?

The poet calculates that Mr. Bleaney was a person of average intelligence who had no ambitions in his life.

What does the poet see through the window?

The poet sees through the window a rubbish and litter piece of building land. It is building site.

What does the poet see in Mr. Bleaney's room?

The poet sees a worn out bed, an upright chair, and a sixty watt bulb; there is not hook to fasten a coat and no place to put books or bags.

Why does the poet get ready to take Bleaney's room on rent?

The poet thinks that Bleaney's room is not fit for him. But he gets ready to take it because of his poor economic conditions.

What the "Jabbering set" mean?

Jabbering set is a radio that the land lady has given to Mr. Bleaney; the poet manages to put cotton in his ears to avoid its noise.

What does the poet claim to know about Mr. Bleaney?

The poet claims that he is well aware of the daily routine of Mr. Bleaney. He says that Bleaney lived in a, room that was upstairs and he knew when he used to come down. He liked sauce more than gravy.

Where did Mr. Bleaney spend his vacations?

Mr. Bleaney spent his summer vacation with his relatives at Frinton. He joined his sister's family at Stoke at Christmas.

How does Mr. Bleaney judge the nature of a man?

Mr. Bleaney judges the nature of a man from his living standard. According to this formula, Mr. Bleaney is a mean person with no standard in life.

Why does the poet is surprised at Mr. Bleaney's living standard?

The poet is surprised at Mr. Bleaney's living standard that why he did not notice of his low standard way of living.

What did Bleaney use as an ash tray?

Bleaney used a saucer as an ash tray; the saucer was a souvenir given by land lady to Mr. Bleaney. The poet used to put his cigarette ends in the saucer. It means that the poet is also of the same rank.

Which symbols does the poet use in the poem?

The poet uses the symbols like 'bodes', the Bleaney's room, 'sixty watt bulb' and ' worn out curtain' in this poem.

What type of language does the poet uses in this poem?

The poet uses the colloquial, dramatic, conversational language in this poem.

What kind of poem is "Mr. Bleaney'?

It is a dramatic monologue. In a dramatic monologue, a character talks aloud to himself with out any listener.

Which poetic techniques does the poet use in this poem?

The poet uses symbols, irony, satire, and imagery and compound words as poetic techniques. The use of all things makes the poem thought provoking and rich in meanings.

What does the poem tell us?

The poem is related to the miserable condition of man after the World War. It tells us how the war affected the economical, social and political conditions of men.

What does the title" Mr. Bleaney" stand for?

The title of Mr. Bleaney stands for the wretched state of modern man who is mentally hollow and living a rough life.

What is the subject of the poem?

The subject of the poem is the life of modern man who is morally corrupt; economically poor and mentally depressed.