Place and Disparity: A Comparison of Larkin and Duffy Anonymous 12th Grade

Larkin and Duffy are well renowned for their respective styles and have frequently been compared due to the overlap of themes to which they explore and the huge contrast in the ways in which they do so. This can be seen through their exploration of the theme of place and the disparity in the ways the individual poets view it - evident in many of their poems, such as Larkin’s ‘Talking in Bed’ and Duffy’s ‘Confession’. The theme of place is an unusual theme, yet incredibly interesting to compare between two authors who existed in vastly differing time periods, thus experiencing widely contrasting places and societies to which they incorporated into their corresponding poems. Justin Quinn has commented on how ‘man of Duffy’s poem echo themes of Larkin’s’ and this can be seen through many of their poems - such as, the most comparable ‘Room’ and ‘Mr Bleaney’.

In ‘Confession’, this can be seen through the descriptions of the confessional, as this is incredibly symbolic within the Catholic faith and is supposed to be viewed as a sacred and holy place, however, the poem presents it as daunting - described as a “dark cell”. The concept of a dark cell contradicts the intended purpose of a comforting place to repent your sins and...