Iago is the ultimate stage villain - calculating, manipulative, clever and ruthless. 

To what extent do you agree do you agree with this view? Remember to include in your answer relevant comment on shakespeare dramatic methods. 

In the play, it is clear that Iago is the ultimate stage villain. He is calculating, manipulative cunning and ruthless. Throughout the play, he spends the majority of his time plotting against Othello and Desdemona to bring them to their tragic downfall. This exposes his calculating and ruthless behavior hence the great amount of time and effort he puts into causing pain and misery for others. With no substantial reason behind his actions, Iago is the evil force behind the plot. In the sixteenth century, at the time of the play, Othello would have suffered great racism which is shown in the play when he’s referred to as the ‘moor’. Iago uses this social isolation that Othello would have experienced to play on his emotions and manipulate othello into believing an abundance of lies. However, it is also possible to argue that Iago is not the ultimate stage villain, but in fact, an opportunist who is able to be successful, due to Othello’s gullibility and lack of self esteem.

It is true that throughout the play, Iago could be seen as a Machiavellian, and therefore, the the ultimate stage villain. He appears to have no conscience when constructing lies which will eventually cause devastation for a number of people. His lack of a conscience is suggested when the audience hears one of the incompatible reasons behind his actions. He states ‘i hate the moor, and it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets’. Here, Shakespeare presents one of Iago’s ‘motives’, he ‘thinks’ that Othello has slept with his wife, yet he has no real evidence behind this claim. At another point in the play the audience hear’s of how Iago is annoyed over a promotion that Cassio got over him. To an audience, it is clear that both of these reasons do not excuse how Iago goes on to act, which consequently suggests that Iago is purely evil. Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge describes Iago’s behavior as ‘motiveless malignity’ which furthermore indicates that his actions come from a much darker place in Iago’s being. By describing Othello as motiveless, Coleridge is supporting him as the ‘ultimate stage villain’. The word ‘motiveless’ epitomizes how Iago's has a sheer love of exerting power on people and feeling control at the expense of others. This may demonstrate how ruthless Iago is because his only true ‘motive’ is the pleasure he experiences from causing people pain.

Iago manipulative and calculating ways are possibly what makes him so villainous. Shakespeare presents Iago as carefully constructing an image of himself as truthful and honest to Othello and the other characters, which leads to Othello believing his lies. Iago plays this role convincingly to a great extent and othello even describes Iago as ‘honest iago’. Shakespeare's presentation of Iago declaring how he shall ‘wear (his) heart on (his) sleeve’ enlightens the audience by demonstrating how deceitful he is by claiming to be honest, when he really is plotting against Othello. Iago claims he will be honest with his emotions yet this is another carefully considered statement to subconsciously make Othello trust him. Shakespeare uses asides to demonstrate his manipulating qualities, such as when Iago says ‘I will give thee in thine own courtship’ after witnessing Cassio and Desdemona holding hands. This demonstrates how cunning Iago is as he is planning to manipulate an innocent situation into a plot which will lead to the deaths of numerous characters.  

Shakespeare presents Iago as an clever character through his use of language. Iago speaks in both verse and prose which shows his great level of social awareness, that he takes advantage of. Iago speaks in prose to Cassio to gain his trust. Shakespeare would use prose for when soldiers converse in the play as a means for them to hide their feelings, as prose is less sincere than verse. However, This is a clever use of language because it indicates that Iago is able to select the best way to speak to characters to achieve a goal. He says to Cassio ‘confess yourself freely to her. Importune her to put you in your place again’ when trying to manipulate Cassio to go and speak to Desdemona. Prose would be the most suitable way to manipulate Cassio because he would feel most comfortable speaking in prose due to his career.

Characters who spoke in verse would often do so using the rhythm of iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter would suggest to the audience that what’s being said was honest and trustworthy because of the connection between the sound of the rhythm and the sound of a beating heart which indicates what’s being said is ‘coming from the heart’ and therefore honest. As well as speaking in prose, Iago also speaks in verse, he says to Othello ‘O, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on’. This supports how dishonest and intelligent Iago is because using verse here would manipulate Othello into believing that Iago is really trying to warn him about jealousy being dangerous. Shakespeare creates a sense of irony when Iago speaks in the way because it would not be expected for a deceitful character to speak in verse and it also creates the impression he has remarkable insight into how others will receive him which furthermore highlights his intelligence.Shakespeare also uses language to create a hierarchy between the characters. It is clear that Iago, although of a lower social class, holds more power than Rodrigo. Iago often refers to Rodrigo as a ‘fool’ in his soliloquies which implies that he views himself superior to Rodrigo. This may be due to Iago’s use of language being much more advanced than any of the other characters in the play which highlights his intelligence which supports him being seen as the ultimate villain.  

However, it is also true that Iago is not ‘the ultimate stage villain’ and it may be interpreted that only reason he is so successful, is due to Othello’s flawed traits. Throughout the play, the audience are presented with Othello low self esteem, He declares ‘haply for i am black, and have not those soft parts of conversation’, here shakespeare exposes how Othello feels he is not able to speak romantically to Desdemona which causes him great insecurity. This insecurity makes Othello an easy target for Iago to breed jealousy and therefore suggests that Iago is not the ultimate stage victim, but actually an opportunist. Shakespeare also presents Othello as a gullible n, he rarely asks for proof and when he does so, he still fails to question how reliable the information actually is. He states how ‘Iago knows that she with Cassio’, however, there is no substantial proof behind his claims. This indicates that Iago is not the ultimate stage villain because it is implied that the tragic fait of Othello may have been different if his character had been less guidable. 

To conclude, Iago is the ultimate stage villain due to his manipulative, cunning, clever and ruthless ways. He is both a machiavellian who maliciously plots against Othello and Desdemona and also an opportunist who uses Othello's flaws to bring him down. This therefore makes Iago the most dangerous of villains.

Tragedy Extentions

http://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/racism-misogyny-and-motiveless-malignity-in-othello 


Racism, misogyny and 'motiveless malignity' By Kieran Ryan


What does Kiernan Ryan believe the play is a 'searing critique' of?
Racial and sexual injustice.
What evidence does Ryan provide to substantiate this view?
The fact that Othello and Desdemona had to elope to marry supports the fact that the play may be a searing critique to racial injustice because if they had to elope it suggests that their relationship was not excepted in the eyes of Venice.
What does Ryan believe is Brabantio's main fear regarding Othello and Desdemona's relationship?
Brabantio believes if it the marriage of Desdemona and Othello is accepted by society it means that black people will be able to take 'taking our place and having power over us'.
Which quotations are used to demonstrate that characters 'speech is infected with contempt for "the Moor"?
When Iago says ‘Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe’ (1.1.88–9),
What type of jealousy is shown to be the 'rule' in Venice?
Sexual
What item does Ryan believe links the three couples?
The handkerchief
 Why does Ryan believe Iago is so successful in making Othello believe that Desdemona has been unfaithful?
Othello's insecurity and doubt allow him to grip so swiftly at Iagos prompting. Also, Iago is able to believe what Iago says due to the warped ideas men have about women and female sexuality.
Which two quotations does Ryan use to show this to be true?
'did deceive her father, marrying you’
'Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see; / She has deceived her father, and may thee'
 Summarise why Ryan believes that Iago DOES NOT possess 'motiveless malignity'.
Ryan believes that Iago does not posses motiveless malignity because, according to Ryan it is clear to see what makes him tick. His motives include the fact that he thinks that Othello should not see himself as worthy to marry Desdemona 'as if he were equal' and also how Desdemona would prefer him over a white man. Othello and Desdemona have made a mockery of the principles of social, sexual and racial hierarchy on which Iago's very identity and sense of self-worth depend.



 

Mock improvements

The extract is significant to the play as a tragedy when Shakespeare presents Othello as an outsider due to race but also as one of them due to his military achievements. Othello says "'boasting is an honour, i shall provogulate' which demonstrates how he is a nobel character and has married a women who shows his level of success in life. Although Othello 'boasts' that he is a nobel character it is also clear that he will never be secure in his marriage because of his race. This is significant to the play as a tragedy because Othello's insecurities for not being good enough lead to his jealous nature and therefore Othello and Desdemona's downfall.


In this extract, Shakespeare also presents Iago's two faced and plotting nature. He described someone as  'Janus', which is a two faced god, this is ironic because Iago is describing someone as two faced even though he also two faced. This is significant to the play as a tragedy because it foreshadows how Iago will be manipulative and bring down Othello in a sneaky manor.

For what two reasons does Desdemona agree to plead Cassio's case?

Desdemona agrees to plead Cassios case because she likes him and knows he is a man of honour.

What is Iago referring to when he says, "Ha! I like not that."

Iago says he saw Cassio leaving Desdemona looking guilty.

After Othello repeatedly urges Iago to tell him what's on his mind, Iago says "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;/It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on." What is Othello's response? What does he want from Iago?

Othello first says 'O misery' which suggests he's upset about what he's hearing but wants to hear proof.

What does Iago say about the women of Venice?
Iago implies that the women of Venice are untrustworthy as he says they deceive their husbands with 'pranks'.

What contextual evidence do we have to support Iago's views of Venetian women?

During the time of the play, women from Venice were thought to have no morals. This would help to play on Othello's mind and encourage his feeling of doubt for his wife's infidelity.

Why might this cause Othello to believe this or, at least, not dismiss it immediately?

Othello might believe this because he's insecure in his ability to be romantic to his wife. Also he is most likely insecure about his Skin colour because he is black and Desdemona is white, and during this time there was great racism.

Who echoes Brabantio's earlier warning to Othello?

Brabantio warns Othello and says that Desdemona as deceived her father so she might deceive Othello too.

In his duplicitous fashion, what bold statement does Iago make about Desdemona and Othello?
Iago says the Desdemona has always wanted to find someone more suitable for her and be of her 'own clime, complexion and degree'. This is duplicitous because it's not true.
Desdemona's handkerchief becomes an imposrtant piece of stage business. Why did Desdemona produce it? What happens to it? What might this symbolise? What happens to it? What does Emilia plan to do with it?

Desdemona tries to wrap the handkerchief around Othello's head but it does not fit. She drops it on the floor and Emilia plans to give it to Iago.

What do you think motivates Emilia to take the handkerchief to Iago?

Emilia is most likely motivated to take the hankerchief because she wants to feel excepted by Iago.

What does Iago plan to do with the handkerchief?

Iago plans to take the handkerchief and give it to Cassio so it looks like Desdemona has given it to Cassio.

When Othello returns to the scene upset, what warning does he give Iago?

When he returns to the scene he gives Iago a warning that he will die rather than believe what he says.

What 'proof' of Desdemona's disloyalty does Iago give Othello?

His proof is the scarf and also that Cassio slept talked and humped his leg.

What is noticeable about Othello's language in this scene?  

Othello - Act 1 scene 1

Thoughts on othello after act 1, scene 1 
In act 1, scene 1 the audience are presented with the characters Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio. Iago is unhappy that Michael Cassio has been chosen to be the lieutenant over him. I think this scene exposes Iago's cunning characteristics as he tries to seek revenge for being over looked for the lieutenant position. Iago proclaims that 'I am worth no worse a place' which suggests that he think he is as good as, if not better than Michael Cassio. He then continues to talk to Roderigo about his wishes to upset Desdemona's father with rumours or her and the 'moor'. He says 'rouse him, make after him, poison his delight' which highlights Iagos plan to get revenge through lying. In this scene Rodregio is presented as less powerful than Iago. His sentences get shorter and shorter as his convocation with Iago continues

Why do we believe Iago? 
We believe Iago because he makes a convincing case. He tells Brabantio that 'an old black ram is tupping your white ewe' and that he should check that the daughter is in her room. Rodergio helps Iago by telling Brabantio that Desdemona left the house in the middle of the night.

Why does Brabantio react the way that he does? 
Brabantio is shocked an unhappy with his daughter. He says 'fathers, from hence trust not your daughter's minds'. It is possible he has reacted like this due to the racist and sexist society of the time. Women were expected to belong to their fathers until they were married so Brabantio should have known where she was. Also the society was racist which would make the fact she was with a man somewhere without permission even more shocking and rebellious.

What is wrong with Michael Cassio?
Michael Cassio is 'a great arithmetician' which suggests he is not a soldier and has no knowledge of commanding men in battle. He also has a pretty wife but he cannot control her.

Why/how is Iago the perfect Venetian man? 
Iago is the perfect Venetian man because he had been a solider 'at Rhodes' and 'at cyprus'.

How does Brabantio think Othello has won Desdemona? 
Brabantio thinks that Othello won Desdemona through magic. He says 'Is there not charms' this shows how he thinks Othello has used charms to make her love him.

Is there anything in his words and actions that make us doubt his honesty? 
Iago makes the audience doubt his honesty when he says that he is following the 'moor' in order to get what he wants. This makes us think that he's a dishonest and deceitful character. He also talks about 'poisoning' Brabantios delight which suggests that he's spreading lies.

Othello Act 1, Scene 2 

Our thoughts on Othello Act 1 Scene 2
In scene 2 we are presented with the characters Iago, Othello, Cassio, Brabantio and a officer.
Again, the audience is made aware of Iago's cruel nature and that he is not afraid to commit murder he says 'to do not contrived murder'. Othello shoes his honorable nature when he says 'tis better as it is' which shows he wants peace. We also learn about Othellos importance in fighting.

How does Othello respond to Iago's baiting? 
Iago is racist to Othello and by calling him a 'moor' and using other racial slurs. Othello does not let this bother him and doesn't react. This may be due to the social circumstances at the time meaning that Othello accepted that he would be racially abused. Othello also takes a more peaceful route instead of wanting to fight. He says 'were it my cue to fight i would have known it'.

How does Brabantio react upon meeting othello? 
At the beginning Brabantio is angry and accuses Othello of enchanting his daughter with magic. He wants Othello to go to prison. - 'to prison till fit time'

How does Othello react to Brabantios charges?
Othello says 'whither will you that i go to answer to your charge' which suggests that he is happy to be tried for what he's being accused of which shows that he's honorable to honest.

Larkin analysis improvements.

Larkin’s poetry cynically portrays a society in which the proletariat ‘are deluding themselves’ rather than presenting a hopeful picture of a society where ‘they (go) beyond the limits which society sets for them’ to what extent do you agree with this statement? Make close reference to four Larkin poems.

It is possible to agree that Larkin presents the proletariat as ‘deluding themselves’ in a number of his poems such as ‘Mr Bleaney’, ‘Here’, ‘The large cool store’ and ‘This be the verse’. Larkin deconstructs the socio-economic issues of the 1960s by demonstrating class division between the proletariat and the bourgeois. Larkin depicts the ‘false consciousness’ of the working class in his collection ‘the Whitsun weddings’ when he presents the proletariat as believing they are equal through purchasing commodities which highlights further that the proletariat are not trying to overcome the limits their society has set.

Larkin demonstrates how the working class are ‘deluding themselves’ in the poem ‘the large cool store’ when he presents how the proletariat believe that  buying what appears to be an expensive commodity will increase their social status. Larkin exemplifies the monotonous lifestyle that the proletariat inhabit through his depiction of dull coloured clothing that they buy. ‘Knitwear, summer casuals and hose’ are illustrated as being ‘brown, grey, maroon and navy’ which exposes the mundane lives of the lower class. These colours connote the ‘drab’ lives of the workers which may also reveal details of their factory/manual jobs.   The poem epitomizes the alienation of the proletariat when he writes ‘To suppose they share that world, to think their sort is matched by something in it, show separate and unearthly love is’. This description highlights how the working class have a false consciousness by believing they’re equal; however they are seen as inferior to those of the bourgeois. Commodities such as clothing are the ‘fundamental units of capitalism’ which therefore may imply that the proletariat are deluding themselves by buying into an ideology that contributes to their poverty.  A Marxist idea is that the bourgeois control the proletariat through alienation in a number of aspects of society; this in return, provides the bourgeois with workers who are willing to work for just enough to buy commodities in order to follow the status quo with the ‘coolest’ items of clothing. According to H. Bertens Capitalism ‘refies’ people as the bourgeois see them in terms of production however they are alienated into believing that a small wage increase will change that, however it may not.   

Similarly, in Larkin's poem 'here' the proletariats desire to feel equal to the bourgeois is most apparent. Furthermore, 'Here' shares similar themes to the 'large cool store' as Larkin presents the proletariat as trying to fit the status quo by wanting to buy commodities. This indicates that Larkin was aware of the materialistic and superficial views of society hence his literature highlighting these themes. Larkin describes the proletariat as they 'push through plate-glass swing doors to their desires - cheap suits, red kitchen-ware, share shoes, iced lollies..'. This indicates that the working class want to buy items that appear ‘cool’ to them however by describing the suits as 'cheap' Larkin maintains his representation of the proletariat as  poor but superficial. This corresponds with the poem 'the large cool store' to emphasize how a capitalist society is obsessed with material items as one may say from a Marxist view.  This may be interpreted as the proletariat class deluding themselves due to the fact that a Marxist would believe they will never be equal due to the class they were born into. A Marxist, Han Bertens supports this idea as he believed 'your social determines much, if not all of your life' this therefore suggests that the proletariat are 'deluding themselves' as they are presented as believing that buying expensive things will make them equal yet they cannot change what class they were born into. The proletariat are presented as encoding values from the bourgeois which are irrelevant to their lifestyle. In the poem 'Here' larkin describes the long hours the proletariat work by describing 'work men at dawn'. Here Larkin cynically portrays the society from the time by highlighting the exploitation of the workers which indicates that Larkin himself may have had a cynical outlook on the society. This is due to him presenting how the workers are mistreated which suggests the quality of life for the proletariat was low. This demonstrates that the proletariat work long hours which suggests they work in manual/factory jobs. However later in the poem their desire for commodities is presented. This supports how the proletariat are deluding themselves as it implies that they work long hours for the bourgeoisie only to buy what they in fact made for an inflated price which makes a surplus profit for the bourgeois.

Larkin does not only explore themes of reification and consumerism throughout his series of poems. In the poem 'This be the verse' Larkin depicts Marxist ideas from the Marxist literacy theory that 'the way we think and the world around us are either wholly, or largely conditioned by the way the economy is organised' and that the class in to which you are born determines your future. The most prominent theme throughout this poem is the 'curse' of the proletariat class. Larkin states 'they fuck you up your mum and dad, they may not mean to, but they do' this may suggest that Larkin believes that your parents are at fault for what social/economically position you're in. From a Marxist point of view being born into a working class family would be unfortunate because they believe that a capitalist society can only run through the exploitation of the working class. Larkin demonstrates his own views on being born into a working class family and tells the reader to ‘get out while you can, and don’t have kids yourself’ which suggests that Larkin agrees with a Marxist idea that being born into a working class family would lead to your downfall. It could be interpreted that by Larkin warning the reader to ‘get out while you can’, he is illustrating the false consciousness of the proletariat. This suggests that Larkin believes that everyone should give up because there is no other way out and that the capitalist society that they live in is entrapping people through alienation. Is is possible to argue that 'this be the verses' contradicts the marxist statement 'it is inevitable that society will evolve into socialism' due to Larkins depiction of the unavoidable 'cycle' in which we are trapped. It is implied that we inherit both social and economic flaws from our parents which we cannot escape from. This suggests there is no opportunity to change or progress as we will forever be stuck in the ways of our parents and therefore our society will not evolve, but stay the same. The contradiction of this statement validates Larkins cynicism as it highlights his belief that their is no chance for the lower classes to make a better life themselves. Larkin's work exposes the bourgeois manipulation of the proletariat in efforts to keep them feeling futile and despondent. The poem maintains a theme of dejection for the proletariat class which indicates that they conditioned to feel like this by the upper class so they feel 'helpless' and are reluctant to spark a change. 

The poem ‘Mr Bleaney’ also presents Marxist themes. Larkin describes the man – Mr Bleaney – as ‘he stayed the whole time he was at the bodies, till they moved him’. ‘The bodies’ was the name of a factory that made car shells in the 1950s therefore, by describing how Mr Bleaney was at the ‘Bodies’ Larkin is placing him in the category of proletariat. However, this may also be interpreted as Mr Bleaney being deceased, ‘till they moved him’ may suggest that he was moved to another work placement, or a morgue, this creates the image that Mr Bleaney is alienated and alone. The only name we are presented with in the poem is ‘Mr Bleaney’ which indicates that he was alone. Larkin’s purpose here may have been to use Mr Bleaney as a metaphor for all of the proletariat and create the image that they are all ultimately isolated and alone due to the social constraints they face. Larkin uses colloquial language to emphasize the social class of the man - ‘stub my fag’ which suggests he in a working class man as this use of language would generally be used by the proletariat. Larkin embodies the alienation of a capitalist society in the poem; however it may be argued that this poem suggests that the proletariat are not ‘deluding them’. On the last line of the poem the narrator realises ‘He warranted no better, I don’t know’, this creates a sense of uncertainty for the narrator however also suggests that the narrator realises he’ll most likely end up in a similar situation to Mr Bleaney as they are both working class.  This supports the Marxist theory that it is impossible to escape the class you were born in, however it demonstrates that some members of society realise their fate.


To conclude, Larkin deconstructs a number of Marxist ideas throughout his series of poems. He presents the working class as deluding themselves in the majority of poems however it is possible to argue that Larkin realises that they know deep down. Larkin  suggests that the proletariat do not try to go beyond the limits society has set for them because they have a false consciousness that they’re life is okay as it is.

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Larkin poem analysis

Larkin’s poetry cynically portrays a society in which the proletariat ‘are deluding themselves’ rather than presenting a hopeful picture of a society where ‘they (go) beyond the limits which society sets for them’ to what extent do you agree with this statement? Make close reference to four Larkin poems.

It is possible to agree that Larkin presents the proletariat as ‘deluding themselves’ in a number of his poems such as ‘Mr Bleaney’, ‘Here’, ‘The large cool store’ and ‘This be the verse’. Larkin deconstructs the socio-economic issues of the 1960s by demonstrating class division between the proletariat and the bourgeois. Larkin depicts the ‘false consciousness’ of the working class in his collection ‘the Whitsun weddings’ which highlights further that the proletariat are not trying to overcome the limits their society has set.

Larkin demonstrates how the working class are ‘deluding themselves’ in the poem ‘the large cool store’ when he presents how the proletariat believe that  buying what appears to be an expensive commodity will increase their social status. The poem epitomizes the alienation of the proletariat when he writes ‘To suppose they share that world, to think their sort is matched by something in it, show separate and unearthly love is’. This description highlights how the working class have a false consciousness by believing they’re equal; however they are seen as inferior to those of the bourgeois. Commodities such as clothing are the ‘fundamental units of capitalism’ which therefore may imply that the proletariat are deluding themselves by buying into an ideology that contributes to their poverty.  A Marxist idea is that the bourgeois control the proletariat through alienation in a number of aspects of society; this in return, provides the bourgeois with workers who are willing to work for just enough to buy commodities in order to follow the status quo with the ‘coolest’ items of clothing. According to H. Bertens Capitalism ‘refies’ people as the bourgeois see them in terms of production however they are alienated into believing that a small wage increase will change that, however it may not.   


Similarly, in Larkin's poem 'here' the proletariats desire to feel equal to the bourgeois is most apparent. Furthermore, 'Here' shares similar themes to the 'large cool store' as Larkin presents the proletariat as trying to fit the status quo by wanting to buy commodities. This indicates that Larkin was aware of the materialistic and superficial views of society hence his literature highlighting these themes. Larkin describes the proletariat as they 'push through plate-glass swing doors to their desires - cheap suits, red kitchen-ware, share shoes, iced lollies..'. This indicates that the working class want to buy items that appear ‘cool’ to them. This corresponds with the poem 'the large cool store' to emphasize how a capitalist society is obsessed with material items as one may say from a Marxist view.  This may be interpreted as the proletariat class deluding themselves due to the fact that a Marxist would believe they will never be equal due to the class they were born into. A Marxist, Han Bertens supports this idea as he believed 'your social determines much, if not all of your life' this therefore suggests that the proletariat are 'deluding themselves' as they are presented as believing that buying expensive things will make them equal yet they cannot change what class they were born into. The proletariat are presented as encoding values from the bourgeois which are irrelevant to their lifestyle. In the poem 'Here' larkin describes the long hours the proletariat work by describing 'work men at dawn'. This demonstrates that the proletariat work long hours which suggests they work in manual/factory jobs. However later in the poem their desire for commodities is presented. This supports how the proletariat are deluding themselves as it implies that they work long hours for the bourgeoisie only to buy what they in fact made for an inflated price which makes a surplus profit for the bourgeois.


Larkin does not only explore themes of reification and consumerism throughout his series of poems. In the poem 'This be the verse' Larkin depicts Marxist ideas from the Marxist literacy theory that 'the way we think and the world around us are either wholly, or largely conditioned by the way the economy is organised' and that the class in to which you are born determines your future. The most prominent theme throughout this poem is the 'curse' of the proletariat class. Larkin states 'they fuck you up your mum and dad, they may not mean to, but they do' this may suggest that Larkin believes that your parents are at fault for what social/economically position you're in. From a Marxist point of view being born into a working class family would be unfortunate because they believe that a capitalist society can only run through the exploitation of the working class. Larkin demonstrates his own views on being born into a working class family and tells the reader to ‘get out while you can, and don’t have kids yourself’ which suggests that Larkin agrees with a Marxist idea that being born into a working class family would lead to your downfall. It could be interpreted that by Larkin warning the reader to ‘get out while you can’, he is illustrating the false consciousness of the proletariat. This suggests that Larkin believes that everyone should give up because there is no other way out and that the capitalist society that they live in is entrapping people through alienation.


 The poem ‘Mr Bleaney’ also presents Marxist themes. Larkin describes the man – Mr Bleaney – as ‘he stayed the whole time he was at the bodies, till they moved him’. ‘The bodies’ was the name of a factory that made car shells in the 1950s therefore, by describing how Mr Bleaney was at the ‘Bodies’ Larkin is placing him in the category of proletariat. However, this may also be interpreted as Mr Bleaney being deceased, ‘till they moved him’ may suggest that he was moved to another work placement, or a morgue, this creates the image that Mr Bleaney is alienated and alone. The only name we are presented with in the poem is ‘Mr Bleaney’ which indicates that he was alone. Larkin’s purpose here may have been to use Mr Bleaney as a metaphor for all of the proletariat and create the image that they are all ultimately isolated and alone due to the social constraints they face. Larkin uses colloquial language to emphasize the social class of the man - ‘stub my fag’ which suggests he in a working class man as this use of language would generally be used by the proletariat. Larkin embodies the alienation of a capitalist society in the poem; however it may be argued that this poem suggests that the proletariat are not ‘deluding them’. On the last line of the poem the narrator realises ‘He warranted no better, I don’t know’, this creates a sense of uncertainty for the narrator however also suggests that the narrator realises he’ll most likely end up in a similar situation to Mr Bleaney as they are both working class.  This supports the Marxist theory that it is impossible to escape the class you were born in, however it demonstrates that some members of society realise their fate.


 To conclude, Larkin deconstructs a number of Marxist ideas throughout his series of poems. He presents the working class as deluding themselves in the majority of poems however it is possible to argue that Larkin realises that they know deep down. Larkin  suggests that the proletariat do not try to go beyond the limits society has set for them because they have a false consciousness that they’re life is okay as it is.