Church Going
Philip Larkin
(Summary & Stanza wise Analysis)
Philip Larkin's Church Going is a thought-provoking poem about religion and history. The Speaker decides that whatever churches represent, they should be well-maintained.
It is a seven stanza poem consisting of a set of nine lines. Each of these lines is designed with a specific, but somewhat paused rhyme scheme in mind. Philip Larkin chose to use both full and half-end rhymes. These altered endings give the poem a sense of unpredictability. No one is sure when the words will break or fall out of line, breaking the pattern of 'Church Going'.
An example of this variety of rhyme is found in the first stanza, one and three, and two and four. The poet has lined up the words "on" and "stone" as well as the words "on" and "stone" in the verse. The former is connected by a half-rhyme and the "shut" and "cut" by a full rhyme.
👉 'Church Going' by Philip Larkin – Summary
Philip Larkin's 'Church Going' describes the emotion felt by a speaker who is inexplicably attracted to the church.
The poem begins with the speaker entering a building where the reader later discovers that it is a church. He's not sure why he wants to be there and is further confused by what he sees inside. He had seen many altars, pews and Bibles before and did not feel any respect for them. The speaker reads briefly from the Bible and leaves.
After leaving the church he wonders what the building represents and what it means when all believers are long dead. He photographed the very last explorer of the building and wondered if he would be like him, curious but unemotional.
The 'Church Going' Speaker concludes with the decision that whatever the building means, maintaining the church is important to humanity. He sees them as a place of union and as the acceptance of one's common humanity with the rest of the world.
👉 Church Going by Philip Larkin – Stanza wise analysis
👉 Church Going – (Stanza-1)
‘Church Going’ begins with the speaker’s description, through the initial activity, his entry into a place. In the first two lines it is not clear to the reader exactly where and what this speaker is so important to make sure, "nothing is going on." The reader may ask, what is this place that needs to be cleared for one's entry? What could be "going on?"
The speaker examines the edifice to make sure it is clean and the steps inside. He mentions that the door closes with a "thud" behind him. It both seals him into space, and keeps the outside world out.
If one does not guess the identity of the building from the title, the next line will inform the reader that the speaker is exploring a church. Immediately it becomes clear why the space needs to be emptied so that he can explore inside it. An important word is mentioned in this section which changes the feeling of the poem, "another." This is not the first time he has entered an abandoned or empty church.
The speaker looks around and notices all the items that are consistent across all the churches he has visited. There are books, sets and "stones". He was amazed by this spectacle. He further acknowledges that there are some “brass and stuff / Up at the holy end.” This worldly way of mentioning the altar in front of the church says a lot about the speaker. He has no respect or reverence for the place he is in.
Of all the physical things he noticed, he felt an "unignorable silence" that was irresistible in space. It seems to the speaker that the church has been missing people for a long time.
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 2)
The speaker went to the front of the church and ran his hand over the pews. Once he moved to the front he looked around and the roof seemed to have been completely repaired and restored. This is a curious fact about space because it is so uninhabited. There is no one to ask why.
The speaker continued his journey through this religious place and continued reading from the Bible. He uttered a few "large-scale verses" in an extended volume, scattering the words around the place. His projected voice echoes back to her.
It ended his tour of the church and he left after leaving an "Irish sixpense", an incredibly small amount of money in the donation box. He concluded that this place was not worth seeing.
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 3)
The speaker seems to have some internal conflicts about his attraction to the church. He knew, and knew, nothing new would happen inside, but he paused anyway. This is not unusual for him. He does it “often” and moves to this same emotional place. The man often enters churches, searches for their religious objects and then leaves dissatisfied. He still doesn’t know what he’s looking for but always leaves a specific question.
He was curious about what the church would be like, or what the human race would do to all the churches if the last believer left. When they fall "completely out of use" will they be avoided "as unlucky places? Or will the "sheep" have full control over their interior?
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 4)
In the fourth stanza of 'Church Going', the speaker continues to think about what will happen to the churches if all religious followers leave. One of the speaker’s ideas about the fate of these places is the continued existence of their power. He considers the possibility that in the future people will still come to them for various spiritual reasons. Mothers may bring their children to "touch a particular stone" for luck, or perhaps people will come to see the dead "walking".
He knows that some kind of power will prevail even if the traditional religious context is lost. He knows that "superstition" will surround the place "must die". One day, the "disbelief" of superstition will also be lost. The building will be "Grass ... brambles, buttress, sky." It will be nothing more than its walls.
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 5)
Over time, this combination of architectural elements will become more and more obsolete. It will become "less recognizable" until its true purpose is completely unknown.
The speaker takes this stanza a new question. He ponders who will be the last believer or pilgrim or truth seeker to enter the building. Does this person understand where he or she is? What, he or she thinks, would be the last remnant of a dead religion?
He foresees the last person to be "one of the crew" who knows what a "rood-loft" is. This is a reference that is commonly known as a rood screen. It is a feature of medieval church architecture that was located between the chancel and nave in front of the church.
In the last line of this stanza, the speaker thinks about who this person is. Would they be a "Christmas-addict" or someone with only "organ-pipes and myrrh" and all the religious fleeting expeditions of the church? After all, he considers the option that the explorer would be like him, who is unknown and unclear about the purpose of religion.
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 6)
As the 'Church Going' begins to unfold, the speaker continues the possible description of who will be the last visitor to the church. This person may be like him, may be curious about the place because of its enduring nature. It has been undivided for so long, one wonders if it has survived. Visitors can think further in the same vein as him, ‘What is the value of a frozen granary’ and how can one be happy to "stand in silence here” without knowing its value.
👉 Church Going – (Stanza - 7)
The final stanza of ‘Church Going’ returns to the speaker’s own thoughts, he has finished thinking about what might happen and has resumed his own current songs. Up to this point, the reader may be under the impression that the speaker has no real respect for religion or the actual structure of the church. With the first line of this stanza it is quickly dismissed. He said the church is "a serious house on serious earth." It has a true and worthy purpose and should not be ridiculed. It is a place where all the "compulsions" or passions of man meet.
Here, the truth of human existence is "recognized" and celebrated. This reality, he thinks, should never be "obsolete." It is important to remember forever. The church will bring out a "hunger" "forever" that cannot be discovered in any other way. The "serious [ness]" discovery will eventually stay with one. A man or woman who has rediscovered something within themselves will take them to this land. They will return to the church yard and to the place where many of the dead are lying.
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