Mr Bleaney

Mr Bleaney

Overview of meaning: This is a poem about a Landlady who is describing her last tennant to this new tenant. Larkin questions whether Mr Bleaney was content with what he had? He almost become Mr Bleaney which is tragic. It questions whether the way we live is a way of showing us what we are like. Larkin compares himself to Mr Bleaney. The bedsit is not very attractive and the landlady expects Larkin to become Mr Bleaney taking on his chores as this woman was obviously very fond of her past tenant.

Themes: Death, character, Lonliness, the single man, the single man, society, separation,

Structure: A, B, A, B- A boring rhyme scheme to represent the boring life that Mr Bleaney and now Larkin will lead which makes the monotony reflected and his dull life is reflected. Enjembment 

Language: Direct speech depicting the landlady's chatter. It starts with dialogue. Listing is used a lot throughout the house. How Larkin emphasises the confined space in the room with his use of alliteration – “no room for books or bags”. Words like "uptight" make the place seem more formal and less homely. The colloquial language – the speaker says that he “stub(s) (the same saucer-souvenir …” shows the working class life of Mr Bleaney and the fact that Larkin uses it…