Compare and contrast the Church Going John Betjeman and Philip Larkin were contemporaries, although Larkin was an atheist and John Betjeman an Anglican. Although the two contemporary poets Philip Larkin and John Betjeman differ in their religious beliefs, this is reflected in the two poems Church Going and Christmas. In their respective works, both poets describe their own religious beliefs to some extent through the topics chosen in their works. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Larkin's poem literally describes the speaker entering a church without a specific reason for doing so, and yet it is not the first time he has done so which suggests that he feels an obligation under -jacent towards them. At the same time as he explains this scenario in his poem, Larkin also uses this context as an opportunity to convey deeper meaning to the words of his poem. Betjeman's poem Christmas literally describes the poet's interpretation of what Christmas means to him and what happens at Christmas. But, like Larkin, Betjeman uses his poem to convey a message to the reader through the deeper meaning of his poem. Both poems contain biblical imagery and encompass the religious beliefs of their authors. The poems are very similar in that both authors express doubts about whether religion, or in Larkin's case, lack of religion, by which they have chosen to live their lives, is correct or not. A few lines from Larkin's poem show us that the speaker is nervous and uncomfortable about entering a church, this is shown where he writes: "Once I am sure he nothing happens/I’m going in.” Larkin's lexical choice of the word "thud" shortly after this confession is a further indication of the individual's lack of religious fervor. He does not close the door reverently to preserve the peace that exists with the walls of the church but lets “the door close loudly,” betraying his movement. The additional onomatopoeia of the word "thud" places greater emphasis on the speaker's speech. lack of belonging while creating an aural sense of the poem for the reader, the leaden and lifeless sound created by the word also describes the lack of emotion felt by the speaker as he enters the church. The speaker's informal, casual tone when referring to the church as just "another church" also conveys a sense of disrespect for its surroundings and makes the reader understand that this is not the first time he feels obliged to enter a church. The speaker shows that he believes all churches lack individuality by using a list of what they all contain inside, “mats and seats and stones,/and little books; expanses of flowers, cut for Sunday, brownish now; some brass and other things. » His reference to flowers as sprawling rather than objects that were placed to adorn their surroundings out of devotion and respect for the building's purpose once again betrays the way the speaker takes what he sees at face value. counting without respect for the institution of the Church as a whole. This sense of irreverence is again represented through his description of the contents of the church as "stuff" as well as his reference to the flowers as being "brownish", which seems to suggest a sense of decadence. This reference could be symbolic of Larkin's recognition or opinion that religion is disappearing, an opinion which is supported by his verselater in the poem, "When Churches Fall Out of Use", which shows that he believes religion will disappear. On the other hand, Larkin admits that religion has a place in society through his choice of the phrase "God knows how long." This shows that even though he does not believe in God, the nature of religion is so ingrained in society that it has such a degree of longevity, that he cannot help but use a reference to this in his daily speech. In contrast, Betjeman's poem Christmas presents a much more positive view of religion and churches. His description of the stained glass windows as casting a “glow” onto the outside world presents the image of the church as emitting light or being a light in the darkness. This is a biblical visual image that encourages and suggests a positive view of religion, as light is often used symbolically to signify goodness. Betjeman references objects in nature to remind the reader of God's creation and also to introduce a festive context into his poem. because the objects he lists such as "holly" and "yew" are traditionally associated with Christmas. They also act as visual imagery for the reader. Betjeman follows this reference with a list of objects associated with a church, "The altar, the baptismal font, the arch and the pew", this recalls the religious element of Christmas, revealing the importance of religion in the framework of the poet's Christmas experience. He then describes the business side of Christmas. His use of alliteration on the phrase “provincial public houses” emphasizes the overall commercial aspect of Christmas, with pubs “blazing” everywhere. His description of London's shops further conveys a sense of commercialism and the bustling nature of the city at Christmas. time with his “hurried clerks”. Further emphasis is placed on the capitalist nature of Christmas through the mention of the figurehead of capitalism, the "Dorchester Hotel" where the "brilliant" are allowed to "stay". This image contrasts with the image of a baby in an “oxen stable”. presented later in the poem, suggesting the idea that capitalism and commercialism may have eclipsed what the poet sees as the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Both poets express a sense of doubt in their works. This is shown by Noël, where Betjeman uses the rhetorical question: “And is it true? This use of the rhetorical question, coupled with the repetition of the question both in the same stanza and in the stanza that follows, emphasizes the fact that no one can be completely sure whether or not they believe the story of the Nativity and the system of faith. that accompanies it is the right and true thing to do. Similarly, doubt is expressed by Larkin in his poem Church Going; However, his doubt is of another kind, he asks himself: “What remains when unbelief has disappeared? » Larkin's lexical choice here of the word "unbelief" is used to refer to people who choose to make religion seem stupid and a waste of time. , therefore, this rhetorical question asked by the speaker Larkin makes a direct confession that he believes in the power of religion, this thought is reiterated earlier in the poem where he writes: "The power of some kind or another will continue,” revealing that In the speaker’s eyes, religion currently occupies a position of power within society. Larkin's belief in the power of religion, combined with his inexplicable attraction to entering a church, creates a sense of doubt in the poem as to whether believing in something is a good or bad thing. Both poems also have a regular form. and meter. In his poem Church Going, Larkin uses a lot of iambic pentameter throughout..