Verified Document

John Betjeman Was First Published Term Paper

Related Topics:

(21-24) Joselyn Brooke finds that Betjeman in genrael is a poet who expresses his affection for his subjects, though she also cites "Slough" as an exception and writes,

Such 'hate' poems, though, are exceptional, and his more characteristic pieces are marked by that emotional ambivalence which has already been noted. Thus, though he hates Slough, he will write lovingly (if ironically) of such towns as Swindon, Camberley or Westgate-on-Sea, which to many people would seem hardly more attractive or en-livening than Slough itself. (Brooke para. 8) similar view of Betjeman is offered by Randle Manwaring as he writes,

Naturally, opinion is divided, a hundred years after his birth, on John Betjeman the poet. He is despised by some for the lightness of his touch and his joking references to the more unfortunate members of society. However, he has undoubtedly endeared himself to thousands (including, we understand. Princess Margaret) for his charming poems about tennis playing girls, horse-besotted teenagers and the night-club hostess, not forgetting single girls running their bath water in Camden Town. (Manwaring 25)

In terms of "Slough" in particular, Patrick Taylor-Martin states that this poem does not intend to be patronizing or clever in his wording but instead is expressed "sincere and unaffected" emotion (Taylor-Martin 61), though the critic also states that the poem "stays in the mind; its very ferocity ensures that it gets a hearing" (Taylor-Martin 67). Other critics find that Betjeman is indeed a satirist, though they find his satire to be faulty for one reason or another (Stanford 67). Betjeman's satiric thrust is most evident as he further describes "the bald young clerks" and their...

As the poet writes of these young men,
And talk of sport and makes of cars

In various bogus-Tudor bars

And daren't look up and see the stars

But belch instead. (29-32)

The wives of these young men live lives governed by the developing consumer culture of the day:

In labour-saving homes, with care

Their wives frizz out peroxide hair

And dry it in synthetic air

And paint their nails. (33-36)

The poem "Slough" remained popular long after Betjeman's death. It has been noted by many observers that the town itself has greatly changed and is not as despairing as Betjeman made it sound, nor has it degenerated into a newer version of Dickens' Coketown. Recently on the centennial of Betjeman's birth, a girl in the town produced her own poem about Slough, a poem that celebrated rather than criticized and that had no satiric intent at all. The poem did indicate the frustration of many people in the town because of the way they were portrayed and because of the onus "Slough" placed on the town.

Works Cited

Brooke, Jocelyn. John Betjeman. Biographies. February 20, 2007. http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/brookej/btjmn/chap1.htm.

Cooper, Robert M. The Literary Guide and Companion to Middle England. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1993.

Manwaring, Randle. "John Betjeman -- a Centenary View." http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2242" Contemporary Review (Summer, 2006), 25.

Stanford, Derek. John Betjeman: A Study. N. Sperarman, 1961.

Taylor-Martin, Patrick. John Betjeman, His Life and Work. University of Michigan, 1983.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Brooke, Jocelyn. John Betjeman. Biographies. February 20, 2007. http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/brookej/btjmn/chap1.htm.

Cooper, Robert M. The Literary Guide and Companion to Middle England. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1993.

Manwaring, Randle. "John Betjeman -- a Centenary View." http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2242" Contemporary Review (Summer, 2006), 25.

Stanford, Derek. John Betjeman: A Study. N. Sperarman, 1961.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

American Literature "Song of Myself" Stanzas 1-21
Words: 1160 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

American Literature "Song of Myself" stanzas 1-21 by Walt Whitman Pride in the self and one's perseverance at life "I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. "I am satisfied -- I see, dance, laugh, sing;" Equality and the view of American lands "And it means, sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow zones, growing among black folks as

Robert Frost's the Road Not Taken
Words: 1505 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" The Road Not Taken Although readers have a tendency to miss this element from the poem, the title is probably the largest giveaway, particularly with the Poem, "Road Not Taken." A lot of individuals have got the idea that The Road Not Taken is actually a good poem about simply being different as well as choosing the road that no individual will take; that it

Robert Frost's Wind and Window
Words: 988 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

The remainder of the poem assumes a more regularly rhythmic form, although the meter is not strict. Some of the remaining lines and stanzas follow an iambic hexameter, such as stanza three. However, many of the lines are in anapestic hexameter, or contain combinations of various meters. The poet inserts dactylic and anapestic feet along with iambic and also trochaic ones for intensity and variation, much as one would

Poetry Thomas Hardy
Words: 1565 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Thomas Hardy's Poem "The Voice" The title of Thomas Hardy's poem "The Voice" reveals a lot about its mode of delivery. The audible whispers of the woman calling, calling are conveyed to the reader through literary devices such as rhyme and rhythm. The voice of the woman is translated into the voice of the poet. "The voice" of the woman becomes a symbol of the narrator's memory, which is tainted by

Close Reading Analysis
Words: 1276 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Unfair Robert Francis was an American poet whose work is reminiscent of Robert Francis, his mentor. Francis' writing has often compared to other writers such as Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Henry David Thoreau. Although Francis's work has frequently been neglected and is "often excluded from major anthologies of American poetry," those that have read his work have praised him and his writing. In "Fair and Unfair," Francis comments on balance

Beowulf As a Hero Lesson
Words: 8817 Length: 19 Document Type: Journal

Your answer should be at least five sentences long. The Legend of Arthur Lesson 1 Journal Entry # 9 of 16 Journal Exercise 1.7A: Honor and Loyalty 1. Consider how Arthur's actions and personality agree with or challenge your definition of honor. Write a few sentences comparing your definition (from Journal 1.6A) with Arthur's actions and personality. 2. Write a brief paragraph explaining the importance or unimportance of loyalty in being honorable. Lesson 1 Journal

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now