NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 21: Coming

The poem ‘Coming’ written by Philip Larkin, is mainly a celebration of the advent of spring. To show his happiness, the poet describes the house fronts, which are clothed in a chill and yellow light. In the midst of all this, a welcome song is sung by a thrush. It looks like nature here is dancing with happiness at the arrival of a new season. Sitting in the deep bare garden, the thrush, in its fresh peeled voice, is repeatedly announcing that it will be spring soon. This cheerful singing of the thrush depicts its astonishing effect on the brickwork of the houses. The poet is also happy to see the beauty of nature. Mainly, by conveying the voice of the thrush, the poet has expressed how overwhelmed he is at the ‘coming’ of spring.

The element of autobiography used in the poem makes a reader more eager to know about the childhood of the poet. He recollects his childhood as an unhappy one. He talks about himself in a deprecating manner. It is shown that the poet had a poor concept of himself. It is also clear that the poet had a slight stammer during childhood which persisted for the rest of his life, even though it alleviated a little. If attention is paid by the reader, it is not tough to understand the contradiction in the term “forgotten boredom”. For instance, if Larkin says that he has forgotten his childhood, how is it possible for him to comment that it was a bored one? So, it can be concluded that the childhood of Larkin did not possess any memories which he was interested in. Once, he even remarked that his biography could begin with the time was 21, which shows that nothing happy occurred before that age. Hence, Philip Larkin recollects his childhood as ‘a forgotten boredom’.

As the poet is absorbed in the humming of the thrush, he transcends his present to the boring childhood, which is best to be forgotten. The poet here is transformed into a child. He feels joyful like a child who is happy by looking at the grown-ups restoring a friendly relationship between one another. The child understands nothing but smiles by seeing the elders happy. This would look surprising, however, if one observes more deeply, the scene depicts the child’s innocence. The poet has made a point clear that our happiness lies in the happiness of others. The entire thought makes the poet happy, and he admires the mystery of human life and the universe.

It is hard to understand whether the poet is trying to draw or compare a relationship. In the poem ‘Coming’, Philip Larkin, celebrates the arrival of spring, along with the ‘fresh- peeled voice’ of the thrush. The poet creates an imagery of the spring season being peeled out of winter, which is the birth of a new season from the old season. In the earlier days, nature seemed to be sleeping in the gloomy and cold winter, and now the beauty of the new season has sparked life into it. The garden, houses, birds, and the entire nature has joined together to welcome the new season. The poet is happy to see this change that he himself starts to transcend into his childhood.

The poet highlights the differences between experience and innocence. He explains about a child watching grown-ups, reconciling and laughing, restoring their relationship. Though he is not able to understand anything, he begins to feel happy. The happiness of an innocent child lies in the happiness of others, while adults engage in issues which create trouble.

Larkin has brought out the difference between the two seasons and the stages of human life. This mystery is beyond the poet’s comprehension, and he is left wondering about it.

The poem is devoted to the attractiveness of the spring season, which carries with it a carnival of humanity. At the beginning of the poem, the poet creates a beautiful image of the season in the reader’s mind. He depicts a colourful evening scenery. The spring has longer evenings which are jewelled by the forehead of calm houses’ rooftops which are highlighted by the chill and yellow light of the sunset. The reader is imparted here with the scenic imagery of the entire environment sitting serenely and watching the sun moving down as spring beckons. Nature dances to the humming sound of the thrush in the bare deep garden. It looks like nature has come alive in the evening and joined the party in welcoming the spring season.

The ‘fresh-peeled voice’ of the thrush is used by Larkin as an adjective in order to describe the evening setting of spring. It explains the sharpness and freshness of the humming of the thrush. This freshness symbolises the freshness which is present in the air due to the arrival of the spring season, for which Larkin is happy. The thrush hums by sitting surrounded by laurels in the “deep bare garden”. It sings continuously that “it will be spring soon”. The humming of the thrush has an “astonishing” effect on the brickwork of the houses. The thrush’s song transcends the poet to his childhood which flashes the “forgotten boredom” before his eyes. The poet tries to bring a similarity between the innocence of the child and the freshness of the thrush’s song. The “fresh-peeled voice” symbolizes the spring season peeling out from winter, which is the main transformation. It is shown as the birth of spring from winter, and on its arrival, humanity and the universe dance to the song of the thrush and join the celebration.