"This Be The Verse" by Philip Larkin (2)

However, in the second stanza, the speaker acknowledges that parents were "fucked up in their turn," recognizing the generational patterns of dysfunction within families.

As spiritual trauma passes down through generations, so does the sense of victimhood.

Parents unwittingly perpetuate this cycle before they can break free from their own victimhood, as they themselves grew up in tumultuous family environments and had parents with unresolved issues and problems.

Therefore, it would be both pointless and unjust to solely blame a parent for their child's hardships, as too many generations collectively contribute to these negative experiences and circumstances.

In the final stanza, the speaker emphasizes the universality of the problem, stating that 'Man hands on misery to man.'

This suggests that a person's life is destined to be merely a continuation of past pain, for which no one can be blamed.

The speaker compares the perpetuation of pain to a deepening 'coastal shelf,' implying that it will only become more entrenched and complicated over time.

At the end of the poem, the speaker advises against perpetuating the cycle of misery, urging people to "get out" as soon as possible and "don't have any kids."

This stark declaration reflects the speaker's belief that the problem is systemic, cyclical, and essentially unresolvable unless humanity ceases to exist.

Consequently, any imputation of blame to one's parents or others is futile and provides no relief.

Only by foregoing life and parenthood altogether can people put an end to the everlasting existential pain.

"This Be The Verse" by Philip Larkin (2)

However, in the second stanza, the speaker acknowledges that parents were "fucked up in their turn," recognizing the generational patterns of dysfunction within families.

As spiritual trauma passes down through generations, so does the sense of victimhood.

Parents unwittingly perpetuate this cycle before they can break free from their own victimhood, as they themselves grew up in tumultuous family environments and had parents with unresolved issues and problems.

Therefore, it would be both pointless and unjust to solely blame a parent for their child's hardships, as too many generations collectively contribute to these negative experiences and circumstances.

In the final stanza, the speaker emphasizes the universality of the problem, stating that 'Man hands on misery to man.'

This suggests that a person's life is destined to be merely a continuation of past pain, for which no one can be blamed.

The speaker compares the perpetuation of pain to a deepening 'coastal shelf,' implying that it will only become more entrenched and complicated over time.

This stark declaration reflects the speaker's belief that the problem is systemic, cyclical, and essentially unresolvable unless humanity ceases to exist.

Consequently, any imputation of blame to one's parents or others is futile and provides no relief.

Only by foregoing life and parenthood altogether can people put an end to the everlasting existential pain.