Early Larkin

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Beginning in the late 1930s, this book offers the first comprehensive critical study of Larkin's early work, including his poetry, novels, short fictions, essays, and letters. It chronicles Larkin's literary development from his initial efforts and notable correspondence with Jim Sutton to the emergence of his first great poems. The study presents a fresh narrative of Larkin's evolution, challenging the prevailing view that his early career was merely a false start. Critics typically argue that Larkin overcame his initial struggles by shifting from the influence of Yeats to that of Hardy after rediscovering Hardy's poetry in 1946. However, this book emphasizes the importance of Brunette Coleman, a female heteronym Larkin created in 1943. Three years prior to his Hardy revelation, Larkin produced a unique series of works for schoolgirls under Coleman's name, which not only distanced him from Yeats and other constraining influences but also from his own identity. While the traditional narrative highlights the autobiographical nature of Larkin's later verse, this study posits that his breakthrough stemmed from a growing interest in the world beyond himself, sparked by his intriguing experiment with Brunette Coleman.