Duffy and Larkin: Religious Context
Duffy Larkin
● Duffy grew up in religious schools and ● Larkin didnt, know if god existed or not
was surrounded by Catholocism and the and was agnostic but did align with
practice of confession Anglican ways.
● In Catholocism, Catholics will attend the ● His father was an atheist and had a
Sacrament of Penance to confess their rather pessimistic view of organised
sins to get to heaven religion, leading to Larkin believing that
● Her family was a Roman Catholic family the Church was not “divine” and men
and taught her the religion until she was were not immortal- causing his fear of
15 when she became an atheist due to death and his inevitable end
the pressures of the religion. ● He recognized the beauty of the bible
● During the 20th century, more people but he dismisses it
became atheists so as Duffy was writing ● “Church Going” is about the psyche of a
poetry in the 1990s, she was writing in non-believer, which Larkin feels he
an era that still had Christianity as a needs to defend his choice of being a
lingering aspect of many people's lives non-believer
in the background, as religion was ● In the 20th century, Brianin became
losing importance- creating nostalgia more secular and divided
and unease ● In 1900, there was almost universal
● Before the Protestant Reformations in certainty in British government stated
the 17th century, religion (especially that Christianity was the only legitimate
Christianity) was a vital part of society religion, superior to others, and society
as the church held a share of the would decay without it. By 2000, those
country's wealth and culture certainties had gone
● After the reformation, the country ● There was a huge fall in the number of
switched to a protestant religion causing people who actively sought out religion
a huge civil war- with Anglicanism being ● In the 20th Century, Christianity was no
the overall body within the society longer enforced by the law so more
promoting ceremonies rather than just people felt free and more religions
mundane belief systems emerged due to British colonization, and
● Because of the Industrial Revolution, sins became less looked down upon like
many people became more aware of sex before marriage and homosexuality
science and were less drawn to the ●
religions of the time all over the country-
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution disrupted
the origins of humanity.
● The British Empire spread the Christain
faith all over the world to non-Christian
nations, solidifying the religion ad a
hegemonic belief
● The 20th century promoted secularism
and religious diversity due to the wars
causing people to lose their religions or
reevaluate them
● By 1990, only 15% of British adults
attended church regularly
● By 2011, 60% of people aligned with the
religion but did not actively follow the
religious lifestyle
● Because of British colonialism, many
religions were introduced into the
country with 2.7 million Muslims,
800,000 Hindus, as well as Sikhs and
Jews
Duffy Larkin
● Duffy grew up in religious schools and ● Larkin didnt, know if god existed or not
was surrounded by Catholocism and the and was agnostic but did align with
practice of confession Anglican ways.
● In Catholocism, Catholics will attend the ● His father was an atheist and had a
Sacrament of Penance to confess their rather pessimistic view of organised
sins to get to heaven religion, leading to Larkin believing that
● Her family was a Roman Catholic family the Church was not “divine” and men
and taught her the religion until she was were not immortal- causing his fear of
15 when she became an atheist due to death and his inevitable end
the pressures of the religion. ● He recognized the beauty of the bible
● During the 20th century, more people but he dismisses it
became atheists so as Duffy was writing ● “Church Going” is about the psyche of a
poetry in the 1990s, she was writing in non-believer, which Larkin feels he
an era that still had Christianity as a needs to defend his choice of being a
lingering aspect of many people's lives non-believer
in the background, as religion was ● In the 20th century, Brianin became
losing importance- creating nostalgia more secular and divided
and unease ● In 1900, there was almost universal
● Before the Protestant Reformations in certainty in British government stated
the 17th century, religion (especially that Christianity was the only legitimate
Christianity) was a vital part of society religion, superior to others, and society
as the church held a share of the would decay without it. By 2000, those
country's wealth and culture certainties had gone
● After the reformation, the country ● There was a huge fall in the number of
switched to a protestant religion causing people who actively sought out religion
a huge civil war- with Anglicanism being ● In the 20th Century, Christianity was no
the overall body within the society longer enforced by the law so more
promoting ceremonies rather than just people felt free and more religions
mundane belief systems emerged due to British colonization, and
● Because of the Industrial Revolution, sins became less looked down upon like
many people became more aware of sex before marriage and homosexuality
science and were less drawn to the ●
religions of the time all over the country-
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution disrupted
the origins of humanity.
● The British Empire spread the Christain
faith all over the world to non-Christian
nations, solidifying the religion ad a
hegemonic belief
● The 20th century promoted secularism
and religious diversity due to the wars
causing people to lose their religions or
reevaluate them
● By 1990, only 15% of British adults
attended church regularly
● By 2011, 60% of people aligned with the
religion but did not actively follow the
religious lifestyle
● Because of British colonialism, many
religions were introduced into the
country with 2.7 million Muslims,
800,000 Hindus, as well as Sikhs and
Jews
