“Church Going” is a poem consisting of seven nine-line stanzas that offers a personal account of visiting an empty English country church. The speaker, who is traveling by bicycle, takes a break to visit the church and ensures that there is no ongoing religious service before entering. Later, the speaker discloses their agnostic beliefs and clarifies that their fascination with churches is not rooted in religious faith.
A man enters an empty church and takes notice of the usual items: “matting, seats, and stone,/ And little books.” Although he expresses irreverence with his tone towards “some brass and stuff/ Up at the holy end,” he still acknowledges the need to remove his hat, despite not wearing one. Instead, he takes off his bicycle clips. While exploring the church, he interacts with the baptismal font, observes the roof, and examines the large-print lectionary by climbing into the lectern.
The speaker briefly acts out a church service, reciting the customary phrase (“Here endeth the lesson”) that signals the end of a scripture reading. It is evident that the speaker is familiar with religious customs and tradition. Additionally, the speaker demonstrates knowledge by leaving a donation in the alms box as he exits the church. However, the offering consists of an Irish sixpence, which holds less value compared to its English counterpart. After this introduction, the poem takes a different direction as the narrator ponders the reason behind his regular visits to churches and specifically why he stopped at this particular church. The question arises: what is he in search of?
Before addressing the question stated above, the author poses another inquiry regarding the fate of church buildings once they are no longer used as places of worship. This question holds particular significance for someone who has personally experienced a loss of faith and believes that others will follow suit. The author envisions a future where certain churches transform into museums, while others deteriorate over time. These abandoned places may be shunned due to their association with ill fortune or sought out as havens for magical healing. The narrator acknowledges that there will inevitably be a period of superstition surrounding these locations, but even superstitions eventually lose their hold on society.
The narrator wonders who will ultimately remember the purpose of church buildings. They speculate that it could be an archaeologist who knows the term “rood-loft,” which refers to the high beam that held a cross or crucifix between the choir and nave. Alternatively, it could be someone searching for an antique or decorative artifact. There is a humorous suggestion that a “Christmas-addict” might be the one, amusingly assuming that Christmas celebrations will continue long after Christianity has faded away. However, it is also possible that it could be someone like the narrator themselves, who comes to a traditional English church layout resembling a cross in search of something significant.
The narrator’s final pondering leads him back to his original question: What is he searching for? Now, he is prepared to offer a tentative answer. This location has contained something that can only be found in separation – marriage, birth, death, and thoughts of these. The significance of these moments was acknowledged here. Additionally, church structures have served as places for contemplation, and even if they are no longer used for worship, they will always be sought after by those in need of deep reflection. It is a space that is appropriate for gaining wisdom, especially due to the large number of deceased individuals surrounding it. “Church Going” appears casual in its structure but is actually a skillfully constructed poem. Each stanza’s rhyme scheme is intricately intertwined: ababcadcd. The middle lines (lines 5 and 6) reverse the anticipated alternating rhymes. Furthermore, the rhyme scheme is so subtle that it can go unnoticed while reading. Only a few words actually provide exact rhymes, and these are often commonplace words (such as “door” and “for” in stanza 2 and “do” and “too” in stanza 3) that do not draw attention to themselves.
Other rhyming words are considered half-rhymes, also referred to as imperfect rhymes, near rhymes, or slant rhymes. These words exhibit similarities in either vowel sounds or consonant sounds, but not both. Within the poem “Church Going,” examples of half-rhymes include “on,” “stone,” and “organ,” as well as “silence” and “reverence.” Additionally, rhetorical devices play a prominent role in the poem’s structure. “Church Going” adheres closely to the format of a meditation, commencing with a detailed depiction of a location, leading to an internal deliberation, and ultimately arriving at a tentative conclusion.
Larkin’s church, described with sufficient detail, allows readers to envision it and imagine themselves there with the narrator. The internal debate starts in stanza 3 and carries on until the beginning of stanza 6, presenting numerous unanswered questions. These inquiries delve into the potential meaning and utilization of church buildings after they are no longer used for religious worship. What will be the outcome when their original intent has been lost? The queries naturally lead to contemplation on why the narrator is personally attracted to these locations.
The narrator’s conclusion, starting in stanza 6, is tentative. He finds some significant purposes for church buildings, at least personally, and suggests them for readers to think about. Following the meditation format, the poem doesn’t aim to logically prove a point or definitively solve a problem. Instead, it allows the mind to be influenced by the surroundings and contemplate different elements of an issue, allowing the conversation to lead to a fresh revelation.
That discovery might only be a temporary solution, rather than the ultimate solution. The poem “Church Going” expresses the spiritual yearnings of an individual who has lost their faith in religion. It can also be interpreted as reflecting the spiritual yearnings of a generation of British people for whom the church has lost its significance. It is assumed that religion has lost its central role, considering the significant decline in church attendance in England since the 19th century, which the narrator would have observed.
In considering the future of churches, one might also ponder Stonehenge, a religious sanctuary now abandoned and its purpose obscured. The narrator does not dwell on the possibility of churches losing significance, but rather contemplates the consequences when they eventually do. It is vital to acknowledge this underlying assumption to grasp the poem in its entirety. Indeed, reflecting on the destiny of unused church edifices unveils an examination of what has made religion profoundly significant for countless individuals across time. In uncovering these reasons, we also expose the unmet requirements within the secular realm that still persist.
The church represents the place where the narrator recognizes that marriage, birth, death, and contemplations about these matters have consistently been maintained and undisturbed. Across time, individuals have depended on the church for these significant moments in life. Weddings, baptisms, or funerals are traditionally conducted in churches or supervised by ministers. Even when religious faith is absent nowadays, people still possess a longing to acknowledge the distinct significance of these occurrences. They aim to ensure that God acknowledges them, despite their paradoxical lack of belief in Him.
The notions of love, birth, and death transcend the ordinary and require recognition and acceptance as fates. Ultimately, the church provides a space for acquiring wisdom. Although the secular realm, with its emphasis on labor, cycling trips, residential areas, and conformity, can thrive independently from the church’s impact, there will always be individuals unexpectedly compelled by a yearning for greater depth. This spiritual longing can solely find fulfillment by visiting a location where it is valued and has been revered for centuries.
