ABSTRACT

The late twentieth century in Britain was, of course, a period marked by increased social and geographical mobility, a process which continues into our present time. Unlike an increasing proportion of their contemporaries, however, Causley, Larkin and Thomas remained overwhelmingly tied to individual cultural and regional (or national) identities. Moreover, it might even be said that a sense of cultural belonging developed for each of these poets as their lives progressed. This chapter will consider their poetry in light of their concerns about and senses of regional identity.