The rhyme scheme is AABB. Funeral Blues Summary
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The central idea of W. H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" is fundamentally a song of intense sadness and a last-ditch attempt to cling to a world that the loss of a loved one has broken. The poem goes beyond a straightforward portrayal of grief and takes the reader on a bizarre trip into a universe twistedRead more
The central idea of W. H. Auden’s “Funeral Blues” is fundamentally a song of intense sadness and a last-ditch attempt to cling to a world that the loss of a loved one has broken. The poem goes beyond a straightforward portrayal of grief and takes the reader on a bizarre trip into a universe twisted by loss’s agony.
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Alliteration- Alliteration, or the recurrence of opening consonants, is a device used by Auden to improve the poem's melodic quality. In the sentence "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone," for instance, the speaker's anguish is emphasized by the repeated "c" sound, which also highlights its fRead more
- Alliteration- Alliteration, or the recurrence of opening consonants, is a device used by Auden to improve the poem’s melodic quality. In the sentence “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,” for instance, the speaker’s anguish is emphasized by the repeated “c” sound, which also highlights its finality and urgency.
- Hyperbole- Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which emphasis or comedic effect are achieved by purposeful exaggeration. The poem uses heightened and exaggerated language to show how deeply sad the speaker is. Hyperbole is used in lines like “Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun” and “Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood” to convey the speaker’s want for a halt to time.
- Imagery- The use of words or figures of speech by a writer or speaker to evoke a strong mental image or visceral feeling is known as imagery. The poem paints a picture of sorrow and hopelessness with a wealth of colorful and moving images. The depictions of silent pianos stopped clocks, and the “muffled drum” all add to the depressing and melancholy mood.
- Symbolism- Symbolism is a figure of speech in which another thing is represented by a person, thing, phrase, or circumstance. Auden uses symbolic language to convey the extent of the loss, such as allusions to time and heavenly bodies. The references to the moon, stars, and clocks are symbols for time passing and the relationship’s lasting power.
- Refrain- When the poem has a recurring word or line, it is known as the refrain “He was my North, my South, my East and West,” which highlights how comprehensive the relationship was and the speaker’s profound sense of loss. And along with that, we can also notice the repetition of the word ‘My.’
- Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech that draws a comparison between two unrelated ideas. It’s a means of metaphorically transferring one thing’s attributes to another. The speaker alludes to their departed love as a “sunken ship,” suggesting that their death was abrupt and terrible. This metaphor further conveys the enormity of the loss by equating the void left behind with the size of the ocean.
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The central theme of W.H. Auden’s ironic poem “The Unknown Citizen” is that while a man’s life may appear to the us to be fulfilling from their perspective, it is actually so much more than that from the Government’s perspective. Auden frequently used phrases like “his Union report demonstrates” andRead more
The central theme of W.H. Auden’s ironic poem “The Unknown Citizen” is that while a man’s life may appear to the us to be fulfilling from their perspective, it is actually so much more than that from the Government’s perspective. Auden frequently used phrases like “his Union report demonstrates” and “our Social Psychology professionals found” to show how this man’s life was nothing more than a collection of inspections and reports from government employees.
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W.H. Auden's 'The Unknown Citizen' is a 32-line poem that follows an unique rhyming scheme: ababaccdeeffdgghhijjikmknnnoo and a closed couplet finishes the poem. The Unknown Citizen Summary
W.H. Auden’s ‘The Unknown Citizen’ is a 32-line poem that follows an unique rhyming scheme: ababaccdeeffdgghhijjikmknnnoo and a closed couplet finishes the poem.
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The poem describes in detail how this oppression is carried out through spying because the state knows every detail about its citizens. The poem mocks and subtly criticises the modern world for giving the state too much power by illustrating how the state oppresses those unfortunate enough to live uRead more
The poem describes in detail how this oppression is carried out through spying because the state knows every detail about its citizens. The poem mocks and subtly criticises the modern world for giving the state too much power by illustrating how the state oppresses those unfortunate enough to live under its authority.
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The poem tackles several significant subjects, including mortality, loneliness, grief, and quiet. The speaker addresses what it's like to grieve over a loved one and how it isolates one from the outside world, which connects all three of these issues throughout the poem. The speaker demands in the fRead more
The poem tackles several significant subjects, including mortality, loneliness, grief, and quiet. The speaker addresses what it’s like to grieve over a loved one and how it isolates one from the outside world, which connects all three of these issues throughout the poem. The speaker demands in the first words that everyone stops talking and that “mourners come” to grieve. The speaker looks for change in the world but can’t seem to find it. They are alone in their grief, and nobody recognizes that sufficiently.
Funeral Blues Summary
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