W. H.
AUDEN AS A WAR POET
W.H. Auden (1907-1973) is regarded as one of the most
important poets of 20th century . His works encompassed a
wide range of themes , including human sufferings , politics
etc .
He was not exclusively a “war poet” , but his poetry ,
particularly during the period surrounding the Spanish Civil War
(1936-1939) and World War II (1939-1945) , is of a profound
engagement with war and its realities , its moral implications
and its horrible consequences .
AUDEN’S WAR POETRY
W.H. Auden’s initial life was shaped by political upheaval of
1930s . His work of this period reflects political tenacity and a
commitment to challenging the moral dilemmas posed by war .
The trauma of war became central themes in his poetry . His
poetry also reflects his involvement with leftist politics .
KEY THEMES OF W.H. AUDEN’S POETRY
The Futility of War – W.H. Auden’s poetry is a representation
of futility of war through a combination of thematic
investigation , stark imagery , and ethical questioning .
Instead of glorifying wars and battles , he criticizes the
futility , meaninglessness and devastating nature of war . His
poetry challenges the justification of war and its romantic
convictions such as valour , patriotism , chauvinism – they all
are shown as hollow and void .
Example – “September 1 , 1939”
“ All I have is a voice / To undo the folded lie, / The
romantic lie in the brain / That makes you think the
British are best , / That makes you think that
English is best” . Here “romantic lie” refers to the
concept of people believing in the superiority of their
nation which is a devastating result of obscurities of war .
The dehumanizing effects of war is depicted in his poem “
The Unknown Citizen” (1939) . In this poem he
criticizes the mechanism of modern life . However this
poem does not directly and clearly focuses on war but it
talks about a faceless figure reduced to an object of state
scrutiny . “ He was found by the Bureau of Statistics
to be / One against whom there was no official
complaint” .
Auden’s poetry also emphasizes the psychic charge of war
on the individuals who were directly involved in it and also
on the ones who are the part of the society or the society
as a whole . The emotional damage faced by individuals
involved in war talks about the cosmic and boundless
suffering it caused .
For example , his poem “ Spain”(1937) is what he wrote
in response to Spanish Civil War . He expresses the
essence of passivity in the face of war . “The battle
outside rages on,/ The battle inside rages on.
The use of “rages on” here talks about the continuous
nature of conflict that the war has . Another excerpt is
from “September 1, 1939” – “ We must love one
another or die” Defenseless under the night / Our world
in stupor lies” . It presents a strong virtuous imperative
that only and only human harmony and unity can prevent
the destructions caused by war .
“ A plain without a feature ,
No grain , no trees , no flowers,
No birds , no people”
The isolated and desolated landscape in the poem “The
Shield of Achilles” (1952) is an influential figurative
expression (metaphor) for vanity of war . It also shows
that the modern world resides in barren and lifelessness .
The wars are fought for glory but the consequences of the
war are majorly devastating , depressing and termination .
Auden’s poetry also draws a picture of pain and affliction
experienced by individuals after the war . Apart from it ,
his poem on the death of W.B. Yeats reflects that Yeats’s
death was somehow connected to considerable
destruction of the world and he highlights the moral
challenges of surviving in the world where so much is
being lost .
“Follow , poet, follow right / To the bottom of the
night , / With your unconstraining voice / Still
persuade us to rejoice” .
In his another poem , “The Fall of Rome”(1947) , Auden
reflects the collapse of civilizations when he draws the
relations between fall of Rome and devastating influence
of war . The poem talks about the human societies and
how they are susceptible to collapse and demolition .
Conclusion –
In conclusion , W.H. Auden’s poetry talks about the a
broad themes of futility and ill effects of war which results
in psychological trauma and moral dilemmas it has on
individuals . Auden challenges the romanticized notions of
war and critiques the political and social systems that
perpetuate conflict, while also calling for human solidarity,
compassion, and ethical responsibility in the face of
destruction. Through his exploration of these themes,
Auden’s work offers a powerful commentary on the
devastating and often irrational nature of war and its
profound impact on the human condition.
References –
Poetry Foundation. (n.d.). W.H. Auden. Poetry Foundation.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/w-h-auden
The British Library. (n.d.). W.H. Auden: War poet. The
British Library.
https://www.bl.uk/20th-century-literature/articles/w-h-
auden-war-poet
Bornstein, G. (1986). The politics of W.H. Auden's war
poetry. Twentieth Century Literature, 32(1), 78-92.
Carpenter, H. (1981). W.H. Auden: A biography. George
Allen & Unwin.
