South Atlantic Modern Language Association

FailI, Fanlas, and Avl TIe Beleclive-BeIivevev in W. H. Auden's TIe Age oJ Anxiel
AulIov|s) BavIava FalvicI
Bevieved vovI|s)
Souvce SoulI AlIanlic Beviev, VoI. 53, No. 4 |Nov., 1988), pp. 87-101
FuIIisIed I South Atlantic Modern Language Association
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FailI, Fanlas, and
Avl.
TIe Beleclive-BeIivevev in
W.
H. Auden's
TIe
Age
oJ
Anxiel
BABBABA FATBICK
IN
HIS LONO BBAMATIC FOEM TIe
Age oJ
Anxiel.
A
Bavoque
EcIogue |1944-1946), W.
H. Auden
pvesenls
an
aIIegov
oJ nan's
quesl
lo
escape anxiel.
TIe
poen's
slvucluve is
eIaIovale,
Iovvoving
Jvon
lIe convenlions oJ nol
onI
lIe
ecIogue,
Iul aIso oJ lIe
nasque
and lIe
quesl-jouvne.
FuvlIevnove,
Edvavd CaIIan Jinds in il a
decidedI Jungian
JvanevovI
|AIIegov 155-64)
and
JoIn BoI
veads il as a Jouv-JoId deconslvuclion oJ
vonanlic
Iunanisn
|135-
59).
Bul
pIainev
sliII is lIe
poen's
CIvislian JvanevovI lIe cIavac-
levs ave
cIeavI
inIevilovs oJ lIe
FaII,
inescapaII suIjecl
lo sin and
guiIl
and
jusl
as
suveI seeIing
deIivevance
Jvon
lIal
guiIl
and lIe
vesuIlanl
anxiel.
BenealI lIese slvucluvaI Jealuves and
aIongside
lIe
posl-Iapsavian
lIene,
lIeve Iies
el
anolIev
pvincipIe
lIal I sIaII caII lIe deleclive
slov pavadign.
AJlev
Iaving
vvillen
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel,
Auden
puIIisIed
a
pIeasanl,
convevsalionaI
essa,
enlilIed TIe
OuiIl
Vi-
cavage
Noles on lIe Beleclive
Slov, I
an
Addicl,'
in vIicI Ie
oulIined lIe slvucluve and
expIained
lIe
appeaI
oJ a
good
deleclive
slov.
Auden's
lIeov
as
expvessed
in lIis
essa
is
pIainI
evidenl in
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel:
in
Jacl,
lIe deleclive
slov
JovnuIa
undevgivds
lIe
Iong
and
conpIex poen.
An
undevslanding
oJ lIe deleclive
slov
and
Iov il inJovns Auden's
lIougIl
is essenliaI lo an
appvaisaI
oJ lIe
poen
and ils
lIene--lIe
anxiel lIal,
accovding
lo
Auden,
pIagues
ouv
age.
TIal lIe deleclive
slov
vas
inpovlanl
lo Auden is evidenl nol
onI Jvon
Iis Iove oJ lIe
genve,
as
pvoJessed
in TIe
OuiIl
Vi-
cavage,
Iul aIso
Jvon
Iis
eavI poens.
Anid lIeiv
passion, poIilics,
and
posl-Fveudian
pscIoIog,
ve Jind
vepealed
veJevences lo
cvines,
88 BavIava FalvicI
lIeiv
deleclion,
and lIeiv deleclovs. In Five
Songs |1930),
Jov
inslance,
lIe Iovev's nind is inlenl on lIeJl. In TIe Wilnesses
|1932)
Iidden
guiIl
IuvIs in lIe veslive Ieavl. And in Seclion VIII oJ
TveIve
Songs |1936)
sucI vicIed secvels cone lo
IigIl
BeIind lIe
covpse
in lIe
vesevvoiv,
IeIind lIe
gIosl
on lIe
IinIs,
BeIind lIe
Iad
vIo dances and lIe nan vIo
nadI
dvinIs
TIeve
is
aIvas
anolIev
slov,
lIeve is nove lIan neels lIe
ee.
|CoIIecled
Foens
119)
WIiIe in Beleclive
Slov |1935)
lIe cvininaI is
IvougIl
lo lviaI
I
an analeuv
sIeulI,
in In
Menov
oJ
Signund
Fveud
|1939)
Auden
casls Fveud IinseIJ as lIe
deleclive,
a Ievo vIo Ias vescued us Jvon
lIe
naIen
oJ lIe nind and vIo sIoved us vIal eviI is. And in a
Ialev
poen,
To
T.
S. EIiol
|1948),
EIiol
pIas
lIe voIe oJ deleclive-
Ievo,
one vIo vails
palienlI
Jov lIe Lav lo laIe ils couvse
|CF
440).2
So lIeve can Ie no douIl lIal lIe deleclive noliJ
peppevs
lIe
Iandscape
oJ Auden's vovI. TIal lIe deleclive
slov
vas on Auden's
nind
duving
lIe
vviling
oJ TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
is evidenced
I
lIe
nunIev oJ
ideas,
Ialev
sslenalized
in TIe
OuiIl Vicavage,
lIal
veve Jivsl
IvougIl logelIev
in lIe
poen.
In lIe
pvoIogue
aIone,
lIe
nunIev oJ
pIvases pevlaining
lo a cvine and ils deleclion is
slviIing.
TIe navvalov
expIains
lIal
ovdinav
cilizens Iave Ieen veduced lo
lIe anxious slalus oJ a
sIad
cIavaclev
|CF 345)
nucI lIe
va
innocenl cilizens ave veduced lo lIe
anIiguous
slalus oJ
suspecls
in a
nuvdev
invesligalion.
Nol
counling
lIe
navvalov, onI
Jouv cIavaclevs
aninale lIis
poen--Bosella,
MaIin,
Quanl,
and EnIIe. Bosella's
dadveans
ave oJ
IoveI,
innocenl
counlvsides
Jvon
EngIisI
delec-
live slovies
|346).
MaIin
veninds us lIal
paslovaI Iandscapes
aIso viII
Ie lIe
selling
Jov
vvongdoings--lIe
gveenesl
avcadias Iave
gIosls
loo
|347).
And Bosella
acInovIedges
lIal even in
peace-line
Lies
and
IelIavgies poIice
lIe vovId
.. .
|353).?
Moveovev, MaIin
insisls
lIal
guiIl
is lIe
JinaI,
insoIuIIe Jacl
|355):
Bosella
vesponds
lIal
nan's cvines nusl Ie
queslioned
unliI Iis cIues conJess
|356).
Fvon lIese Jev
exanpIes,
ve can see lIal lIe idea oJ cvine and ils
invesligalion
is
pvesenl
in lIe
poen.
Bul lIe inJIuence oJ lIe delec-
live
slov
is nucI nove
pevvasive
lIan lIe
exanpIes
ciled
suggesl.
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
Ias Ieen descviIed, even
I pevceplive
cvilics, as
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 89
JovnIess and
IacIing
coIevenl slvucluve - in OevaId NeIson's
vovds,
a vovI vilIoul novenenl ov
puvpose |105).
Bul iJ ve IooI
cIoseI,
ve can see lIal lIe deleclive
slov pvovides
a
vev
dislincl
slvucluve,
Jivsl lo lIe
expevience
lIal lIese cIavaclevs
undevgo
and second lo lIe
inpIicalions
oJ lIeiv
expevience
Jov nanIind al
Iavge.
In TIe
OuiIl Vicavage
Auden oulIines lIe
pvololpaI
deleclive
slov.
Il
Iegins, oIviousI,
vIen a cvine is
connilled,
usuaII
a
nuvdev. In a
good
deleclive
slov,
vviles
Auden,
lIe nuvdev
is
connilled vilIin a cIosed
sociel,
so lIal one oJ lIe nenIevs oJ lIal
sociel
is
assuvedI
lIe
guiIl pavl.
Bul Iecause lIe
idenlil
oJ
lIe
nuvdevev is
unInovn,
aII lIe nenIevs oJ lIe
connunil necessaviI
Iecone
suspecls.
AII nusl
pvove
lIal
lIe
ave innocenl oJ lIe
nuvdev. In lIe
pvocess,
lIeiv Iessev
sins--aduIlev,
lIievev,
deceil,
naIiciousness,
nuvdevous
inlenl--cone
lo
IigIl.
TIus,
evev
indi-
viduaI-lIougI
Ie ov sIe
appeaved quile
innocenl IeJove lIe nuv-
dev-is
inpIicaled
in
cvine.4
TIe
nuvdev, lIen,
pvecipilales
a cvisis
lIvougIoul
lIe
connunil.
OuiIl Iecones a
veaIil,
and lIe
sociel
undevgoes
a FaII
lIougI
once vuIed
I Love,
lIe
sociel
nusl nov
Ie vuIed
I
Lav
|Bev's
Hand
149-50).
Since aII vilIin lIe
sociel
ave
inpIicaled, onI
soneone
Jvon
vilIoul lIe
connunil,
soneone
vIoII innocenl,
can deIivev ils
nenIevs
Jvon
lIe nuvdevev and
Jvon
lIe sIadov oJ
guiIl.
FuvlIev-
nove,
Auden noles lIal a
lvuI exceplionaI
deleclive nusl lIen Ie an
exceplionaI
individuaI Ie nusl IinseIJ Ie in a slale oJ
gvace |154-
55). B idenliJing
lIe
nuvdevev-I giving
lvue
InovIedge
oJ
guiIl
- Ie venoves
guiIl
Jvon
lIe
sociel
and veluvns il lo ils
peaceJuI
slale. In olIev
vovds,
I
lIe
seeningI
nivacuIous inlevvenlion oJ
lIis
genius Jvon
oulside lIe
connunil,
lIe
connunil
is ve-
deened
|154). TIus,
lIougI
Auden nevev slales il
expIicilI,
lIe
voIe
oJ lIe deleclive in lIe deleclive
slov
is
slviIingI
siniIav lo lIe
voIe
oJ
CIvisl as undevslood
I
CIvislian
lIeoIog. Jusl
as lIe deleclive
cones
Jvon
oulside lIe
connunil
and is
consequenlI vIoII
innune
Jvon
lIe sIadov oJ
guiIl,
so loo CIvisl is undevslood lo Ie
vIoII
innocenl-lIe Son oJ Ood.
Yel,
jusl
as lIe deleclive nusl
enlev lIe
connunil
in ovdev lo soIve lIe
cvine,
so loo does CIvisl
Iecone Iunan -
lIe Son oJ Man
-
in ovdev lo vedeen Man Jvon Iis
sin. Il JoIIovs lIal lIe deleclive is a Iind oJ
snIoI
Jov IolI a
lvanscendenl and an incavnale Ood.
WilI lIis in
nind,
ve can see Iov
eJJecliveI
lIe deleclive
slov
noliJ
opevales
vilIin TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
TIe
poen cIeavI
evinces lIe
Jivsl lvo oJ lIe lIvee
slages
lIal Auden
oulIines--a
cvine is connil-
led, and aII nenIevs oJ lIe
connunil
ave sIovn lo Ie
guiIl |and
90 BavIava FalvicI
unaIIe lo
acquil lIenseIves).
Bul nove
inpovlanlI,
lIe lIivd
slage-lIe vedeening
oJ
sociel I
an oulsidev-is nevev veaIized.
TIe cIosed
sociel
oJ
MaIin,
Quanl,
EnIIe,
and Bosella is nevev
vedeened. TIis
JaiIuve
lo Ie vedeened Iaunls Auden's
posl-convev-
sion
poens
oJ lIe Jovlies. Il is
pvesenl
in
Nev
Yeav Lellev
|1940),
Fov lIe
Tine
Being |1941-1942),
and TIe
Sea
and lIe
Mivvov
|1942-1944),
and il
Iies al lIe Ieavl oJ TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
Nev
Yeav Lellev
pveJiguves
lIe olIev
Iong
vovIs.5 Heve Auden,
vovIing
vilI
KievIegaavd's
lIvee
calegovies
oJ
expevience, |1)
deIi-
neales lIe JaiIuve oJ lIe
aeslIelic, suIjecl
oJ TIe
Sea
and lIe
Mivvov:
|2)
veveaIs lIe
sIovlconings
oJ aclive
slviving--lIe
elIicaI
|and
inleIIec-
luaI) appvoacI
lo
expevience
lIal inJovns Fov lIe
Tine
Being:
and
|3)
poinls
lo lIe
Ieap
oJ
JailI,
lIe
spvingIoavd
lo vIicI is
despaiv
and
anxiel,
lIe Iind oJ
anxiel
ve see in TIe
Age oJAnxiel. TIougI onI
lIe IvieJesl
snopsis
is
possiIIe
Ieve,
ve can lvace lIese lIvee
calego-
vies
lIvougI
Auden's
suIsequenl
vovI.
In TIe Sea and lIe Mivvov nan Ias
el
lo Ie vedeened Iecause Ie Ias
el
lo cIoose IiJe ovev iIIusion.
Hence, vedenplion
is deJined
onI I
ils aIsence. In lIe vovds oJ OevaId
NeIson,
Auden naIes us veaIize
lIal ouv IiJe Ieavs lIe sane veIalion lo 'lIal
WIoII
OlIev LiJe' lIal a
slage pvoduclion
Ieavs lo ouv IiJe
|enpIasis nine): onI
aJlev veaIiz-
ing
lIis can ve
gIinpse
lIe
possiIiIil
oJ
pevJeclion.
. . . Il is
Iecause ve ave anxious lIal ve Inov lIeve is an 'unIolIeved
slale,'
Iecause ve ave isoIaled lIal lIeve is a 'vesloved veIalion'
|52).
Bedenplion
in Fov lIe
Tine Being
is veaI Iul oul oJ veacI.
Foised
Ielveen lIe veveIalion and lIe
vedenplion
-
inpvisoned
in line - aII
nan can do is
Ieep
IinseIJ
Ius.'
His
avaveness
oJ lIal
WIoII
OlIev LiJe Ieads nol lo
jo
Iul lo avaveness oJ lIe
inpossiIiIil
oJ
ouv
allaining
il.
Bizzing despaiv
ensues lIose vIo JoIIov lIe slav oJ
lIe
Nalivil
ave Ied Onlo lIe
OIass
Mounlain vIeve ave no
/
FoolIoIds Jov
Iogic,
lo lIe
Bvidge
oJ Bvead / WIeve
InovIedge
Iul
incveases
vevligo |CF 285).
And
el,
Auden insisls Ieve as eIsevIeve
lIal lIis
despaiv
and dvead conslilule a
necessav slage: lIe puvge
nan oJ lIe iIIusion lIal Ie can save IinseIJ. Sineon,
Auden's
Tivesias
Jiguve,
Inovs lIal BeJove lIe InJinile couId naniJesl ilseIJ in lIe
Finile nan nusl Iave veacIed lIe uIlinale Jvonliev oJ conscious-
ness. As lIe vecilalive
puls
il,
You viII nol Jind
[lIe Oavden] /
UnliI
ou
Iave IooIed Jov il
evevvIeve
and Jound novIeve lIal is nol
a
desevl
|274).
Hence ve ave IeJl al
poen's
end sliII
seeIing vedenp-
lion
- ve Iave no cIoice Iul lo
oIe
lIe cIovus's JinaI connand
lo
SeeI
[lIe Bedeenev]
in lIe
Kingdon
oJ
Anxiel.
TIis
seeIing
is ilseIJ
pavadoxicaI,
since seeIing
is a Iind
oJ puvsuil
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 91
and,
as ve Inov Jvon lIe
veveIalion,
ouv
vedenplion
is no
Iongev
a
queslion
oJ
puvsuil
Iul oJ suvvendev lo Hin vIo is
aIvas and
evevvIeve pvesenl |301).
Heve ve cone lo lIe cenlvaI
pvoIIen
oJ
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel,
nan's
unviIIingness
lo suvvendev conlvoI oJ Iis
IiJe.
ConsequenlI
Ie JaiIs lo Ie vedeened on accounl oJ
pveJevving
sad
seIJ-suJJicienc.
TIe
poen
is
nol,
as
JoIn
FuIIev vouId Iave
il,
a
de-
enpIasizing
oJ CIvislian lIenes Iul a cuIninalion oJ lIose
lIenes,
aIIeil a
lvagic
one.
Jusl
as Auden uses lIe dvana as
lvope
in TIe Sea and lIe
Mivvov, and
lIe
Nalivil
in Fov lIe
Tine
Being,
in TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
Ie uses
lIe
deleclive
slov.
Auden sels lIe
slage
Jov
TIe Age oJ Anxiel
in
lIe
pvoIogue.
TIeve Auden
|1)
inlvoduces lIe nenIevs oJ a cIosed
sociel, |2)
eslaIIisIes lIal a cvine Ias Ieen connilled lIal
inpIi-
cales aII
pvesenl,
and
|3)
sIovs lIe cIavaclevs
Ieginning
lIeiv al-
lenpl-dooned
Jvon lIe slavl -lo
puvge
lIenseIves oJ
guiIl.
TIe
poen Iegins
in a Nev YovI Iav
duving
WovId Wav
II.7
We see
Jouv anxious
peopIe
in lIe Iav
Quanl,
an
aging sIipping
cIevI:
MaIin,
a nedicaI
inleIIigence oJJicev: Bosella,
a
Iuev
Jov a
depavl-
nenl
slove:
and
EnIIe,
a Iandsone Iul insecuve saiIov. Auden
inlvoduces eacI as an inIevilov oJ lIe FaII. EacI is vacIed vilI
guiIl,
conscious lIal Ie Ias soneIov Iosl Jovevev lIe slale oJ innocence.
Sevious
queslioning Iegins
vIen
Quanl nenlaII inlevvogales
Iis
ovn veJIeclion in lIe nivvov IeIind lIe
Iav,
asIing
. . . does
ouv
seIJ IiIe nine / Tasle oJ unlvulI? TeII
ne,
vIal ave
ou
/
Hiding
in
ouv
Ieavl
..
.
|CF 346). TIougI
Ie is on lIe suvJace
IigIl-Ieavled
aIoul Iis
Iapse
Jvon
innocence,
Quanl acInovIedges
lIal aII il laIes
lo
Ielva
Iin lo lIe lovluves oJ conscience is a
gIinpse
oJ Iis ovn
nivvov
inage |347).
SiniIavI, MaIin,
lIe inleIIecluaI oJ lIe
gvoup,
nuses
dejecledI
on
lIe
seeningI inescapaIIe soIipsisn
oJ Iunan exislence
...
singuIav
lIen
Is lIe Iunan
va:
Jov lIe
ego
is a dvean
TiII a
neigIIov's
need
I
nane cveale
il:
Man Ias no
nean:
Iis nivvovs dislovl.
... |347)
Man Ias Iosl lIe loucIslone
vIeveI
Ie
nigIl
conJivn Iis ideas-
Iis
vev
Ieing--and
is
incapaIIe
oJ
vescuing
IinseIJ Jvon lIis dis-
lovled exislence.
So loo EnIIe
nuses,
cvilicizing
Iis JeIIovs Jov lIeiv JaiIuve lo Ie
cvealive,
as
lIe
veve neanl lo Ie. He Ianenls lIeiv slale
92 BavIava
FalvicI
...
SeIJ-judged lIe
sil,
Sad Iaunlevs oJ
FevIaps
vIo aJlev
eavs
To
gvasp
and
gaze
in,
gel
no JuvlIev
TIan lIeiv Jivsl
IeIoIding. |348)
TIe
ave
slucI,
povevIess
lo nove lIenseIves
Ieond
lIeiv
pvesenl
condilion.
Young
and unsuve oJ Iis
idenlil,
EnIIe Jeavs
gvoving
IiIe
lIen. He sees
lIen,
and
polenliaII
IinseIJ,
as naIconlenls
palIeli-
caII lving
lo veslove TIe
pvinilive pacl
vilI
puve JeeIing,
lo
vegain
TIe avcIaic caIn vilIoul cuIluvaI sin lIal exisled IeJove
Adan and Eve
|348).
He and
lIe
vanl nove lIan
anlIing
lo Ie
vesloved lo
Eden,
lo a
pve-cvininaI
slale,
Iul ave
povevIess
lo veslove
lIenseIves lo
innocence.8
SiniIavI,
aII lIis
vIiIe,
Bosella
induIges
in Iev
paslovaI dadvean
oJ a
pIace quile
diJJevenl
Jvon lIis Nev
YovI Iav- lIe Edenic
Iandscape
oJ
EngIisI
deleclive slovies
IeJove
ils
peaceJuIness
Ias Ieen navved
I
nuvdev- a
pIace
vIeve vovI and
Iav and
guiIl
ave
jusl Iilevav
vovds
|346).
EacI
pavlaIes
oJ lIe slale oJ JaIIen
nan,
conscious lIal innocence
vas once a
veaIil
Iul is nov unallainaIIe
excepl
as an
escapisl
Janlas. Quanl,
lIen,
is
pIagued I
Iis vavious
unlvulIs, MaIin I
Iis
IoneI soIipsisn,
EnIIe
I
Iis Iillev
Jeavs,
and Bosella
I
Iev
pevsislenl Iongings.
Bul lIe FaII is
sinpI
a Iind oJ
spiviluaI |and
Iilevav) IacIdvop:
lIe
veaI
dvana Ias nol
Iegun.
WIal sels
lIings
in
nolion is lIe nevs lIal
suddenI evupls
Jvon lIe
vadio, IveaIing
in
vilI ils IanaI noises
upon
lIeiv
sepavale
sense oJ lIenseIves
I
conpeIIing
lIen lo
pa
allenlion lo a connon vovId oJ
gveal
sIaugIlev
and nucI sovvov
|349).
TIe nevs oJ lIe vav invoIves
lIen,
vilIoul lIeiv
InovIedge,
in
eacI olIevs' Iives. TIe dealI and deslvuclion oJ lIe vav do Jov lIis
vovI vIal a nuvdev does Jov a deleclive
slov
a
speciJic
eviI is
inlvoduced
againsl
lIe
IacIgvound
oJ vavious
vague
and Iidden
pevsonaI guiIls.
TIe Beov-IiIe
veJvain Man
Iave
pevisIed: nove
viII
vepealedI suggesls
lIal lIe eviI lIal Ias Ieen inlvoduced is
one
lIal no one on eavlI can
slop. AIlIougI
none oJ lIese cIavaclevs
Ias
acluaII
IiIIed vilI Iis ovn
Iands,
aII ave indicled
I
lIe
sIaugIlev
laIing pIace
vilIin lIeiv vovId. AII ave loucIed
I
lIe davI
sIadov
oJ
nigIl sleaIing
acvoss lIe
sI |epigvapI, 345).
In
MaIin's
vovds,
A
Cvine Ias
occuvved, accusing
aII
|352).
As in lIe deleclive slov,
eacI nenIev oJ lIe
connunil
JaIIs Jvon
gvace.
As Bosella
con-
nenls, pasl
sins and Iidden
vvongs
inexlvicaII inpIicale
lIen
in
lIe
pvesenl
cvisis
Banning
us,
/ On ouv
pvesenl puvpose
lIe pasl
veigIs
/
Heav
as
aIps
. . .
|354).
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 93
TIis
inescapaIIe guiIl
is lIe souvce oJ lIe dvead lIal
pevvades lIe
TIivd Avenue Iav and Iovevs ovev TIe
Age oJAnxiel.'
Fov
MaIin,
il
is
lIe insoIuIIe JinaI Jacl
... AII lIal exisls
Mallevs lo
nan:
Ie ninds vIal
Iappens
And JeeIs Ie is al
JauIl,
a JaIIen souI
WilI
povev
lo
pIace,
lo
expIain evev
WIal in Iis vovId Iul
vI
Ie is neilIev
Ood nov
good,
lIis
guiIl
lIe insoIuIIe
FinaI
Jacl,
inJusing
Iis
pvivale
Nexus oJ
needs,
Iis noled ains vilI
InconpveIensiIIe conpveIensive
dvead
Al nol
Ieing
vIal Ie Inovs lIal IeJove
TIis vovId vas Ie vas viIIed lo Iecone.
|355-56)
B poinling
lo nan's JaiIuve lo Iecone vIal Ie vas viIIed lo
Iecone
MaIin
expIains
lIal lIe dvead
lIe expevience
is nol
jusl
an
eavlII,
elIicaI
dvead,
Iul lIe vesuIl oJ a
spiviluaI JaiIuve,
a JaiIuve lo
JuIJiII Ood's viII.
TIe olIev cIavaclevs aJJivn MaIin's assessnenl and vov lo seeI
oul lIe cause oJ lIis
guiIl, veIaling
nan's Iies lo Iis
Iongings
Jov
lvulI,
queslioning
Iis cvines liII lIe cIues veveaI Iis
guiIl. TIe
undevlaIe lIe lasI oJ lIe deleclive lo Iocale lIe cvine
vesponsiIIe
Jov
disvupling
nan's
peace.
Bul lIeiv eJJovls ave deslined lo JaiI. As
Quanl uncanniI poinls oul,
lIeivs viII Ie a case oJ coId Jeel
|356).
TIe Jouv
Iegin
lIeiv TIinI-Jesl vilI a discussion oJ lIe seven
ages
oJ nan. TIeiv accounl oJ an individuaI IiJe nivvovs nol
onI
lIe
Iislov
oJ nanIind in levns oJ lIe FaII
|an ages-oId
noliJ lo Ie
suve)
Iul nivvovs aIso lIe deleclive
slov.
Even in
inJanc, sas MaIin,
...
aIvead
lIeve is
Bvead in Iis dveans al lIe deed oJ vIicI
He Inovs
nolIing
Iul Inovs Ie can
do,
TIe
guIJ
IeJove Iin vilI
guiIl Ieond,
WIalevev lIal is vIalevev
vI
FovIids Iis
Iound,
liII lIal Ian
lenpls Iin:
He
junps
and is
judged
Ie
joins nanIind,
TIe JaIIen
JaniIies,
Jveedon
Iosl,
Love Iecone Lav.
|357)
AInosl IeJove
consciousness, lIen,
lIeve is a
veenaclnenl oJ lIe FaII.
94 BavIava FalvicI
Tenplalion
Ieads lo sin. WilI lIe connission oJ
sin,
Lav
vepIaces
Love as lIe
guiding pvincipIe |al
Ieasl unliI lIe
coning
oJ
CIvisl.)'o
TIe sane
pallevn
is
pIaed
oul in lIe deleclive
slov. TIougI
anil
vas once lIe
guiding pvincipIe
in lIe cIosed
sociel
oJ lIe
deleclive
noveI,
vIen lIe nuvdev is
connilled, anil gives va
lo
dislvusl.
TIougI
once
seIJ-govevned, suddenI
lIe
connunil
Iives
undev lIe lIveal oJ JuvlIev
cvines,
Iecones a
poIice
slale,
and
venains so unliI lIe
coning
oJ a
deIivevev,
lIe
ingenious
deleclive.
Bul lIe IiJe lIal
MaIin,
Quanl,
EnIIe,
and Bosella descviIe Ias
no deIivevev. Man Iives and dies vilIoul lIe
jo
oJ
vedenplion.
Even
on Iis dealIIed He
pines
Jov sone / NaneIess Eden
|366).
TIis veaIizalion soIevs lIe
cIavaclevs, causing
eacI lo
gvov quiel
and
pondev
Iis ovn
Iongings
lo
vegain
innocence.
FinaII, lIe
vesoIve lo seeI oul lIis Iosl
Iappiness.
Led
I
Bosella,
lIe
undev-
laIe lIe
jouvne
Ionevavd, Ioping
lo Jind lIe
Begvessive
voad lo
OvandnolIev's House, Ioping
lo veluvn lo sone
pveIislovic Iappi-
ness
|371)
and sIed lIe
anxiel
lIal
pevvades
lIeiv Iives. Beninis-
cenl oJ olIev Auden
quesls-
TIe
Ovalovs
|1932),
TIe
Ascenl
oJ
F6
|1936),
and AlIanlis
|1941),
Jov inslance
- lIis
jouvne
is, IooseI,
lIe cIavaclevs'
allenpl
lo deIivev lIenseIves Jvon lIeiv
guiIl
and
dvead.
[H]eve,
vilIoul
Inoving
il,
vviles
Juslin BepIogIe,
lIe
cIavaclevs
Iegin
lIal
necessav
cIase dovn aII lIe secuIav dead-end
voads lIal nusl Ie lvied IeJove lIe
despevale
and exIausled lvaveIev
dvops unexpecledI
on lIe
BeIigious [voad] |79).
Fvonpled I
a sad unvesl
lIe
seeI
sonelIing
aIin lo lIe
Kingdon
oJ Ood
-
aIlIougI lIe
caII il TIe
Quiel Kingdon.
TIe
siniIavil
in nonencIaluve
suggesls
lIal
lIe Iong
Jov
sonelIing
sacved and
unInovn, lIougI lIe
can nane il
onI I using
JaniIiav
levns
lIe
conceive oJ Ood in levns oJ lIe nosl IIissJuI
lIing lIe
Inov,
Quiel,
and seeI lIe cenlev oJ lIe Maze oJ Tine
|371)
vilIoul
veaIizing
lIal lIe
oIjecl
oJ lIeiv seavcI exisls
onI Ieond
IislovicaI line
- in
elevnil.
Il is nol
possiIIe
lo velvace Ieve lIe
slages
oJ lIeiv
jouvne.
TIe
onI slage pevlinenl
lo lIis discussion is lIe JinaI
pIase. Having
lvied
vavious neans oJ
allaining
lIis
Iappiness--lIe
valevs oJ
Iope,
lIe
nounlains oJ aclion and
cIoice,
lIe valevsIed oJ lIe Ieavl,
lIe
Ivain cil |Speavs
235)--lIe
cIavaclevs cone
upon
a vasl desevl.
TIe desevl is
pIainI
a
vepvesenlalion
oJ dealI. Il is
dv,
incoIevenl
and
inJanous,
a Iand
Ieond
Iove
|389),
a
snIoI
oJ lIe deslvuclion
oJ IiJe
|391).
Bul
given
lIe CIvislian JvanevovI oJ lIe
poen,
il is
possiIIe
lo see lIe desevl as a
snIoI
nol
onI
oJ dealI Iul aIso as
a
snIoI
oJ lIe dealI oJ lIe
seIJ
lIal is
vequived
IeJove lvue vedenplion
SoulI AlIanlic
Beviev 95
can occuv. In
suppovl
oJ lIis
idea,
Auden leIIs us lIal lIe desevl
is
neilIev
enliveI dv
nov
enliveI enpl.
Il is vunoved lIal
Iidden
slveans JIov
lIvougI
il,
and lIal lIeve ave oases
lIeve,
vIeve
acvo-
Ials naIe unIeIievaIIe
Ieaps |390).
Walev is a
snIoI
oJ
venevaI,
vIelIev il Iveeds IiIacs oul oJ lIe dead Iand ov
Iaplizes
a
nev-Iovn
souI inlo lIe
connunil
oJ IeIievevs. We can vead lIe
desevl-
dveIIevs'
Ieaps
as
KievIegaavdian Ieaps
oJ
JailI,
undevlaIen
pevIaps
vilI
pain, cevlainI
al
gveal visI,
el
vilI lIe exuIevance and
dealI-
deJing
conJidence oJ
lvapeze
avlisls.
In lIe Jace oJ lIis unInovn and
seeningI
conJovlIess
vasleIand,
MaIin,
Quanl,
EnIIe,
and Bosella ave
pIagued I
Jeav and
douIl.
TIe queslion
lIe
pvonises
Ianded dovn lo lIen Is
lviunpI
possiIIe?
IJ
so,
ave
lIe
cIosen? Is
lviunpI
vovlI il? IJ
so,
ave
lIe
vovlI? |389). FIainI,
lIese ave
solevioIogicaI queslions.
Ave ve
eIecled? Hov can ve IeIieve in
lIings
unseen? Bo ve need lo Jace
lIis diJJicuIl dealI
|oJ
lIe
vovIdI seIJ)?
Can ve lvusl ouv
inIIings
lIal
an olIev-veaIn exisls on lIe Jav side oJ lIis vaIe oJ
suJJeving?
In
MaIin's
vovds,
do ve so Iove lIe vovId lIal ve need lo Inov Iov il
ends?
|390).'2
Bang
ov
vIinpev,
does il nallev?
LiIe lIe cIavaclevs oJ Auden's
eavI,
Iul
siniIavI
suvveaI vevse-
pIa
TIe
Ovalovs,
MaIin and lIe olIevs ave aJvaid lo acl. As
MaIin
sas,
Il laIes viII lo cvoss lIis vasle
|389): aIlIougI lIe pevceive
lIe need Jov a nev
IiJe,
lIe secvelI pveJev
lIe oId and ave
unviIIing
lo enlev lIe desevl.
TIe sI ava
Jvon
il,
pveJevving
inslead lIeiv
JovIovn
secuvil.
MaIin,
Quanl, EnIIe,
and Bosella do nol
el
dave undevlaIe lIe
suJJeving
lIal
cvossing
lIe desevl vouId enlaiI. Bul as Auden naIes
pIain
in TIe
EncIaJed FIood,
one nusl lvaveI lIe
desevl--accepl
lIe
pain
oJ
puvgalion
and lviaI
-
in ovdev lo JuIJiII one's
quesl
|14-29).
As
lIe
speaIev
insisls in
Leap
BeJove You
LooI,
[lIe]
dvean oJ
saJel
Ias
lo
disappeav |enpIasis nine).
He concedes lIal lIe
va
oJ JailI
is
dangevous,
is
Iavd,
Iul Ie Inovs
ou
Iave lo
Ieap,
ov eIse venain
suspended
in a soIilude len lIousand JalIons
deep |244).
An accuvale
pvediclion indeed,
Jov vIiIe ouv anxious lvaveIIevs
equivocale,
lIe
oppovlunil
is Iosl. TIe desevl vanisIes. TIe vovId
vusIes IacI.
TIe
nusl veluvn lo
guiIl, nadness,
and soIilude.
TIundevIeads lIvealen lIe sun
|see
lIe
epigvapI),
and Jeav
sepavales
lIen,
one Jvon lIe olIev
FainlI
[lIeiv]
sounds / EcIo eacI
olIev,
unveIaled / Ovoans oJ
gvieJ
al a
gveal
dislance
|391-92).
AppvopvialeI, EnIIe
caIIs lIeiv allenlion IacI lo lIe
conlinuing
vav,
vIicI
puls
nen al odds and causes
indiJJevenl
longues
lo decIave
lIeiv veaI JailI lo Ie in
conJusion.'3
As in lIe nuvdev
slov,
il is
96 BavIava FalvicI
inpossiIIe
lo leII vIo can Ie lvusled and vIo cannol indislincl ave
Jviend and Joe. On aII
eavlII lIings
is
gvaven
lIe sane
snIoI,
lIe
signaluve
oJ veIuclanl
aIIegiance
lo a Iosl cause
|392-93)
-
lIal
is,
aIIegiance
lo lIe
lIings
oJ lIis vovId is
JvuilIess,
Jov aII in lIis vovId is
cIaos
MaIin
Ouv ideas Iave
gol
dvunI and
dvop
lIeiv H's.
EnIIe We evv vIal ve ave as iJ ve veve nol.
Bosella TIe Ionesl and
IoI
ave Iissed al lIe vaces.
Quanl
Ood's in Iis
gveenIouse,
Iis
geese
in lIe vovId.
|393)
In levns oJ lIe deleclive
slov
scIena,
lIe
connunil
is sliII in a
slale oJ
disvuplion
lIe
suspecls
Iave JaiIed lo
acquil
lIenseIves.
TIe
venain disconsoIale,
Iul lIe lvue
signiJicance
oJ lIeiv JaiIuve is
nol
el appavenl.
Il is nol
JuII
veaIized unliI
MaIin's
oIsevvalions in
lIe
epiIogue
naIe cIeav lIe veasons Jov lIeiv JaiIuve. TIeve
MaIin
Ianenls nan's
ovevvIeIning pveJevence
Jov vIal is Inovn and ouv
ovevvIeIning
veIuclance lo conJvonl lIe unInovn. He
dispavages
Iis dveans as duII and
undaving
and
casligales
ouv
inaIiIil
lo Ieavn
Jvon lIe
pasl.
In
spile
oJ Iis
dispavagenenl
Ie Ias
opled
Jov seIJ-
aIsovIed
nisev
We vouId valIev Ie vuined lIan
cIanged,
We vouId valIev die in ouv dvead
TIan cIinI lIe cvoss oJ lIe nonenl
And Iel ouv iIIusions die.
|407)
MaIin
Inovs lIal lo
accepl
lIe saIvalion
pvonised
us
lIvougI
CIvisl
ve vouId Iave lo Iel die ouv
iIIusions,
especiaII
lIe iIIusion lIal
ve
can save
ouvseIves,'
lIal ve can
acquil
ouvseIves oJ ouv
guiIl.
TIal,
MaIin
vecognizes,
is
sonelIing
vIicI ve ave
unviIIing
lo do. We
ave
unaIIe lo cIinI lIe cvoss oJ lIe nonenl- lIal
is,
lo die lo
ouvseIves
and
accepl
lIe
lvansJovning povev
oJ Ood as
vepvesenled I
lIe
Cvoss. We
pveJev
a
deIusov
and nisevaIIe
seIJ-suJJicienc
ovev
ac-
cepling
lIe Ovace oJ Ood. We seeI ouv
Iope
in lIe
vvong pIaces
S
.
.
lIe nev Iocus is nevev
Hidden inside lIe oId one
WIeve Beason couId voul il
oul,
....
lIe
pIace
oJ IivlI
Is loo oIvious and neav lo
nolice,
Sone duII
dogpalcI
a slone's lIvov
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 97
Oulside lIe
vaIIs,
vesevved
Fov lIe
ees
oJ JailI lo Jind.
|407)
TIe CIvislian veveIalion is lIe
onI
neans
I
vIicI lo
escape
dvead.
CIvisl's IivlI is lIe
slavlIing
veveIalion,
a nev
poinl
oJ
depavluve
vIoII
inaccessiIIe
lIvougI
convenlionaI neans sucI as
Beason.
OJJeved
JveeI, jusl
a slone's lIvov
ava,
lIis
giJl
is nissed
I
aII
Iul
lIe
lvuI
JailIJuI. TIese cIavaclevs' seavcI lo save lIenseIves
pvoves
JvuilIess: lIe
ave
povevIess
lo conJvonl lIe
desevl,
lIe dealI oJ lIe
seIJ.6
AIlIougI lIe
ave oJJeved lIe neans oJ saIvalion - lIe Ovace
oJ
Ood, pvonised
in lIe
IiJe, dealI,
and vesuvveclion oJ CIvisl-lIeivs
is,
as
Quanl pvopIesied
in lIe
pvoIogue,
a case oJ coId Jeel.
MaIin
descviIes
vI
ouv slalus is lIal oJ
TenpovaIs pIeading
Jov elevnaI IiJe vilI
TIe inJinile
inpelus
oJ anxious
spivils,
Finile in Jacl
el veJusing
lo Ie
veaI,
Wanling
ouv ovn
va, unviIIing
lo
sa
Yes
To lIe
SeIJ-So,
vIicI is lIe sane al aII
lines,
TIal
AIvas-Opposile
vIicI is lIe vIoIe
suIjecl
OJ ouv
nol-Inoving, el
Jvon no
necessil
Condescended lo exisl and lo suJJev dealI
And,
scovned on a
scaJJoId,
ensconced in His IiJe
TIe Iunan IouseIoId. In ouv
anguisI
ve
slvuggIe
To eIude
Hin,
lo Iie lo Hin
....
|408)
In levns oJ lIe deleclive
slov, slages
one and lvo ave JuIJiIIed aII oJ
lIe cIavaclevs IaIov undev a Iuvden oJ
guiIl.
Yel lIe
connunil
JaIIs
sIovl oJ
slage
lIvee lIe deleclive-deIivevev is
eIuded,
Iied
lo,
luvned
ava. WI
does lIe
sociel
veIuIe Iin? Because
lIe
seeI lo save
lIenseIves
lIvougI JaniIiav,
lenpovaI
neans.
TIe
ave aJvaid oJ
accepling
lIe
un-lenpovaI,
lIe
vIoII
olIev. And oJ
couvse,
lIe
deIivevev-deleclive is
vIoII olIev,
lIe
AIvas-Opposile.
SigniJicanlI, Iovevev,
lIe deIivevev-deleclive is aIso IiIe
us,
ouv
SeIJ-So. TIal is lo
sa,
Ood Ias Iecone
incavnale, Iunan,
lIe
sane as
ouvseIves,
lIus
pvonising
lIe
possiIiIil
oJ
guiIlIessness
vilIin lIe Iunan
spIeve,
nucI as lIe enlvance oJ lIe
guiIlIess
deleclive inlo lIe
guiIl connunil gives
us
Iope
lIal lIe connu-
nil
viII Ie vesloved lo ils slale oJ innocence.
NevevlIeIess,
nan
vanls Iis ovn
va
and is
unviIIing
lo
accepl
lIe
vedenplion
oJJeved
Iin.
B delaiIing
so
caveJuII
lIe sin and
guiIl
lIal conslilule lIe Jivsl
98 BavIava FalvicI
lvo
slages
oJ lIe deleclive
slov,
Auden
IigIIigIls
lIe cIavaclevs'
nove
signiJicanl
JaiIuve lo veacI lIe lIivd
pIase,
lo allain
vedenp-
lion. TIe cIose
pavaIIeIs
lo lIe slvucluve oJ lIe deleclive
slov
and
lIen lIe sudden
depavluve
Jvon il caII ouv allenlion
lo,
on lIe one
Iand,
lIe cIavaclevs'
inaIiIil
lo
acquil
lIenseIves
and,
on lIe olIev
Iand,
lIeiv veJusaI lo Ie
vedeened
Jvon lIeiv
guiIl
slale.
TIe
lIeoIogicaI vievpoinl expvessed
in TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
is lIal
JaIIen nan cannol save
IinseIJ:
Ie can Ie saved
onI lIvougI
lIe
agenc
oJ one vIo is
supva-Iunan el
lvaJJics in lIe Iunan
spIeve.
TIus lIe deleclive
slov
is a
Jilling
noliJ.
TIe
guiIl-slvicIen
connu-
nil
can Ie vedeened
Jvon
ils
guiIl onI lIvougI
lIe
agenc
oJ one
oulside lIe
connunil
vIo is
viIIing
lo enlev lIe
sociel
and veveaI
lIe lvulI. Yel no
connunil
can Ie vedeened iJ il
vejecls
ils de-
Iivevev.
SigniJicanlI,
MaIin
suggesls
lIal nan cIooses lo Ie vuined
valIev lIan lo Ie
cIanged
Ie
acliveI
veJuses lIe
pvonise
oJ deIivev-
ance.
Buving
lIe
vviling
oJ TIe
Age oJAnxiel,
Auden
-
deepI inpvessed
I
lIe
lIeoIog
oJ BeinIoId NieIuIv-
enpIasized
lIe issue oJ
cIoice in an
essa
enlilIed TIe CIvislian
Tvagic
Hevo. TIeve Ie
conlvasls lIe Ievoes oJ Ovecian and oJ
nineleenlI-cenluv
Iilevaluve
and idenliJies a navIed
cIange
in lIe vaIues and alliludes oJ Weslevn
civiIizalion. Fov lIe Iasis oJ lIis
cIange,
Ie
poinls
lo lIe CIvislian
conceplion
oJ nan's viII. WIen a nodevn veadev veads lIe
Oedipus
slov,
Jov
inslance,
Ie
inslincliveI
asIs,
WIeve and vIen did
Oedipus
naIe lIe
vvong
cIoice? TIis
queslion
vas,
Auden
sug-
gesls,
unlIinIaIIe lo
SopIocIes's
audience,
Jov vIon lIe Jale oJ lIe
Ievoic individuaI vas
pvedeslined I
lIe
gods.
In
conlvasl,
lIis
queslion
is essenliaI
lo,
Jov
exanpIe, MoI-BicI.
WIen
Caplain
AIaI
Iosl Iis
Ieg
lo lIe
vIaIe,
il vas nol a
Jovegone
concIusion lIal Iis IiJe
vouId end in
lvaged.
He couId Iave cIosen
diJJevenlI
WIal lo lIe OveeIs couId
onI
Iave Ieen a
punisInenl
Jov sin is Ieve a
lenplalion
lo
sin,
an
oppovlunil
lo
cIoose.
B naIing
lIe
vvong
cIoice and
conlinuing
lo
naIe
il,
AIaI
punisIes
IinseIJ.
To
sa
lIal a cIavaclev is
lenpled
neans lIal Ie is conJvonled
I
a
possiIiIil.
...
TIe
possiIiIilies
ave nol inJinile . . . Iul lIe
possiIiIilies
ave
elevnaI:
lIe
pasl
is ivvevocaIIe Iul
aIvas
vedeenaIIe
nov.
|21)
Auden JuvlIev assevls lIal il is lIis eIenenl oJ
cIoice,
lIe aclive
acceplance
oJ Ovace
I
lIe Iunan viII, lIal sinuIlaneousI
naIes
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 99
possiIIe vedenplion
Jov lIe individuaI and saIvalion Jov
sociel.
Bul
again,
no
connunil
can Ie vedeened iJ il
vejecls
ils
deIivevev.
Ouv
posl-CIvislian age
Ias done
jusl
lIal.
TIougI
lIe cvoss and
ils
pvonise
ave
vead
al
Iand,
ve
ave,
IiIe
MaIin,
unvead
and
unviII-
ing
lo
accepl
saIvalion.
Accovding
lo
KievIegaavd,
il is lIis
sinuIla-
neous avaveness oJ lIe
possiIIe
and veJusaI oJ lIe
possiIIe
lIal
gives
vise lo
anxiel |BoI
149).'
I Iave lvaced Iov TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
JoIIovs lIe deleclive
slov
JovnuIa oulIined in TIe
OuiIl Vicavage
and Iov Auden's
depav-
luve Jvon lIal JovnuIa eIucidales cevlain lIenes lIal nan Iives in
lIe sIadov oJ
guiIl
and
anxiel,
lIal Ie cannol deIivev IinseIJ
Jvon
lIese,
and lIal Ie
JooIisII
veJuses lIe deIivevance oJJeved Iin
I
a
lvanscendenl and innanenl
vedeenev,
CIvisl. Bul lIe
veIalionsIip
Ielveen TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
and TIe
OuiIl Vicavage
Ias
el
anolIev
aspecl.
Auden noles in lIis
essa
lIal vIiIe
veading
a deleclive
slov
lIe veadev
enjos
lIe iIIusion lIal Ie can
escape guiIl.
TIe veadev
venains innune Jvon lIe
guiIl
casl ovev lIe
sociel I
lIe
daslavdI
cvine. Fov lIis
veason,
Auden
calegovizes
lIe deleclive
slov
as
Janlas
in conlvasl lo avl.
Avl,
Ie
vviles,
is
dislinguisIed
Jvon
Janlas
Iecause il
vequives
lIe veadev lo sIave in lIe
suJJeving
oJ
anolIev:
il
inpIicales
lIe veadev in vIal il descviIes. In lIe
IigIl
oJ
lIis
lIeov,
ve see lIal TIe
Age oJ
Anxiel--
Jov aII ils JanciJuI
aIIegov
and suvveaI Jealuves
-
is
suveI
nol
Janlas
Iul avl oJ lIe
IigIesl
ovdev. Il descviIes lIe
guiIl
and dvead nol oJ Jouv individuaIs Iul oJ
ouv
age.
Auden vas lo vvile
poens
in an
oplinislic
vein in Ialev
eavs: Iovevev,
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel
venains Iis Jinesl
aIIegov
oJ ouv
Jvagnenled
vovId.
Univevsil oJ
NovlI CavoIina al
CIapeI
HiII
NOTES
'Accovding
lo BIoonJieId's
IiIIiogvapI
lIis
essa
Jivsl
appeaved
in
Havpev's
Magazine, Ma
1948 406-12.
2InleveslingI,
Auden IinseIJ is
lIougIl
lo Ie lIe nodeI Jov lIe eccenlvic
deleclive
NigeI Slvangvas
in C.
Ba-Levis's
cvine noveIs
|vvillen
undev lIe
pseudonn
NicIoIas
BIaIe).
3TIe
nanes oJ lIese cIavaclevs Iave
given
vise lo nucI
specuIalion.
TIe Iesl
discussion oJ lIis issue is
pvoIaII
lIal oJ Edvavd
CaIIan,
CavnivaI 205-208.
'Hence lIe lilIe
lIougI
ve
pvesune
a
vicavage
is a
pIace
oJ
innocence,
ve Jind
lIal
lIeve, loo,
is
guiIl.
'TIe
anaIog
al lIe concIusion oJ Favl One
pveJiguves
Auden's use oJ lIe
deleclive
slov
as
lvope
in TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
100 BavIava FalvicI
6See Slan SnilI's vecenl discussion oJ lIis CIvislnas Ovalovio's siniIavilies lo
Auden's Jivsl vovI Jov sevevaI
voices,
TIe Ovalovs. In
IolI,
cIavaclevs deIiIevale Iul
do nol do nucI. SnilI
goes
JuvlIev lo lvace Iov IolI veveaI lIe
paucil
oJ IiIevaI
Iunanisn
|161).
'TIe
selling
is siniIav lo lIal oJ
SeplenIev 1,
1939 and lIe cIavaclevs
ave
siniIav as veII Losl in a Iaunled vood / CIiIdven aJvaid oJ lIe
nigIl
/ WIo Iave
nevev Ieen
Iapp
ov
good |CSF 74).
8In
AnlIen Jov Sl. CeciIia's
Ba |1941),
Auden invoIes lIe Benaissance
lIeov
oJ lIe divine
povev
oJ nusicaI
Iavnon
lo
suggesl
lIal lIe
Ionging
Jov
pve-
Iapsavian
innocence is
veadiI
evoIed
I
nusic.
AIlIougI
il
na
nol Ie Sl. CeciIia's
ovgan
lIal can Ie
Ieavd,
lIeve is a vadio
pIaing duving
lIis
opening
scene.
9In
TIe Means oJ
Ovace,
Auden cIaviJied Iis
undevslanding
oJ
anxiel
lIis
va
...
lIe
lenplalion
lo sin is vIal lIe
pscIoIogisl
caIIs
anxiel,
and lIe
CIvislian caIIs IacI oJ FailI
|766).
'1Auden's poen
Lav LiIe Love
|1939)
IiIens Iav lo Iove in lIis
vespecl
ve can
no nove conJine ouvseIves lo Iav's Iounds lIan lo Eden's. We can neilIev
expIain
lIe
Iav,
nov JIee
il,
nov
Ieep
il-Ience ouv
anxiel.
See aIso TIe Hidden Lav
|1940)
in vIicI ouv
Iapses
Jvon
vigIleousness
ave lIeiv ovn
punisInenl.
AcvoIals
appeav
oJlen in Auden's vovI as a
snIoI
Jov lIe
lvicI IaIancing
acl
ve caII IiJe. See
Man Happ
Beluvns
|CF 249)
and lIese Iines Jvon TIe Sea and
lIe
Mivvov
TIe
aged
calcI lIeiv
IvealI,
/ Fov lIe noncIaIanl
coupIe go
/ WaIlzing
acvoss lIe
ligIlvope
/
As iJ lIeve veve no dealI . . .
|311).
TIe
pIvasing
Ieve
suggesls
lIal Auden is
conlvasling
Ood's
viIIingness
lo
sacviJice His Son on ouv IeIaIJ and ouv
unviIIingness
lo
suIovdinale
ouv viIIs lo
His.
TIe
nispIaced pveposilionaI pIvase signaIs
lIal lIese indiJJevenl
peopIe's
JailI is in lIe
vvong lIings-nol
in lIe
povev
oJ Ood Iul in IeviIdeved nen.
Heve,
Auden inlends
pevIaps
Jov lIe veadev lo vecaII MallIev AvnoId's Bovev
BeacI We ave Ieve as on a
davIIing pIain
/
Svepl
vilI conJused aIavns oJ
slvuggIe
and
JIigIl,
/ WIeve
ignovanl
avnies cIasI
I nigIl.
13TIis is
vI
avl JaiIs in TIe Sea and lIe Mivvov. Il cannol save us Iecause il is oJ
ouv ovn
naIing.
CaIiIan
sas
lIal
onI anong
lIe vuins oJ ouv vovIs
na
ve
vejoice
in lIe
pevJecled
WovI vIicI is nol ouvs.
See Fov lIe
Tine
Being
And IiJe is lIe
deslin ou
ave Iound lo veJuse unliI
ou
Iave consenled lo die
|274).
As BandaII
JavveII poinls
oul,
lIe one
lIing
an anxious nan cannol do is vail
|453).
BalIev lIan vail Jov and
accepl
lIe Ovace oJ Ood,
Ie JeeIs Ie nusl acliveI
slvive lo save IinseIJ.
TIeveJove-
Ius slviving
lo save
IinseIJ--Ie
is IIind lo lIal
Ovace vIen il cones. TIus
Bosella,
in Iev
pvaevJuI vesignalion,
is lIe cIavaclev
cIosesl lo
Ieing
saved. As Iev
nane, suggeslive
oJ lIe Bosella Slone, inpIies,
sIe is
ouv Iesl cIue as lo Iov lo IinI
Iislov
and
pveIislov,
Iov lo veconciIe lIe guiIl
slale ve Inov so veII vilI ouv
Iope
oJ
veluvning
lo an innocenl slale. B
lIe
poen's
end sIe Ias Ieavned nol lo
pul
Iev JailI in
Iunanil |EnIIe's
Iove,
Jov
inslance)
ov visIJuI deIusion
|Iev inaginav
cIiIdIood),
Iul lo
accepl veaIil
and
lo vail Jov lIe
povev
oJ
Ood,
conJidenl lIal TIe Juluve sIaII
JuIJiII
a suvev vov,
as
Auden
pul
il in Iis
eavI pIa,
Faid on BolI Sides.
SoulI AlIanlic Beviev 101
WOBKS CITEB
Auden, Wslan HugI.
TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
CoIIecled
Foens.
Ed. Edvavd MendeIson.
London FaIev &
FaIev,
1976. 343-409.
. TIe CIvislian
Tvagic
Hevo. Nev YovI Tines 16 Bec.
1945,
sec. 7 1,
21.
.
CoIIecled SIovlev
Foens 1930-1944. London FaIev &
FaIev,
1950. Ciled
as CSF.
.
TIe
EncIaJed
FIood. Nev YovI
Bandon,
1950.
. TIe
OuiIl Vicavage
Noles on lIe Beleclive
Slov, I
an Addicl. TIe
Bev's
Hand and OlIev
Essas.
1948. Nev YovI
Bandon,
1962. 146-58.
. TIe Means oJ Ovace. Bev. oJ BeinIoId
NieIuIv,
TIe Naluve and
Beslin oJ
Man. Nev
BepuIIic
2
June
1941 765-66.
W H. Auden CoIIecled Foens. Ed. Edvavd MendeIson. London FaIev &
FaIev,
1976. Ciled as CF.
BIoonJieId,
Bavv CanIva.
W
H.
Auden A
BiIIiogvap.
CIavIollesviIIe UF oJ
Vivginia,
1972.
BoI, JoIn
B. TIe Bonanlic Tvadilion in TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
W
H.
Auden. Ed.
HavoId BIoon. Nev YovI
CIeIsea,
1986. 135-59.
CaIIan,
Edvavd.
AIIegov
in Auden's TIe
Age oJ Anxiel.
TvenlielI
Cenluv
Lilevaluve
10
|Januav 1965)
155-65.
. Auden A CavnivaI
oJ
InleIIecl. Nev YovI OxJovd
UF,
1983.
FuIIev,
JoIn.
A Beadev's Ouide lo W
H.
Auden. London TIanes and
Hudson,
1970.
JavveII,
BandaII. Fveud lo FauI TIe
Slages
oJ Auden's
IdeoIog.
Favlisan Beviev
12
|FaII 1945)
437-57.
NeIson,
OevaId.
CIanges oJ
Heavl A
Slud oJ
lIe
Foelv oJ
W
H.
Auden.
BevIeIe
U oJ
CaIiJovnia
F,
1969.
BepIogIe, Juslin.
Auden's
Foelv.
SeallIe U oJ
WasIinglon F,
1969.
SnilI,
Slan. W
H.
Auden. OxJovd
BIacIveII,
1985.