NAME: AFIA FAHIM SYED COURSE: MODERN POETRY

SEMESTER: 3-A DATE: 17TH MAY 2021

W. H. Auden’s poetry highlights the modern themes of identity crises

as well as meaninglessness, uncertainty and absurdity of life
furthered through political manipulation. Discuss with reference to
“The Unknown Citizen” and “September 1, 1939”. Please ensure that
your essay contains at least 2 points targeting each theme that is
being reinforced through political manipulation.
INTRODUCTION:
W.H Auden, a modern poet, is known for his modernistic poetry reflective of structures and
themes of modernism. He discusses different social, political and economic issues caused by the
reasons of war. His poetry is a collection of affection, religion, war, modern horrors. His poems
deals with analytical clarity and also the purpose of human existence. He’s considered one
amongst the foremost skilled and artistic mid-20th century poets who regularly wrote in
traditional rhyme and meter. The poems are lacking balance and mainly dark content, pulled in
opposite support by the formal motivation to dream, the mythic and lacking active conscious
knowledge, and also the target drive to an analysis of the ills of society and therefore the mental
and good deformities of the people that comprise it.
Auden depicts in his poems current individuals absence of ethical quality. Individuals by and
huge stay apathetic regarding the torment and enduring of someone. While a person endures,
others are occupied with their standard work. Auden depicts that advanced individuals have lost
their affection or compassion towards other. In any event, when a person kicks the bucket, they
couldn't care less about it however proceeds with their everyday way of life. Through his poems
he explains that how modern period is disturbing human life. He was influenced by T.S Eliot
who also highlighted the problems of recent period during which people are moving off from
religion and that they are busy in worldly affairs. He described his frustration in five different
sections.

DISCUSSION:
W.H Auden portrays the absurdity of human life and political issues in two of his poems “The
Unknown Citizen” and “September 1, 1939”. “The Unknown Citizen” reveals a satirical portrait
of an unknown citizen, a citizen who represents the standard man and his lack of personal
identity within modern society. De-humanizing folks that reside additionally as self-admiration
on the part of the citizenship are to be blamed for the shortage of individuality.
The poem is essentially a protest against a world during which modernism or social data fails to
capture the human quality of life and this shows the meaninglessness within the lifetime of a
private and mass organizations and commercial exploitation try and destroy originality within
humankind. The poet highlights actuality picture addressing the characteristics of the “Modern
Man.” The language employed in these lines and throughout the poem is informal, and thus the
allusions to common possessions sort of a radio and a car, and devices like installment plans,
allow the reader to easily engage in and identify with the poetic statement.
“Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire.”

Auden's unknown citizen may be a model of conformity during a society where everyone must
follow the principles if things are to run smoothly. He does all the right things. The government
can produce reports to point that he did all the right things. He had the correct opinions, owned
the proper products, and even had the proper number of kids. During this poem, people became
noting quite commodities that needs to fulfill their roles for the wheel to point out. Conformity
has created apathetic and obedient citizens which is strictly what the government wants.
On the alternative hand if we glance upon the other poem by W.H Auden we could notice the
similar theme in his poem “September 1, 1939”. the fashionable themes of identity crises
likewise as meaninglessness, uncertainty and absurdity of life furthered through political
manipulation is well highlighted during this poem the absurdity of human life is described in an
exceedingly way that how somebody's being is born and thru which phases of life he goes
through.
"Imago," utilized in line 17, is also a term from biology, concerning the last word stage of
development for an insect, its adult form. In psychology, the word is utilized to elucidate an
image developed in childhood of an idealized person; that image, carried over into adulthood,
causes conflicts when it bumps up against reality.
Auden uses "imago" to imply that humans' must worship someone or something has created an
image that allows, or perhaps encourages, the sort of violence which can only kindle more
violence in retaliation. What’s missing is awareness of this basic human jealousy that privileges
oneself over others, leading not only to evil but also complacency and apathy when evil is going
on elsewhere, as in Europe.
“What huge imago made
A psychopathic god:
I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn?
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return”.

CONCLUSION:
Central to the poem's political message can be a rejection of populism and governmental
dominance. This can be often over just a denunciation of fascism. The poem implicitly rejects
the concept that governments are in command of the actions of states. Rather, the poem, with its
argument that the human heart is selfish, would contend that individuals are in command of the
evils that governments perform. When Auden talks about "a low dishonest decade" and "clever
hopes", he basically says that under political power people loose and forget their real identity and
because of this they create their life meaningless and through this present world people are effort
from religion.

LITERARY ANALYSIS RUBRIC

Outstanding Exceeds Meets Approaching Unaccep
Expectations Expectations Expectations table
 Intro/Conclu o Introdu o Intr o Intro o Introducti o No
sion ction oductio duction on or introduction
grabs n provide conclusion and/or
     attention sparks s does not conclusion
  and some context flow with
provides interest for the the
meaningfu and argume argument of
l context effectiv nt but is the paper
to a ely obvious o Introdu
persuasive introdu and/or ction or
argument ces basic conclusio
o Conc reasona o Concl n contains
lusion ble usion blanket or
effective argume restates vague
ly nt argumen statement
restates o Conclu ts, but s; needs          2        1
the sion recycles developm
argumen restates previous ent to be
t, but arguments, statemen effective
fresh but uses ts
languag new verbatim
e and language
meaning and shows
ful understand
insight ing of the
leaves big picture
reader
wanting
more
10    9 7       6    5        4   3
8
Thesis o Argument is o Thesis o Thesis is a o Thesis o Thesis not
clearly presents a plausible demonstrates evident; thesis is
articulated and reasonable argument; misunderstandi a fact or plot
  persuasive, opinion, contains a ng of the summary; thesis
contains an argument is legitimate prompt or text not in correct
original clear and opinion, but position
opinion focused somewhat
broad and 4 3
basic

5
10    9 8
7 6 2

1
Topic o Topic o Topic o Topic o Topic o Topic
Sentences sentences sentence sentences are sentences are sentences
and contribute s present and not linked to not evident
Transitions to the articulate make an the thesis o Topic
 highly precise argument o Topic sentences
  persuasive argument connected to sentences are facts or
nature of ; the thesis; show summaries
the logically however, misundersta
argument linked to ideas are nding or
thesis obvious and prompt or
basic text
10    9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

 This rubric has been adapted from Edutopia’s Literary Analysis Rubric 

Evidence o You o Your o Evidence o Evidence o Little or no

have evidence is is present, chosen does evidence;
  chosen, for believable but not support
the most and superficia thesis/topic
part, the convincing l sentences
best and o Textu
evidence to supports al
support your evidence
your point argument is
o Eviden irrelevan
ce is t 2 1
highly
persuasiv
e and 5
effective
7 6
in 4 3
supportin
g your
argument

10    9 8
Commentary o Creative/original o Analysis is o Analysis o Ideas lack o Anal
ideas and believable supports development; ysis not
  insights; and your misunderstandin present
extensive convincing argument g of prompt or simply
commentary, , a few , but text; illogical plot
refreshing; goes assertions ideas are argument; summar
beyond obvious may lack obvious y
 and basic specific and basic o Anal
commentary examples, ysis
but 4 3 does
10    9 8 assertions not
are still address
clearly 5 the
connected prompt
to the
argument
2 1
7 6
Style, o Sophisticated o Effectively o Blend quoted o Problems with o Serious
Vocabulary vocabulary; blends material sentence clarity, problems
, Sentence sentence variety; direct smoothly; but redundancy; with
Structure quotations are quotation sentence some quotes coherence
  smoothly with structure lack stand alone; and sentence
blended explanator variety- basic some vague clarity; most
y words and obvious; sentences; little sentences
and attempts to use of class need
phrases to incorporate more vocabulary or revision;
introduce advanced sentence variety most quotes
the vocabulary stand alone
quotation and lack
and introduction/
facilitate connection to
narrative the paper
flow; still
attempting
advanced
vocabulary
10    9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Task O All the O All the poems O Only 2/ 3 poems O The assigned O No evidentiary
Completion mentioned mentioned in have been poems have support has
poems are the questions addressed not been been added. 
addressed have been O The number of mentioned. O Supporting
with each addressed, required The details have not
point but there are supporting relevance of been added at
O The minor issues details have not the evidence all.
assigned of relevancy been added is also not
number of O The assigned maintained
supporting number of O The number of
details have supporting supporting
been added details have details does
perfectly been added not coincide
with but are not with the 
required connected           2        1 
evidence   back to the       
main thesis                     5        4            3

   7      6
  

 10    9    8
Mechanics o Perfect!o Effective o Minor problems o Several o Major spelling,
and (or 1 or 2 punctuation; with coherence, distracting grammar,
Coherence minor close to grammar, problems punctuation
errors) perfect spelling, with spelling, errors; distracts
punctuation, grammar, and interferes
but does not punctuation, with
interfere with coherence; understanding
the citations of paper;
understanding incorrect citations non-
of paper existent
10     9   7 6
8
5 4 3 2 1

Comments: Average: / 10

Grading Scale   1=40      2= 50      3=60      4=65      5= 70      6=75      7= 85      8= 90      9= 95     
10=100

Reflection Questions
Please answer these questions before turning in your essay. You must write your answer in complete
sentences.

1. What’s something in your essay that you’re proud of?

It covers all the points that are asked in the statement given by the instructor.

2. What do you think could be improved? What do you want suggestions on when I read your essay?
While reading my essay, the grammar should be noted, the tense structure and plagiarism should
also be noticed.

3. Is there anything else you think I need to know in order to grade your essay fairly?
Yes, the sources from where I took the ideas to complete and prove the given statement should
be noticed. The quality of my essay should also be noted and should be in consideration.