THEMES FOUND IN W.

H AUDEN 1907- 1973

Love is Fleeting
While Auden is known for his poems about heady themes such as death, totalitarianism, and
the role of poetry, he is also renowned for his love poems. Many of them, such as “As I Walked
Out One Evening,” “Lullaby,” and “O Tell Me the Truth About Love,” feature stirring passages
about how beautiful and inspiring love can be, and “Funeral Blues” features a man deeply in
love with another. However, for Auden, that is not all he has to say about love. Almost all of
these poems have a sobering undercurrent of sorrow, or of the desire to remind readers that
life, and love, are short and are affected by the vicissitudes of existence like sickness and
time. Love is sweet, but it does not exist in a universe devoid of suffering, waning of affection
or, of course, death.
Poetry Reveals Reality
Auden’s poetry evokes the terror of living in the middle of the 20th century, when dictators
in Europe suppressed their people’s freedoms, led their countries into war, and resorted to
barbaric tactics of mass slaughter. In a few of his poems he wonders what the role of poetry
can be in the face of such nightmares, and why he should honor the death of one man when
so many were being killed on the battlefield, on the streets, and in gas chambers. Writing
about Freud, he asks, “of whom shall we speak” when “there are so many we shall have to
mourn.” In the elegy for Yeats, he asserts his belief that poetry can still lift the human spirit
and “persuade us to rejoice” and “teach the free man how to praise.” Auden is a realist in that
he understands poetry might not directly influence anything, but its habit of calling things
by their real names (the sun, the law, death, love) can bring us into a better relationship with
reality.
Modern Horrors
Auden's poetry is sometimes cerebral, sometimes brutally honest and evocative of the
historical context in which he is writing. He is renowned for addressing the issues of his day
in a moving and relevant manner. The horrors of the modern world do not escape his incisive
pen; he deals with the dictators and their mad quest for world domination, the fall of the
masses under their leaders' spell, the stultifying bureaucratic state, the Spanish Civil War,
the bleakness and perhaps impossibility of the future, the psychic side of warfare, the bleak
landscape, the martyrdom of heroes and the death of poets, the unthinking use of modern
tools, and the bludgeoning of the human spirit through the great weight of history. Through
all this, though, Auden retains some hope for the future, pointing out the freedom that comes
from recognizing our true condition whatever our circumstances are.
Death
Death is an ever-present reality in Auden’s poems, cutting life and love short. It affects every
man, even those of prominence and stature, like Yeats and Freud and Bonhoeffer. It can come
in the form of martyrdom, sickness, or old age, or through war. Death is a weapon used by
dictators as well as a natural part of the human cycle of life and death. Auden does not shy
away from this theme, nor the difficulties associated with it. He openly grieves for a deceased
lover, suggests the futility of the fight between soldiers and their enemies in “Ode V,” and
showcases how a great mind (Yeats) can be rendered useless with the onslaught of physical
erosion. Death cuts short careers (Freud) and poses difficult religious questions
(Bonhoeffer), but the living can carry their messages and restate their work, albeit at a
remove from the original. Overall, Auden’s poems celebrate life, while we have it, and they
directly face the fact that life is always cut short by death one way or another.
Bureaucracy and Totalitarianism
Auden lived during the age of the great totalitarian dictators Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and
Franco, and saw the rise of the bureaucratic state. His poems deal with both of these issues.
Poems including “The Shield of Achilles,” “Friday’s Child,” and “September 1, 1939” address
the hubris and greed that led dictators to amass armies, brainwash their citizens, and
unleash war upon the world. He catalogs the various ways the bureaucracy keeps tabs on its
citizens and tries to reduce them to statistics and figures. Governments do everything they
can to quench the human spirit, but Auden's belief in the value of poetry as well as the
enduring human spirit counteracts this malicious tendency.
The Value of the Everyman
Auden may occasionally write of great men, such as Freud, Yeats, and Bonhoeffer, but his
poetry is equally famed for its celebration of the common man. In poems like "Night Mail"
and "O Tell Me The Truth About Love," Auden's imagery and language are common, earthy.
He presents a panoply of people, rich and poor, silly and smart, busy and idle. His depiction
of love in the latter poem is not the swooning love of the Romantic poets, but love scribbled
in notes, arriving without warning while the poet is "picking my nose." Average people
populate his poems and, while he criticizes them for not paying attention to important things
("September 1, 1939" and "Musée des Beaux Arts"), he seems to sum up his views with the
last line of "Night Mail": "For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?" Auden remembers his
brethren and neighbors of all kinds and celebrates their freedom and individuality.
Suffering
Auden's poetry can be funny, light, and sweet, but many of his greatest works deal with the
suffering that comes from being human. He writes of the rise and rule of the dictators and
the deadening bureaucratic state; the extinguishing of the light of great men who have been
valuable to the world; the attrition of love through unfaithfulness, sickness, time, and death;
the crippling nature of pride and greed; religious doubt; warfare; and the complacency and
apathy evinced by others when we are undergoing this suffering. Sometimes we suffer at
others' hands, and sometimes we bring it upon ourselves.
O Where are you going

O where are you going? said reader to rider,

That valley is fatal when furnaces burn,
Yonder's the midden whose odors will madden,
That gap is the grave where the tall return.

O do you imagine,said fearer to farer,

That dusk will delay on your path to the pass,
Your diligent looking discover the lacking,
Your footsteps feel from granite to grass?
 O what was that bird, said horror to hearer,
Did you see that shape in the twisted trees?
Behind you swiftly the figure comes softly,
The spot on your skin is a shocking disease?

Out of this house‚ said rider to reader,

Yours never will" ‚ said farer to fearer,
They're looking for you ‚ said hearer to horror,
As he left them there, as he left them there.

What is the significance of the title of the poem?

Ans: The title of the poem 'O Where are you going' gives us a message that
there are always such people as will scare you of the dangers in your way.
They will ask you not to go there. They will give you various negative remarks
about your destination and journey. So, the title 'O Where are you going is
very significant in this regard.

Explanation

This poem is a dialogue between a reader and a rider. The reader is a coward and lazy
person. He tries to threaten the rider of the dangers in the vaiey. But the rider is ready to
face every hardship witn a stout heart. The traveller is ready to carry on his journey.He is
very bold, brave and courageous. He is hopeful of reaching his destination after facing
dangers and getting over them. The opposite force (reader) discourages the traveller
(rider) from going beyond and says, "Where are you going?

You are safe and sound here. The valley beyond is full of dangers. There are furnaces to
burn everything. There are heaps of dung and rubbish on your way whose smell This poem
is a dialogue between a reader and a rider. The reader is a coward and lazy person. He
tries to threaten the rider of the dangers in the valley. But the rider is ready to face every
hardship with a stout heart. The traveller said to reader that God helps those who help
themselves.

The brave and courageous people are not afraid of hardships and sufferings of1 life. They
take courage and continue their struggle till success. They act on the prrnciple of "do or
die". On the other hand, the cowardly persons like to remain idle in their houses. They
every moment due to their fear of death. Hardships and sufferings rock around such
persons.

They become victim of their fear and die. The traveller said so and went on his way
leaving opposite force behind him. It is truly said that leave your cares behind you, your
happiness will find you. The poem is a dialogue between two imaginary persons
personified as Reader and Rider.

The Rider is a person who is bold, courageous and is ambitious to make his way through
thick and thin. The Reader full of awe and reverence tells him that the valley beyond is
full of dangers and that heaps of dung and rubbish lie on his journey ahead whose bad
smell sickens and maddens the mind.

The opposite force is working at discouraging the traveler from going beyond. You may
go farther and fare worse, the reader suggests. Fear and horror are trying to discourage
the rider from going on his path. The way to glory and success is vague and uncertain, but
it can be paved through with Courage and perseverance. The reader is fearer, coward and
lazy. He is not ready to get out of his house to learn and earn. He is frightened of hardships
and miseries of life. On the other hand, the Rider is a bold, courageous and ambitious
person.

He is willing to learn and earn well. He is ready to take his way to success. The Reader tells
him that the valley beyond is full of dangers. There are heaps of dung and rubbish lying
ahead whose bad smell sickens and maddens the mind.

There are dangerous animals, evil spirits and fatal diseases on his way to success. He will
die on the way in his attempt to reach the height of success. Listening this, the Rider said
to the Reader that a brave person makes his way through thick and thin while a coward
becomes victim of these crushing forces of life. After it, the Rider took his way leaving
behind the distressed "Reader".

This poem teaches us a lesson that way to glory and success can be paved through with
courage and perseverance. After reading this poem readers are able to understand the
difference between two types of emotions i.e. courage and cowardice. "Courage" and
"cowardice"are two opposite forces.

A coward has a large number of fears. He cannot face hardships and realities of life. He
also discourages other people to face hardships of life. On the other hand, a bold, brave
and courageous fares hardships bravely and gets brilliant successes in his life.
Themes:
 Deals with a sense of impending doom and a wish to escape.
 It seems to offer wisdom, but in a cryptic and ultimately depressing form.
O Where Are You Going is a cryptic poem which asks a number of psychological questions and looks into
the never ending battle happening within the human mind. It has no clear narrative and deals with a
sense of impending doom and a wish to escape. It creates a mixture of both fear and optimism.

Contrasts
- Contrasts are very important in the poem. The juxtaposition of the passive and active sides of the human
psyche emphasise the inner turmoil which Auden (and by extension, all humans) feel about making
decisions. The active part of the brain (the rider, farer etc) and the passive part (reader, fearer) are always
competing against one another. They could also represent the introverted intellect and the extrovert
lover. ‘Midden’ and ‘Gap’ be seen to allude to sexual images and Auden’s continued sexual confusion and
frustration. The contrast made between the ‘granite’ and ‘grass’ emphasises one’s fear to take risks and
be exciting. Auden worries that being adventurous and different (much like his poetry) will lead to terrible
disasters, as warned by the ‘reader’. His literary mind tells him to stay to what he knows and follow a safe
path, whereas his adventurous mind tells him to go out of the ‘house’ , a safe place, and into
the ‘valley’ (which may again have sexual connotations). The poem was the last one in his 1932
volume The Orators and as such is actually used as a leave-taking poem, and wonders as to what the poet
may do next.
Language

 Style:
 The poem offers symbolic names and metaphorical situations that seem to
reveal a sense of doom.
 There are many cryptic references.
 It uses speech, questions and answers.
 It ends on a sense of abandonment.

Gerunds – Gerunds such as ‘looking’ and ‘lacking’ are used to create an uneasy feel in the poem, like
something isn’t quite right. Gerunds are verbs which are used as nouns. They emphasise the fear which
the fearer feels about going out of the house and exploring the world. It makes him uneasy, and thus he
attempts to make the reader feel uneasy too.
Deformed, scary language – In order to convince the adventurous side of the brain that they are right,
the voices of the horror etc use rather disturbing and scary imagery. They play on the fact that
sometimes humans see things differently to what they are. For example ‘did you see that shape in the
twisted trees’ is a good example of how the horror in all of us tries to scare us by misconstruing objects
and deforming them to scare us. The use of alliteration ‘twisted trees’ here also sounds rather
menacing, as the ‘t’ sound is sharp and bitter.
Sibilance – Sibilance is used to give the poem a sinister feel ‘the spot on your skin is a shocking
disease’. It emphasises the subterfuge used by our subconscious to protect us but also prevent us from
doing things. Another example of this are the verbs ‘swiftly’ and ‘softly’, indicating a sense of secrecy.
The horror argues that we cannot always see what may hurt us, it isn’t always obvious, and thus we
should be careful. It is possible that the sinister nature of the voice could be related back to the Garden
of Eden and the snake which encouraged Eve to eat from the tree. The Snake is, in many ways,
representative of the part of our mind which tells us to go out and do things. Thus, by using snake-like
language and sibilance it is possible that the horror is trying to prevent us from ‘picking the fruit’ and
making a dreadful mistake.
MAINs
Through the dialogue between two opposite force i.e the Reader and Rider the poet has tried to preach
the philosophy of life that man is not made for defeat and one must be determined and confident to
achieve the goals of life without losing courage and hope. The Reader in this poem is the representative
of all those cowards, who die ten times before death. The valley is the symbol of hardships and
mysteries of life.

W.H.Auden and Musee des Beaux Arts

About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.
In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Musee des Beaux Arts is a poem that focuses on human suffering, tragedy and pain by contrasting
the lives of those who suffer and those who do not. The vehicle by which this is achieved is the world
of painting, in particular the work of the old masters.
Auden is philosophical and conversational, combining close observation with nonchalant musings.

Written in 1938, just before the start of WW2, it signalled an important change in Auden's way of life
and expression. He left behind his political persona and began to develop one that was more
spiritual in nature. At the same time he emigrated to the USA, abandoning England and Europe.

Much of his poetry relates to the state of the human heart, history, social trends and world affairs. He
embraced both traditional and modern forms of verse; Musee des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts)
incorporates elements of both.

This fine lyrical poem, Musee des Beaux Arts, is one of Auden's most celebrated short poems. It was
first published in 1939, though written by Auden during his winter sojourn in Brussels in 1938. Auden
begins the lyric by praising the painters of old, like Brueghel, who understood the nature of
suffering and humanity’s indifference to it. This fact is well-illustrated by a number of paintings of the
famous painter of Flanders.

His painting shows that he realized that while individuals suffer, the daily routine of life goes on as
usual undisturbed. People eat and drink and enjoy, the dogs continue to live their lives as usual, and
children continue to play unconcerned even in the midst of such a great tragedy as the crucifixion of
Christ.
THREE PAINTINGS

Some devout, religious minded people may care for Christ, but humanity as a whole is not much
interested either in the birth of Christ or his crucifixion. This general indifference is clearly brought
out by two paintings of Breughel, one depicting the birth of Christ or his crucifixion. This general
indifference is clearly brought out by two paintings of Breughel, one depicting the birth of Christ, and
the other his crucifixion. In the later painting as Christ is crucified, the crucifier’s horse goes on
rubbing his behind against a tree, totally unconcerned with the great tragedy.

A third picture of Brueghel entitled Icarus brings out this indifference even more vividly. It shows
Icarus falling from the sky into the sea, farmers hearing the great splash, turning to see what the
matter was, and then turning once again to their work entirely at ease and undisturbed. The great
disaster is also observed by the crew of a ship at sea. They are much amazed to see a boy falling
from the sky, and then only two white legs rising out of the sea. This amazement is their only
response to the disaster. No effort is made to rescue the fallen boy. The ship sails on unconcerned.
The paintings fully bring out the indifference of humanity to individual suffering. It is taken as a
matter of routine. This is the moral Auden has been able to draw from the painted scenery. Critics
have taken the poem as a satire on the callous indifference to suffering of the modern humanity.
However, it should be noted that Auden has universalized the truth by referring to the imagery of
Brueghel’s paintings. Humanity was indifferent to the suffering of others in ancient times when Icarus
fell, it was indifferent at a later date when Christ was crucified, and it is also equally indifferent today.
Thus, the imagery of the paintings has been used as, "objective correlative" to universalize the
human condition.

-----------------------------------------

The poem Musee des Beaux Arts, which means ‘Museum of Fine Arts’ in French, is a poem W.H.
Auden composed after he visited that museum in Paris. The poem is a reflection (meditation) on the
old paintings which depict life’s reality strikingly. Auden mentions three of the paintings which show
the place of suffering in human life. Disasters, tragedies and sufferings are a part of life; they happen
any time. But life has to go on. The poem also indirectly shows human beings' indifference towards
their fellow beings. The poem begins and ends with meditation. The description in the middle is also
in an ordinary language and rhythm. The poem is symbolic at places.

A SATIRE

Critics have taken the poem as a satire on the soulless indifference to suffering of the modern
humanity. However, it should be noted that Auden has universalized the truth by referring to the
imagery of Brueghel’s paintings. Humanity was indifferent to the suffering of others in ancient times
when Icarus fell, it was indifferent at a later date when Christ was crucified and it is also equally
indifferent today. This is an irony, but this is also the reality of life. Whether we cry and panic or not,
tragedies will happen and life will still have to go on. The tone of the poem is easy and
conversational. It is as if the poet were talking aloud to himself, or to some intimate friend.

It is not easy to say whether the poet has intended to satirize human beings' indifference towards
another. We are sometimes ignorant and blind to others' pain, like the horse. Sometimes we say not
fully understand, like the children near the pond. As experienced people, we have learnt to be
indifferent like the farmer or the people in the ship. We have lost sympathy and understanding due to
habit. We are ‘delicate’ and vulnerable ourselves like the ship in the sea. But so far as it happens to
others, we cast the same look upon everything, like the sun that shines equally upon pain or
pleasure. But, this is the reality. Our grumbling will not correct human nature. And at least some
amount of this indifference will be necessary for us to bear the sufferings. Without any indifference at
all, life would be unbearable.

Themes
W.H. Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" has one overarching theme that manifests in three separate
dimensions. This overarching theme is how tragedy must as a matter of course take place
simultaneously with everyday life. Understanding that, it is a given that both people and the universe
as a whole can proceed normally while an individual suffers.
Suffering Is Natural and Human
One of the key moments in the poem is when the speaker comments on suffering's "human
position." The speaker lauds the "old Masters" for their perception and portrayal of suffering in their
art. Throughout the poem, suffering and tragedy are envisioned in a number of situations. When
suffering and other important events—such as "the miraculous birth" of Jesus—appear, they are
juxtaposed with ordinary events. Although Jesus Christ will soon be born, children, unimpressed,
skate on an icy pond.
In the first stanza, the poem references the crucifixion of Jesus as "the dreadful martyrdom."
However, even this momentous event is taken in its stride, with the speaker remarking that it must
"run its course." Indeed, the end of martyrdom is described as being "in a corner, some untidy spot."
There, "the dogs go on with their doggy life," and a "horse / Scratches its innocent behind on a tree."
The poem does not minimize suffering as much as contextualize it. Suffering is terrible, but it is also
a natural part of living and being human.
The painting the speaker here refers to in shorthand as "Brueghel's Icarus" is actually
called Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. This title is significant in its presentation of information. That
"landscape" comes first emphasizes the importance of the landscape, the natural scene. If it were
reversed ("The Fall of Icarus with Landscape"), the landscape would be only a background. Instead,
the fall of Icarus is simply one event within a natural scene full of events. Auden chose to write about
this painting because of how it represents a spectacular death as one natural element among many.
The Universe Is Indifferent
If the poem presents suffering as a natural part of life, it also takes pains to explain that the universe
doesn't care. What happens to one person in a given moment may have little or no effect on that
person's surroundings. While the "dreadful martyrdom" runs its course in an "untidy corner," nearby
dogs pay it no mind. The line that says the dogs "go on with their doggy life" is key because it shows
how human suffering makes little impact upon nature.
A key example of this is the moment of Icarus splashing into the ocean. The speaker remarks that
the sun "shone / As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green / Sea." The words "as it
had to" demonstrate an almost tired sense of obligation on the part of the natural world. The sun
shines on Icarus's legs and the ocean not out of interest or sympathy, but out of duty. It is also worth
noting that this is the same sun that caused the wax in Icarus's wings to melt. After having
condemned him to drowning, the sun passively watches his fall without any sense of guilt.
Another moment that demonstrates the universe's indifference can be found at the beginning of
stanza 2. Here the speaker remarks that "everything turns away / Quite leisurely from the disaster."
The "everything" that turns away does not turn away out of shock or horror. It turns away "quite
leisurely" because it is not the least bit interested. That Icarus drowns makes no impression on the
natural world; soon his white legs will vanish into the water.
People Are Self-Interested
"Musée des Beaux Arts" doesn't concern just an indifferent universe; it also explores how people are
self-interested. This is not to say all people are selfish, but that they go with their own lives and keep
to their own business. Early in the poem the speaker remarks how suffering happens "while
someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along." The nature of life, as the
poem demonstrates, is that tragedy is a constant, and so people go on with their lives. The first
stanza references the birth of Jesus Christ ("the miraculous birth") in contrast with the attitudes of
nearby children. The children are said to "not specially want [the birth] to happen" and are skating on
a frozen pond, a carefree activity.
In the second stanza, two images illustrate the poem's point about human self-interest. The first is
the ploughman, who takes little interest in the fall of Icarus into the ocean. The speaker notes it is
possible the ploughman "heard the splash, the forsaken cry." However, he did not consider it "an
important failure." While acknowledging the tragedy, the phrase "not an important failure" shows that
the ploughman has his own priorities. The work of plowing a field is more important to him than the
death of a stranger. Another image illustrating this theme is the "expensive delicate ship" that could
possibly save Icarus but has "somewhere to get to" and "sail[s] calmly on." The speaker describes
how the ship's crew "must have seen / Something amazing" yet does not feel compelled to turn
around and help. For the ship's crew, Icarus's death is a spectacle, not a cause for diverting from
course.
Art and Experience
One of the most interesting things about “Musee des Beaux Arts” is that it gives credit
to artists, or at least to a particular school of artists, for understanding the experience
of suffering better than people ordinarily do. Art is often accused of being out of touch
with the realities of the world, of portraying life in a way that is either simplified or
idealized. Transforming reality is the nature of art. Some artists feel that it is also the
job of the artist to make the world appear better than it actually is or to show how it
could be better. Here, Auden is standing beside the Renaissance painters who believed
in showing one of the worst, most unpleasant aspects of the human condition: the fact
that the problems of one person do not actually affect anyone else in a significant way.
The poem tells us by implication that the artist who tries to depict humans as
understanding the importance of another’s failures is cheating.
Near the end of the poem, the style changes slightly, using more adjectives, becoming
more specific about what is contained in “The Fall of Icarus”: “white legs,” “green
water, and “delicate ship” do not give readers the actual vivid experience of viewing
Brueghel’s painting, but they are more specific about the details than the earlier part
of the poem had been. The poem moves from general concepts (such as “suffering”)
to examples (the skating children, the dog and horse) to details. In doing this, Auden
is covering all of the artist’s concerns, from social philosophy down to particular
shades and hues. He is also following the movement of a museum tour, from general
categories down to focal points on specific works.
Morals and Morality
The question that this poem implies is at the very core of any moral system: Why
should any being care about what happens to another? At first, the issue seems
innocent enough, since it makes sense that somebody must be walking, eating or
opening windows while suffering occurs. The world does not stop. As the poem goes
on, though, Auden gives us more serious examples of events which should affect
people, and the lack of effect that these events have. If “the miraculous birth” or “the
dreadful martyrdom” (references to the birth and death of Christ, a common theme in
Renaissance paintings) could be so easily ignored, then it would follow that there
would be no reward or punishment for good or evil. The lack of morality in the human
condition is most clearly implied in lines 12 and 13, where the impassive observers
are a dog and a horse but their disinterest is no different than the humans’. The
specific example of Icarus allows Auden the opportunity to go further with this
relationship between humanity and inhumanity. He personifies the sun, saying that it
“shone / As it had to,” and also the ship that “must have seen” what happened but
“sailed calmly on.” We are accustomed to thinking of these items as performing their
duties mechanically, without the capacity for thinking about what is right or wrong.
By discussing them in the same tone that is used for the ploughman, the poem
removes the whole aspect of morality from the range of human ability.
Public vs. Private
The noteworthy events discussed in the poem are public events that people could
observe and react to, but the people in the poem do not react. We know from popular
culture, however, that people are very interested in finding out what other, more
famous people are doing: whole newspapers, magazines and television shows are
devoted to reporting what celebrities are up to. The difference between celebrity
worship today and scenes painted by the Old Masters is that the poem specifies the
painters’ area of expertise to be “suffering.” We cannot say whether the witnesses in
the paintings would be any more involved in the events around them if those events
were pleasant, because all of the events Auden describes are about suffering. Even
though the “miraculous birth” should be an occasion for joy, the focus of the pictures,
as Auden tells it, is “the aged ... reverently, passionately waiting,” so it may be that
the skating children are avoiding the seriousness, not the situation. The use of the
word “important” tells us that some things that are available for public interaction will
make an impression, but that suffering does not make the leap from one person’s life
to another’s. According to the poem, suffering will even make us turn in toward our
own private thoughts when “something amazing” happens, overpowering natural
curiosity.
IMAGERY
The imagery in the poem is based off the painting “Fall of Icarus” by Breughal. Breughal’s painting
depicted a young boy who got too close to the sun and drowned in the ocean. The poem describes “a
boy falling out of the sky” and his “white legs disappearing into the green.” The line demonstrates
imagery connected to Breughal’s painting, in addition to bright imagery represented by the sky, in
addition to dark imagery that depicted a young boy drowning. Imagery of death was further evident in
the poem when the author wrote “dreadful martyrdom,” and imagery of life and brightness was further
seen when the author wrote “the miraculous birth.”
EXTENDED METAPHOR FOR THE LONELY NATURE OF DEATH
The poem is an extended metaphor for the lonely nature of death. The drowning of the young boy
depicted the idea that the loss of one life leaves little to no impact on the world. When the boy fell into
the water, “white legs disappearing into the green/ Water… everything [turned] away/ Quite leisurely
from the disaster.” Even the ploughman barely “heard the splash” as the young boy fell to his death.
Therefore, the poem shows that even something as tragic as the death of the young boy is insignificant
in the grand scheme of the world, and the poem figuratively represented the loneliness of death. In
addition, the poem contained allusions to the Bible. “The miraculous birth” represented the birth of
Jesus, while “dreadful martyrdom” represented the crucifixion of Christ.
MAIN IDEA
The theme of the poem is that no matter how bright the world appears, at some point, everyone will die
alone, and the sun will continue to shine just as brightly despite the loss of life. The poem stated that
“The old Masters” understood that it was just the way of the world that while others were performing
trivial tasks, “dreadful martyrdom” could be taking place. And in the same place where “dreadful
martyrdom” took place, a horse may be found “[scratching] its innocent behind on a tree.” The horse’s
carefree action at the location where one lost their life demonstrates human apathy for the tragedies of
others. Further, the poem depicted a young boy plunging to his death, but no one went to his aid.
Instead, everyone continued on “quite leisurely,” and a boat even “sailed calmly on

SYMBOLS
The Ship
The ship is symbolic in several ways. On one hand, it represents commerce, as it is described as
"expensive delicate," suggesting it's a merchant vessel. On the other hand, it also represents (along
with the ploughman) human self-interest. The ship doesn't hesitate when Icarus splashes into the
water; it simply sails on. Unlike all the other figures described in the poem, the ship is in a position to
rescue Icarus but does nothing. This is representative of how selfish humans will do nothing to help
a stranger in need.
The Sun
The sun in the poem represents an uncaring and indifferent universe. Traditionally a symbol of
heaven and goodness, the sun in this poem is destructive and unfeeling. After all, in the myth of
Icarus that Bruegel, the Elder's painting and W.H. Auden's poem reference, the sun melts Icarus's
wings. After melting his wings and sending him to his death, the sun watches, shining "as it had to"
on Icarus's legs as he drowns.
The Torturer's Horse
The torturer's horse is symbolic of the poem's moral complexity, reinforcing the notion that
mundanity and tragedy coexist. While the torturer himself would naturally be an evil, despicable
person, his horse is innocent. As the speaker expresses, "the torturer's horse / Scratches its
innocent behind on a tree." Despite the fact that the horse allows the torturer to get around, the
horse doesn't bear responsibility for the torture. The horse poses interesting moral questions:
whether it is evil to enable evil and whether it is possible to be unwittingly evil. However, the poem,
like the horse, offers no answer to these questions.

O What is that Sound

O what is that sound which so thrills the ear
Down in the valley drumming, drumming?
Only the scarlet soldiers, dear,
The soldiers coming.

O what is that light I see flashing so clear

Over the distance brightly, brightly?
Only the sun on their weapons, dear,
As they step lightly.

O what are they doing with all that gear,

What are they doing this morning, this morning?
Only their usual manoeuvres, dear,
 Or perhaps a warning.

O why have they left the road down there,

Why are they suddenly wheeling, wheeling?
Perhaps a change in their orders, dear.
Why are you kneeling?

O haven't they stopped for the doctor's care,

Haven't they reined their horses, their horses?
Why, they are none of them wounded, dear,
None of the forces.

O is it the parson they want, with white hair,

Is it the parson, is it, is it?
No, they are passing his gateway, dear,
Without a visit.

O it must be the farmer who lives so near.

It must be the farmer so cunning, so cunning?
They have passed the farmyard already, dear,
And now they are running.

O where are you going? Stay with me here!

Were the vows you swore deceiving, deceiving?
No, I promised to love you, dear,
But I must be leaving.

O it's broken the lock and splintered the door,

O it's the gate where they're turning, turning;
Their boots are heavy on the floor
And their eyes are burning.
title
Auden selected the title as ‘O What Is That Sound’, A very casual title, but when taken in the
context of the poem it is understandable because most people during war time were casually
living their daily lives when they were attacked by soldiers and had their lives destroyed forever.
As well as this, it is deliberately archiac, which makes it hard for the reader to distinguish when
Auden is referring to with this poem about war. From doing this, it provides a universal message
towards war that it is not dependent on time but, in fact, produces the same devasting effects
regardless of when war takes place.
*(Simple ballad metre – conversational tone
By the end the tone is sinister and worrying)

O What is that Sound Summary by W H Auden

The speaker of the poem hears a sound down in the valley from his home in
the morning. He asks his spouse what that sound was. The spouse replies
that it was the marching of soldiers. The rest of the poem continues in this
conversational style except for the last stanza.
The speaker next asks what the light that keeps flashing was. It is the glint of
their weapons dear, says the spouse. Similarly, the speaker continues to
question the actions of the soldiers and the spouse gives appropriate
answers. The soldiers all the while keep marching towards the speaker’s
house. The speaker thinks that they would stop somewhere before, but no;
they pass the doctor’s house and the parson’s church and the cunning
farmer’s barn, straight towards his house.
The spouse says he/she was leaving the speaker now. The speaker, afraid
asks him/her if the vows he/she took were all false. The spouse replies that
they were all true but still, he/she must leave. And then the soldiers break the
door and come into the house with burning eyes.
O What is that Sound Analysis by W H Auden
The poem starts with the speaker hearing drumming noises from the valley
and the speaker’s spouse says that it was just the scarlet soldiers coming.
The use of scarlet here is not expanded in meaning. It could mean that the
soldiers were bloody after fighting or that they were the ones who killed/or are
going to kill.
The light glinting off their weapons shows that the soldiers most probably had
a purpose on their march. It is said they step lightly which is to indicate that
they increased their pace of the march. The foreshadowing in the poem
makes its presence acute from here on. The spouse says that they were
either training or doing the march as a warning. This indicates that that
spouse had a faint idea as to the purpose of the soldiers. This also cements
the possibility of hostility.
The soldiers suddenly turn off course and this makes the speaker of the poem
kneel down. It is unclear whether he was doing so in prayer or in order to hide,
but we get the idea that there is a possibility that the soldiers were there for
the speaker. The speaker realizes that at this point but he does not take any
action and only keeps on hoping that the soldiers weren’t there for him, that
they would stop somewhere else.
The soldiers do not stop at the doctor’s house which eliminates the possibility
that the ‘scarlet’ in stanza 1 meant bloody. The soldiers do not stop at the
person’s house either. There is an increasing urgency in the voice of the
speaker. This indicates his hope against hope that the soldiers were there
were some other people. This idea is cemented when he describes the farmer
as cunning. The speaker was so desperate that he started wildly accusing and
guessing other possibilities. The soldiers start running after passing the
farmer’s house.
At this point, the spouse realizes that the soldiers were here for his/her
significant half. But that does not stop him/her from leaving in this moment of
crisis. This is shown in the penultimate stanza where the speaker pleads the
spouse to stay, holding him/her to the vows they exchanged during their
wedding. But this does not sway the spouse. He/she says that he/she still
loves the speaker but he/she must be leaving. This betrayal of the partner is
shown simply and without much ado, which makes it that much more brutal.
The narrative which was in a conversational style till now turns to a single
voice in the last stanza. The soldiers break the door and come for the speaker
and the poem ends here, leaving the reader speculating as to what happens
next. It might be guessed that whatever it was wasn’t anything pleasant to the
speaker seeing his previous frightened state and the burning eyes the soldiers
bore.
The speaker of the poem avoids the truth for as long as possible. He/she has
an idea of his/her deeds (which is not mentioned in the poem), and that
someday they would catch up to him/her (seeing the way he/she knelt upon
seeing the soldiers change course towards his/her home), but he/she still
remains inactive in light of the faintest chance that it wasn’t for him/her that
the soldiers were coming for. This avoidance of the truth ended up in him/her
being betrayed by his/her spouse; whereas if acted upon earlier they could
both have a chance of escaping together.
Central Idea of O What is that Sound: The central idea of the poem is to tell
frailty of humans. The speaker was frail when he continued avoiding the truth
even when it was right in his/her face. The spouse was frail when he/she
chose to escape leaving the speaker alone to face the wrath of the soldiers.
Tone of the poem: The tone of the poem is mostly expectant. The speaker
expects the soldiers to stop somewhere else. The tone is also a sing-song
one, contributing to its ballad-y character. The suspense is built with each
passing stanza. The tone in the penultimate stanza is one of shock and
betrayal. The poem climaxes in the last stanza with a matter-of-fact type of
tone.

LANGUAGE AND THEMES : VIOLENCE, WAR, BETRAYAL, FEAR, ----innocense

Firstly, every stanza begins with an “O” – this shows desperation and a fear of the
unknown. The “thrills the ear” in the first stanza suggests something exciting; however,
the “drumming, drumming” emphasises a betrayal to come, and a false sense of
security. Every alternate line contradicts itself, and this furthers the image of confusion
and panic throughout the poem. The “scarlet” used to describe the soldiers might be an
echo to traditional 17th and 18th century British soldier uniform (“redcoats”) or it could
just suggests the menace and hint of blood associated with that color.
The second stanza talks about the view from the couple’s window. The “flashing so
clear” literally refers to sunlight, but also suggests gunfire.

The poem revolves highly around the oppression the civilians are undergoing – the
“gear” shows how well-armed the soldiers are, while the reference to “usual
manoeuvres” makes the reader wonder whether the narrators are used to such
violence, and hence question whether it is a “warning” they hear. The “wheeling,
wheeling.” The reference to “kneeling” suggests a repair to religion in troubled times.

Finally, the last stanza is narrated solely by the first voice, after the second has
absconded. The use of the word “it’s” shifts emphasis from the persons of the soldiers
to the terrible impersonality of the situation as a whole, including the abandonment by
the second narrator.

The vulnerability of the people in this poem is emphasized first by their helpless
observation of the soldiers, and reinforced for the first narrator when the second takes
their leave in seeming betrayal.

 SO: Themes:
 Offers images of warfare and some images of romantic intimacy.
 It deals with the sense of threat felt by those who live in a war zone.
 It deals with a sense of impending doom.
 It deals with thwarted hopes and self-deception.
 Auden claimed that the poem was inspired by a painting of Christ being
approached by soldiers.
Spanish civil war, fear by the rise of fascism/ stalin’s red army—scarlet uniform/ red
coats of British army/ or just symbolize blood and deth

SYMBOL
. The “scarlet” used to describe the soldiers might be an echo to traditional 17th and
18th century British soldier uniform (“redcoats”) or it could just suggests the menace
and hint of blood associated with that color. .

"Scarlet soldiers"
= Although the time period is vague, different interpretations of the 'scarlet soldiers' can mean
different things.
= In the 19th century, soldiers commonly wore bright red (scarlet) uniforms so that if they were
shot and wounded, the enemy would not be able to tell if they were bleeding or not.

"Their boots are heavy on the floor

And their eyes are burning."
= "Boot are heavy" = Symbolic of dictators, supreme power, stamping on something = forcibly
suppressing opposition and criticism.
= "Burning" eyes = brings to mind satanic imagery and furthers the idea of fascism as
dangerously seductive.