Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 118 views

    Funeral Blues Question

    Uploaded by

    Sahaj Khurana
    W.H. Auden's poem 'Funeral Blues' uses strong language and imagery to express overwhelming grief over a loved one's loss. It employs techniques like metaphors, similes and hyperbole to vividly convey the speaker's despair. The poem leaves readers with an unforgettable impression of profound sorrow through evocative descriptions of isolating oneself from the world and erasing signs of life.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Funeral Blues Question

    Uploaded by

    Sahaj Khurana
    118 views2 pages
    W.H. Auden's poem 'Funeral Blues' uses strong language and imagery to express overwhelming grief over a loved one's loss. It employs techniques like metaphors, similes and hyperbole to vividly convey the speaker's despair. The poem leaves readers with an unforgettable impression of profound sorrow through evocative descriptions of isolating oneself from the world and erasing signs of life.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    W.H. Auden's poem 'Funeral Blues' uses strong language and imagery to express overwhelming grief over a loved one's loss. It employs techniques like metaphors, similes and hyperbole to vividly convey the speaker's despair. The poem leaves readers with an unforgettable impression of profound sorrow through evocative descriptions of isolating oneself from the world and erasing signs of life.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    118 views2 pages

    Funeral Blues Question

    Uploaded by

    Sahaj Khurana
    W.H. Auden's poem 'Funeral Blues' uses strong language and imagery to express overwhelming grief over a loved one's loss. It employs techniques like metaphors, similes and hyperbole to vividly convey the speaker's despair. The poem leaves readers with an unforgettable impression of profound sorrow through evocative descriptions of isolating oneself from the world and erasing signs of life.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    How does WH Auden use words and images to striking effect in the poem

    "Funeral Blues" (Sahaj)

    W.H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" is a moving and emotionally charged poem in which he
    utilises both words and images to make a strong impression on the reader. He wrote this
    poem in 1938 to express his overwhelming feelings of grief and sorrow at the loss of a loved
    one. Auden uses this poem to express the despondent emotions that he seems consumed by.
    Wanting a very public display of mourning for the one he has lost.
    The structure of "Funeral Blues" should be pointed out first and foremost. The poem has four
    stanzas, each with four lines, and uses the traditional ABAB rhyme pattern. With the chaotic
    emotions expressed in the poem, this structure offers a sense of stability and order. The
    reader's reaction is provoked more deeply by the comparison, which also increases the impact
    of Auden's words and images.
    Auden's phrases in "Funeral Blues" are purposely chosen to evoke a sense of loss and
    destruction. The opening line, "Stop all the clocks," sets a sombre tone right away by using
    the verb "stop" to convey a sense of culmination and quitting. This instruction appears
    repeatedly throughout the poem, underscoring the necessity of putting the world and all of its
    happenings on hold. This is in the wake of the speaker's intense grief.
    Auden also uses strong, evocative imagery to heighten the poem's emotional impact. He uses
    phrases like "Cut off the telephone," which conjures up the idea of cutting ties to the outside
    world and isolation in grief. The reader's comprehension of the speaker's agony is further
    enhanced by this isolation image.
    Auden also makes excellent use of auditory imagery in addition to visual images. He creates
    the image of words written in the sky by writing, "Scribbling on the sky the message 'He Is
    Dead,'" signifying the importance of the deceased's passing. This powerful picture perfectly
    captures the overwhelming need to let the world know about the loss. It is as if the sky itself
    must bear witness to grief.
    The impact of "Funeral Blues" is further increased by Auden's use of metaphors and similes.
    He compares the speaker's sorrow in the third stanza to "the stars are not wanted now; put out
    everyone," equating the extinguishing of stars with the extinguishing of hope and happiness.
    The speaker's despair is vividly expressed in this metaphorical language.
    Additionally, Auden skilfully employs hyperbole to amplify the poem's emotions. He
    exclaims, "Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun," using dramatic language to emphasise
    the speaker's desire to destroy the very foundation of the universe in retaliation for their loss.
    This exaggerated statement emphasises the overwhelming nature of loss and grief and gives
    the reader a strong sense of the speaker's agony.
    In a nutshell, W.H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" skilfully combines words and images to leave the
    reader with an unforgettable impression. Auden invites the reader to share the speaker's
    profound loss by evoking the reader's own emotions through vivid and evocative language.
    The poem transcends its formal structure and strikes a powerful emotional chord with its
    audience. It uses metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and strong visual and auditory imagery.
    "Funeral Blues" demonstrate Auden's command of language.

    You might also like