Essay - The Unknown Citizen by W. H. Auden Introduction W. H....

The Unknown Citizen by W. H. Auden

Introduction

W. H. Auden wrote The Unknown Citizen in 1940. The poem is essentially the"...epitaph of a man, as told by the state." (***** ***** Citizen) This poem reminds us of other satiric literature that intends to attack or expose overarching and dominating auth*****ity. A work in a similar ve***** is George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. ***** paper will attempt to explicate the poem in terms of its meaning, style and context.

*****n important *****pect to note is that the ***** was written in a particular social time and milieu; namely ***** United States ***** a ***** of social, political and economic upheaval. It was also the time ***** Great Depression. This event was ***** change the way that many people saw the related to the government. During this period in history ordinary citizens received social security numbers and this was seen as a form of de-individualization and depersonalization. In ***** poem, Auden is ***** making us aware of aspects of American life; namely, "...its superficiality ***** conformity. "(Firchow 454)

*****owever one should not make the m*****take of seeing ***** poem as referring only to one society or historical context. ***** is essentially a poem ********** the ***** that any bureaucracy to government can deprive human beings of their freedom and individuality through uncaring and anonymous control.

2. Brief biography

Wystan Hugh Auden was born in 1907im York, England. (The Unknown Citizen 2) He was ********** ***** the poetry *****, among others, Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost and William Blake. He published his first book of poetry in 1930. ***** collection of poems was to make him the "...***** voice of a new generation. "(The Unknown ***** 2)

***** was also well known for ***** technical ability in ***** as well as for the range of his intellect and imagination.

***** moved ***** the United States and become a citizen in 1939. L*****ter in his life he was to become deeply religious. Besides being a renowned poet, Auden w*****s ***** recognized as a pl*****ywright and essayist ***** was a m*****jor influence on m***** younger poets. He died in Vienna in 1973.

3. The*****e and imagery of "The Un***** Citizen"

The central theme of the poem is the loss of individuality due ***** the control and manipulation ***** government ***** bureaucracy. A ***** theme is the fact that ***** citizen is unconscious or un***** of way he has been manipulated by the authorities. These two aspects combine to create a powerful *************** attack on manipulation and control in society. Critics po*****t out that ***** poem is also a critique of our"... consumer society." (Firchow 454) This refers to the ***** th*****t the ***** ***** become a mindless p*****wn, a mere worker, who is subservient to ***** dictates of the larger authority.

***** poem uses strong ***** clear imagery to express its ***** theme. For example, the poem *****s that ***** citizen, had everything necessary to the Modern Man, phonograph, a r*****dio, a c*****r and a frigid*****ire.