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  • Response To Themes of W.H. Auden's 'The Unknown Citizen'

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    Aahmad
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    The response argues that the author of the article only partially analyzed the themes in Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen." Specifically, the response claims that the author failed to consider the possible context of a socialist government, where citizens would have little individual identity and freedom. The response also argues that rather than warning about modern society, Auden was actually satirizing and mocking socialist rule through the poem. Finally, the response draws parallels between the anonymous man in the poem and citizens living under totalitarian rule in George Orwell's 1984.

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    Response to Themes of W.H. Auden's 'the Unknown Citizen'

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    The response argues that the author of the article only partially analyzed the themes in Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen." Specifically, the response claims that the author failed to consider the possible context of a socialist government, where citizens would have little individual identity and freedom. The response also argues that rather than warning about modern society, Auden was actually satirizing and mocking socialist rule through the poem. Finally, the response draws parallels between the anonymous man in the poem and citizens living under totalitarian rule in George Orwell's 1984.

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    298 views3 pages

    Response To Themes of W.H. Auden's 'The Unknown Citizen'

    Uploaded by

    Aahmad
    The response argues that the author of the article only partially analyzed the themes in Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen." Specifically, the response claims that the author failed to consider the possible context of a socialist government, where citizens would have little individual identity and freedom. The response also argues that rather than warning about modern society, Auden was actually satirizing and mocking socialist rule through the poem. Finally, the response draws parallels between the anonymous man in the poem and citizens living under totalitarian rule in George Orwell's 1984.

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    IEP 26 Brian

    Response to Themes of W.H. Auden’s ‘The Unkown Citizen’


    In my opinion, the author of Themes of W. H. Auden’s ‘The Unknown Citizen’,

    Julie Moore, does have some point in her explanation of the poem but isn’t entirely

    accurate. She mentioned three separate themes in discussing her analysis of the poem:

    anonymity, conformity, and governmental control. The anonymous man in the poem,

    although severely criticized by Moore, is definitely not the only one in the setting of

    the poem. In my opinion, the possible purpose behind The Unknown Citizen is to

    mock the government instead of to “warn us about the dangers of modern society.”

    When the author first discusses “anonymity”, she brings up how the man was

    merely defined by his perfect statistics and was not judged by his own character. This

    point is further supported by the fact that he was referred to by numbers instead of

    being addressed by a proper name. However, the author did not consider the possible

    setting of the poem. If the background society of The Unknown Citizen was similar to

    that of a socialist government, how could the anonymous man even have the chance

    of being recognized fully when the government doesn’t even bother to know its

    people and only demands control over its population? Sure, Auden did address

    anonymity here, but I believe he is also insinuating that a society under socialist rule

    would result in a loss of character and identity.

    Secondly, the author brings up “conformity”, saying that it has created “apathetic

    and obedient citizens” since they are all conforming to the rules set by the government.
    IEP 26 Brian

    However, I don’t entirely agree on this. Although it is true that the people are

    following the “rules”, the author did not consider whether they are even aware that

    those are rules. In many socialist or specifically totalitarian societies, the masses are

    often brainwashed to an extent that they don’t even think they’re abiding by the rules.

    If the man was like a Prole living under the regime of the Party in 1984, he wouldn’t

    even realize he was following the rules and his living conditions are bad. If we put

    these all together, it can once again be seen that Auden is possibly mocking socialism,

    even if he didn’t express it directly in the poem.

    Finally, the author mentions “governmental control”. This is the part I actually

    agree with the most, since Moore writes how the poem was written form the

    government’s perspective and that the government “does not truly care about” the

    man, as evidenced by the last two lines of the poem. It also implies that even if the

    man does have any negative thoughts or opinions, he wouldn’t be able to express it.

    The tone here gives me the feeling that the man is in a similar situation as Winston in

    1984, where opinions aren’t allowed. Again, drawing from this point, it is likely that

    Auden is mocking socialism.

    The life of the anonymous man in the poem is similar to that of the people under

    the Party’s rule in 1984 in many ways. First of all, both the man and the Proles are

    basically anonymous and all of “their kind” is unanimous under the government’s eye.
    IEP 26 Brian

    Also, the governments of The Unknown Citizen and the Party in 1984 don’t care about

    their people as long as they don’t break the “rules” and interfere with anything. Last

    but not the least, it seems that both works are satires mocking socialism, as they both

    demonstrate the deprival of the rights which we normally consider “basic”, such as

    freedom; and shows how small and unimportant the citizens are in the view of a

    socialist government.

    In conclusion, although the author did correctly analyze parts of the poem, she

    seems to have missed some points and possible alternative explanations. Throughout

    the essay, she was continuously mocking the unknown person for being an apathetic

    nobody without considering the possible background fully enough. Her analysis does

    not look into the deeper aspects of the poem and simply judges it from its surface;

    thus makes it less convincing in a way.

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