The Importance of Death in Auden

In the world of literature, death's always been a big topic that grabs writers' and readers' attention. It's something that brings out all sorts of feelings and makes you think deeply about life and what it means to be mortal. W.H. Auden, the famous English poet, was really into exploring death in his work. By diving into Auden's poetry, we get a better idea of how death impacts us and why it's so important in our lives.

The Inevitability of Death

One major theme is how unavoidable death is. Auden shows us that we all have to face this truth eventually. In "Funeral Blues," he paints a picture of raw sadness and loss when someone close to us dies. He says, "He was my North, my South, my East and West, / My working week and my Sunday rest." Those lines hit hard, showing just how lost and empty you can feel after losing someone.

The Transformative Power of Death

But Auden doesn't stop at just showing the pain; he also talks about how death can change things for the better. In "In Memory of W.B. Yeats," he suggests that an artist's work might reach new heights after they pass away. He writes, "The words of a dead man / Are modified in the guts of the living." It seems like he's saying that after someone dies, their art gets a new kind of urgency and even immortality. Death lets an artist's voice be heard loud and clear by people who come after them.

Death and Society

Auden also looks at death from a bigger angle—not just about one person but society as a whole. In "The Unknown Citizen," he thinks about folks who live ordinary lives without making much impact on the world. He jots down, "And our Social Psychology workers found / That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink." This satirical line pokes fun at societies that care more about fitting in than standing out, reducing life's value to mere data points. He wants us to see death as not only personal but also as a mirror reflecting society's values.

The Philosophical Implications of Death

Auden digs deep into what death means philosophically too. In "The Age of Anxiety," he dives into the fear we feel knowing we're all gonna die someday. He pens, "We would rather be ruined than changed / We would rather die in our dread / Than climb the cross of the moment / And let our illusions die." He's capturing how scared people are when faced with mortality—they'd prefer sticking with their fears instead of changing or facing reality.

Conclusion

You can't overlook how important death is in Auden's poems. Through exploring this universal theme, he invites us to think about life, mortality, and where we fit in this world. His poems remind us that death isn't just an ending; it's also something that pushes personal growth and creativity forward. When you dig into his work, you understand more about human life complexities and why death matters so much in shaping it all. Like Auden said once: "Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic." You can't ignore it; by embracing its presence, you start seeing life's beauty and fragility.

References

• Auden, W.H., & Mendelson, E. (Ed.). (1976). The English Auden: Poems, Essays and Dramatic Writings 1927-1939. Faber & Faber.
• Mendelson, E., (1981). Early Auden. Viking Press.
• Bloom, H., (2003). W.H Auden: Comprehensive Research & Study Guide Bloom’s Major Poets Series. Chelsea House Publishers.
• Sacks, P.M., (1994). The English Elegy: Studies in the Genre from Spenser to Yeats. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Davenport-Hines R., (1995). Auden. Vintage Books USA.