THE UNKNOWN CITIZEN

THE UNKNOWN CITIZEN

Wystan Hugh Auden

Wystan Hugh Auden (1907_ 1973) is an English born poet , Whose  world view developed from youthful rebellion to rediscovered Anglo -Catholicism .in his work Auden reconciled tradition and modernism . Auden is widely considered among the greatest literary figures of the 20 th century .

Wystan Hugh Auden was born in York ,North  Yorkshire .The son of George Augustus  Auden ,a distinguished physician, and Rosalie (Bicknell ) Auden . Solihull in the West Midlands, where Auden was brought up Remained important ot  him as a poet .Auden was educated at St .Edmund’s Hindi hood and then at Gresham’s School ,Holt , Norfolk. In 1925 he entered Christ Church , Oxford .Auden’s studies and writing progressed without much success : he took a disappointing third -class degree in English  . And his first collection of poems was rejected by T.S . Eliot at Faber & .At on tie in his undergraduate years he planned to become a biologist .From 1928 to 1929 he lived in Berlin, where he took advantage of the sexually liberal atmosphere ,and was introduced to the psychological theories of Homer Lane .

After returning to England Auden taught at a prep school , in 1930 privately n London ,at Larch field Academy , a boys ‘ school in Helen's burgh ( Scotland ),and ta Downs School , Colwall , Hereford shire in 18932-35 .He was staff member of GPO film Unit (1935_) ,making documentaries such as ‘Night Mail ‘ (1935) , Music for this film was provided by Benjamin Britein ,with whom Auden collaborated on the song - cycle  ‘ Our Hunting Fathers ‘and on the unsuccessful folk -opera ‘ Paul Bunyan . In 1936 Auden traveled in Iceland with Louis MacNeice -Auden believed himself to be of Icelandic descent .

Auden first gained attention in 1910 when his short verse play called “ paid on Both sides “ was published in T.s Eliot’s periodical The  Criterion .In the same year appeared Auden’s POEMS , his first commercially published book , n which he care fully  avoided Yeastsian romantic self -expression- the poems were short, untitled ,and slightly cryptic .Auden soon gained fame as a leftist intellectual .he showed interest , in Mars and Freud and he wrote passionately on social problems ,among other  in LOOK , STRANGER ! (1936 ). However , by 1962 he argued that art and politics were best kept apart , stating his essay ‘ the poet and the City that “ All political  theories which ,like Plato, are based on analogies  drawn from artistic fabrication are bound ,if put into practice ,to turn in to tyrannies “Compressed figures of speech ,direct statement ,and musical effect chartered ON THIS ISLAND (1937) and ANOTHER(1937) and ANOTHER TIME (1940) , In the late 1930s Auden’s poems were perhaps less radical politically , suffering and injustice are not rejected as a part of ordinary life .the last works from this decade astonished readers with their light comic tone and domesticity .

From 1939 to 1953 Auden taught at various schools and universities .T.S Eliot believed that Auden’s long career as a teacher left too much traces on his work _ “ One tires ,” Eliot stated , “ o having things explained and being preached at .” Auden’s pupils remember his heavy smoking , tireless energy large black Flemish hat ,and umbrella he waved .”we called him Uncle Wiz,” one student told late. (W,H .Auden : A Biography by Humphrey carpenter , 1981 ) Auden believed that criticism is live conversation .When he was lecturing in new York in 1946_47 on Shakespeare he discarded his manuscripts after each session .However , Alan Ansen and other members of the audience managed to collect his tests which were published in 2001 . Late Ansen became Auden’s secretary and friend .

During world War I Auden was granted temporary status as major when he went  with the U.S.A. Army to Germany to report on the psychological effects of bombing on civilians .From 1956 he was a professor of poetry at Oxford and from 1954 a member of the American academy Auden lived primary in New York , though he also spent summers in Kirchsteten ,Austria . He was a member of the editorial board of Decision magazine ( 1940 _41) .Delos magazine ( 1968 ) ,and editor of the Yale  series of Young poets ( 1947 -  62) .

This poem is a brilliantly composed portrait of a bureaucracy taken to the excess - the point where t dehumanizes individuals ,its subjects , in the absolute . Auden meticulously selects his words to express .

The obsessive inanity of this mindless , mechanized State which knows its citizens only by letters and numbers , evaluates their worth with statistics and has a formulaic standard for virtuous living .the tone of the final two lines  0_ spokesperson’s spin on the situation ) is both ironic and chilling  .the ultimate question ,of course ,is whether this  is a portrait of a society to come of perhaps the society we already inhabit .