'Funeral Blues' by W.H. Auden
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Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden: A Masterpiece of Grief and Loss
What makes a poem timeless? What makes it resonate with readers across generations and cultures? These are questions that have intrigued literary scholars and enthusiasts for centuries. Yet, there are some poems that seem to answer these questions unequivocally. One such poem is W.H. Auden's Funeral Blues. Written in 1936, this elegy is widely regarded as one of the most powerful expressions of grief and loss in the English language. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes and motifs of Funeral Blues, and examine the stylistic devices that Auden employs to evoke profound emotions in his readers.
Background
Before we delve into the poem, it is worth examining the context in which it was written. Auden wrote Funeral Blues as part of his play, The Ascent of F6, which was a satirical commentary on British imperialism and militarism. However, the poem took on a life of its own when it was published separately in 1938, after the play had run its course. It was included in Auden's collection, Two Songs for Hedli Anderson, and was subsequently republished in several anthologies. The poem gained renewed attention when it was featured in the movie, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), where it was recited by the character, Matthew (played by John Hannah), at the funeral of his lover, Gareth (Simon Callow).
Themes
At its core, Funeral Blues is a poem about grief and loss. It is a lament for a loved one who has passed away, and a plea for the world to stop and acknowledge the enormity of the loss. The poem is suffused with a sense of despair and helplessness, as the speaker grapples with the magnitude of his emotions. The poem also touches on themes of love, death, and the transience of life. The speaker's love for the deceased is palpable in every line, and his anguish is amplified by the sense that life is fleeting and precious. The poem also deals with the theme of isolation, as the speaker feels cut off from the world and unable to connect with others in his grief.
Structure and Stylistic Devices
Funeral Blues is a short poem, consisting of four stanzas, each with four lines. The poem is written in a regular rhythm, with a strict rhyme scheme (ABAB) and a consistent meter (iambic tetrameter). This formal structure gives the poem a sense of order and control, which stands in contrast to the speaker's emotional turmoil. The strict rhythm also helps to reinforce the speaker's sense of isolation, as he is trapped within the confines of his own grief.
Auden employs several stylistic devices to enhance the emotional impact of the poem. One of the most striking of these is the use of repetition. The opening lines of the poem ("Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, / Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, / Silence the pianos and with muffled drum / Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come") are repeated in the final stanza, with slight modifications. This repetition creates a sense of circularity, as if the speaker is trapped in his grief and unable to move on. The repetition also emphasizes the speaker's desire for the world to stop and acknowledge his loss.
Another stylistic device that Auden employs is imagery. The poem is filled with vivid and evocative imagery, which helps to convey the speaker's emotions. For example, the image of "muffled drum" creates a sense of solemnity and mourning, while the image of "frozen seas" suggests the speaker's feelings of isolation and despair. The use of color imagery is also notable, as the speaker describes a world drained of color and light. This imagery reinforces the sense of loss that permeates the poem.
Interpretation
At its heart, Funeral Blues is a poem about the overwhelming power of grief. The speaker is consumed by his emotions, and he longs for the world to acknowledge his loss. The repetition of the opening lines of the poem reinforces the speaker's sense of being trapped within his grief, unable to escape the pain. Yet, there is also a sense of defiance in the poem. The speaker demands that the world stop and take notice, as if his loss is too great to be ignored. The final stanza of the poem, with its modification of the opening lines, suggests that the speaker is beginning to come to terms with his loss, and that he is ready to move on, albeit reluctantly.
The poem is also a meditation on the transience of life. The speaker's love for the deceased is intensified by the knowledge that life is fleeting and precious. The sense of isolation and despair that permeates the poem is also a reminder of the fragility of human connections. The world may stop for a moment to acknowledge the speaker's loss, but it will soon move on, leaving him alone with his grief.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Funeral Blues is a masterpiece of grief and loss. Auden's use of repetition, imagery, and formal structure creates a powerful emotional impact, which resonates with readers across generations. The poem is a meditation on the overwhelming power of grief, and a reminder of the transience of life. It speaks to the universal experience of loss, and the desire for the world to stop and take notice of our pain. Funeral Blues is a testament to the enduring power of poetry, and a fitting tribute to the loved ones we have lost.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Funeral Blues: A Masterpiece of Grief and Loss
W.H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" is a classic poem that has touched the hearts of millions of readers around the world. The poem is a powerful expression of grief and loss, and it has become a staple of funerals and memorial services. In this article, we will explore the meaning and significance of "Funeral Blues" and why it has become such an enduring work of literature.
The poem was originally written as a satirical piece for a play called "The Ascent of F6" in 1936. However, it was later revised and published as a standalone poem in 1938. The poem is written in four stanzas, each with four lines, and it follows a strict rhyme scheme of ABAB. The simplicity of the poem's structure belies the depth of emotion and meaning that it conveys.
The poem begins with the speaker's declaration that "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker is calling for a complete cessation of all activity and communication. The speaker is consumed by grief and wants the world to stop and acknowledge their loss. The use of the imperative "stop" emphasizes the urgency of the speaker's request.
The second stanza continues the theme of the first, with the speaker calling for the silencing of all noise and the darkening of the sky. The speaker wants the world to reflect their inner turmoil and despair. The line "Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come" is a powerful image of the funeral procession, and it emphasizes the finality of death. The speaker is acknowledging that their loved one is gone and that there is no turning back.
The third stanza is the emotional heart of the poem. The speaker declares that "He was my North, my South, my East and West." This line is a powerful expression of the depth of the speaker's love and loss. The use of the four cardinal directions emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of the speaker's relationship with their loved one. The line "My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song" further emphasizes the centrality of the loved one in the speaker's life. The repetition of the possessive pronoun "my" emphasizes the speaker's sense of ownership and attachment to their loved one.
The final stanza is a plea for the world to acknowledge the speaker's loss. The speaker declares that "For nothing now can ever come to any good." This line is a powerful expression of the speaker's despair and hopelessness. The use of the word "nothing" emphasizes the finality of death and the sense of emptiness that the speaker feels. The final line "Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun" is a powerful image of the speaker's desire to erase the world and all its beauty. The speaker is consumed by grief and wants the world to reflect their inner turmoil and despair.
The poem's themes of grief and loss are universal, and they have resonated with readers for decades. The poem's simplicity and directness make it accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds. The poem's use of imagery and metaphor creates a powerful emotional impact that lingers long after the poem has been read.
The poem's enduring popularity can be attributed to its ability to capture the essence of grief and loss. The poem speaks to the universal experience of losing a loved one and the overwhelming sense of despair and hopelessness that can accompany such a loss. The poem's message is one of acceptance and acknowledgement of the finality of death. The speaker is not asking for the world to bring their loved one back, but rather to acknowledge their loss and share in their grief.
In conclusion, "Funeral Blues" is a masterpiece of grief and loss that has touched the hearts of millions of readers around the world. The poem's simplicity and directness make it accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds, while its use of imagery and metaphor creates a powerful emotional impact. The poem's enduring popularity can be attributed to its ability to capture the essence of grief and loss and to speak to the universal experience of losing a loved one. "Funeral Blues" is a testament to the power of poetry to express the deepest emotions of the human experience.
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