'Musée des Beaux Arts' by W.H. Auden

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About suffering they were never wrong,
The Old Masters; how well, they understood
Its human position; how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.In Breughel's

Editor 1 Interpretation

Musée des Beaux Arts by W.H. Auden: A Critique and Interpretation

Have you ever looked at a painting and wondered what inspired the artist? Or how they managed to capture such depth and emotion in a single canvas? W.H. Auden's poem, "Musée des Beaux Arts," takes us on a journey through the world of art, exploring the themes of human suffering and tragedy.

The Poem

The poem is named after the Musée des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium, which houses a vast collection of paintings from some of the world's greatest artists. Auden's poem, however, is not a mere description of the museum or its exhibits. Instead, it is a profound meditation on the human condition, using art as a lens through which to view the world.

In the first stanza of the poem, Auden describes the way in which suffering is a part of everyday life, even in the midst of great beauty:

About suffering they were never wrong,
The Old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;

Here, the "Old Masters" are the great painters of the past, who Auden suggests had a deep understanding of the nature of human suffering. He goes on to describe how suffering can go unnoticed, hidden beneath the surface of everyday life.

The second stanza of the poem focuses on the painting "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" by Pieter Brueghel. This painting depicts the Greek myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and fell to his death. But in Brueghel's painting, Icarus is just a tiny figure in the corner of the canvas, almost unnoticed amidst the beauty of the landscape:

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure;

Auden uses this painting to illustrate the way in which human suffering can go unnoticed, even in the midst of great tragedy. The ploughman in the painting may have heard the cry of Icarus as he fell, but to him it was just another minor event in his day. This is a subtle reminder that we are all capable of turning away from the suffering of others.

In the final stanza of the poem, Auden returns to the theme of everyday suffering:

In Brueghel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure;

Here, Auden is suggesting that the world is full of suffering, but that we tend to ignore it or look away. The ordinary events of daily life continue, even in the face of tragedy. The poem ends with the powerful image of a ship sailing away from the scene of a drowning:

And the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

This final image is a reminder that even the most dramatic events can quickly fade into the background of our lives. The ship sails "calmly on," as if nothing had happened, while the boy falls to his death. This is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life, and the way in which we often take it for granted.

Interpretation

At its core, "Musée des Beaux Arts" is a meditation on the nature of suffering, and the way in which it is often ignored or overlooked in our daily lives. Auden uses the lens of art to explore this theme, suggesting that great painters of the past had a deep understanding of the human condition and the nature of suffering.

The painting "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" by Pieter Brueghel is a key element of the poem, as it illustrates the way in which tragedy can go unnoticed amidst the beauty of the world. Icarus, who falls to his death in the painting, is almost invisible amidst the sweeping landscape. This is a powerful reminder that we are all capable of turning away from the suffering of others, even when it is right in front of us.

The final image of the ship sailing away from the scene of the drowning is a poignant reminder of the way in which life goes on, even in the face of tragedy. It is a powerful image that lingers long after the poem ends, and serves as a reminder of the fragility of life, and the way in which we often take it for granted.

Conclusion

"Musée des Beaux Arts" is a brilliant meditation on the nature of human suffering, and the way in which it is often ignored or overlooked in our daily lives. Auden's use of art as a lens through which to view the world is both powerful and effective, and the poem is a testament to his skill as a writer. It is a poem that speaks to the deepest parts of the human experience, and is sure to resonate with readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The world is full of suffering, and yet, we often turn a blind eye to it. We go about our daily lives, consumed by our own problems, and fail to notice the pain and suffering of those around us. This is the central theme of W.H. Auden's classic poem, "Musée des Beaux Arts."

Written in 1938, "Musée des Beaux Arts" is a powerful commentary on the human condition. The poem takes its title from the Musée des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium, which houses a collection of paintings by the Flemish masters. Auden uses the paintings in the museum as a metaphor for the way in which we often ignore the suffering of others.

The poem begins with a description of a painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus." The painting depicts the mythological figure of Icarus falling from the sky after his wings, made of feathers and wax, melt in the heat of the sun. In the painting, Icarus is shown falling into the sea, while in the foreground, a farmer plows his field, seemingly oblivious to the tragedy unfolding in the background.

Auden uses this painting as a metaphor for the way in which we often ignore the suffering of others. The farmer represents the average person, going about his daily life, consumed by his own problems, and failing to notice the tragedy unfolding around him. The fall of Icarus represents the suffering of others, which we often ignore or fail to acknowledge.

The poem then moves on to a description of another painting, "The Census at Bethlehem" by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. This painting depicts the biblical story of the census taken by the Roman Empire, which required all citizens to return to their place of birth to be counted. In the painting, the people are shown going about their daily lives, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Mary and Joseph are searching for a place to stay.

Auden uses this painting to illustrate the way in which we often fail to notice the suffering of those around us. Mary and Joseph are in need of help, but the people in the painting are too consumed by their own lives to notice or care. This is a powerful commentary on the human condition, and the way in which we often prioritize our own needs over the needs of others.

The poem then moves on to a description of a third painting, "The Triumph of Death" by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. This painting depicts a scene of death and destruction, with skeletons riding horses and wielding weapons. In the foreground, a group of people are shown playing a game of cards, seemingly oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them.

Auden uses this painting to illustrate the way in which we often ignore the suffering of others, even in the face of death and destruction. The people in the painting are so consumed by their own lives that they fail to notice the chaos and destruction around them. This is a powerful commentary on the human condition, and the way in which we often prioritize our own needs over the needs of others.

The poem concludes with a powerful statement about the nature of suffering and the human condition. Auden writes, "About suffering they were never wrong, / The Old Masters; how well, they understood / Its human position; how it takes place / While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along."

This statement is a powerful commentary on the way in which suffering is often ignored or overlooked. The Old Masters, through their paintings, understood the nature of suffering and the way in which it is often ignored or overlooked. This is a powerful reminder that we must be aware of the suffering of others, and that we must do what we can to alleviate that suffering.

In conclusion, "Musée des Beaux Arts" is a powerful commentary on the human condition and the way in which we often ignore the suffering of others. Through his descriptions of the paintings in the Musée des Beaux Arts, Auden reminds us of the importance of being aware of the suffering of others and doing what we can to alleviate that suffering. This is a timeless message that is as relevant today as it was when the poem was first written in 1938.

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