The Unknown Citizen poem by W. H. Auden
The Unknown Citizen by W. H. Auden [Summary]
W. H. Auden’s poem ‘The Unknown Citizen’ is about an unnamed person who has become a victim of capitalist society. The person has no name and he has been given only a number, to whom the monument has been built. The speaker in "The Unknown Citizen" is a representative of the state who details the lifestyle of the unnamed citizen.
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The
unknown citizen has been presented as a saint not because he searched for God but
because he served the government perfectly. He worked in a large
company. He did not get dismissed from his job during his tenure. The unnamed
person was a member of the Union and paid all his dues to the union. A
governmental organization, the social psychology workers, found that he was
popular among his fellow workers. As expected, he also bought a newspaper every
day. He always put normal views on advertisements.
He had good health. Although he went to the hospital once, was cured. The citizen followed the government’s policy by buying things on an installment basis. He had everything a modern man required at home. When there was peace, he supported it. And when there was war, he was ready to fight. He had no personal views on anything. He had the right number of children and he did not interfere with their education.
By the end of the poem, the poet asks two questions. Was he free during his life? Was he really happy? No government records can ever answer these kinds of questions. Ironically, the poet advocates that the modern man is a slave to routine and he is incapable of understanding of concepts freedom and happiness.
Thus, this poem, "The Unknown Citizen" is a bitter satire on modern society. The title of the poem vividly shows that it is a memorial poem.
The Unknown Citizen by W. H. Auden [question answer]
Who
is the "he" referred to in the first line in the poem The Unknown
Citizen? Why is he nameless?
Ans:
He is referred to as the unknown citizen in the first line. He contributed a
lot for the sake of the nation but his contribution is not counted by the
nation. So, to satire the modern government, he is nameless.
What is the basic problem exposed in this poem The Unknown Citizen?
Ans: The basic
problem in the poem is that the state controls the average man that ignores the
need for a man to be free and happy.
In the poem ‘The What is the modern sense of the word "saint"?
Ans:
The modern sense of the word, "saint" is not to search for God but to
serve the government perfectly.
The
poem lists several items necessary to modern man. Does the list give you a clue
to the date of the poem’s authorship?
Ans:
The poem lists several items necessary to modern men such as the concept of
Fudge Motors INC, Research, and High-Grade Living giving us a clue to the date
of the poem's authorship. High-Grade Living was the name of the insurance
company of his time.
What is the meaning of the final line of the poem The Unknown Citizen?
Ans:
The meaning of the final line is to show the gap in freedom of the modern man
in industrial countries. At the end of the poem, the poet asks two questions.
Was he free? Was he happy? No government statistics can ever answer these kinds
of questions. By asking these questions, the poet is drawing our attention to the
question of freedom and happiness. Ironically, the poet suggests that the
modern man is a slave to routine and he is incapable of understanding concepts
of freedom and happiness.
Are the questions at the conclusion really "absurd"?
Ans:
Ironically, the poet suggests that the modern man is a slave to time and he is
incapable of understanding ideas of freedom and happiness. Therefore, such a
question in this context would be ' absurd '. Thus, this poem is a bitter
attack on modern society for its indifference toward individuality and
identity. The only way for an individual to survive in a regimented society is
to conform, obey and live in perpetual mental slavery.
What tendencies in our civilization does Auden satirize in the poem ‘The Unknown Citizen’?
Ans:
The poem is a satire of standardization at the expense of individualism. The
poem is implicitly the work of a government agency at some point in the future
when modern bureaucratizing trends have reached the point where citizens are
known by arbitrary numbers and letters, not personal names.
This
poem The Unknown Citizen chronicles a life. How would it have to be changed to
chronicle the life of a Nepali citizen? Make these changes in the poem.
Ans:
It is a chronicle poem in which modern man's factual situation has been shown.
In Nepal, many governmental job holders especially armies make great
contributions to the nation. They forget their family members go to war and
become martyrs while fighting for the sake of the nation. So, if they are
killed, the government should take responsibility to support their family. If
they are retired, the government with giving much respect should provide them
an honorable job.
What
do the concepts of freedom and happiness have to do with the person's life?
How? Why?
Ans:
The word freedom refers to the possibility that every person has to make
decisions regarding their own lives, yet with certain limitations. We can
choose from a variety of options but at the same time, we must not endanger the
freedom of others. Absolute freedom should not exist.
Freedom of thought,
opinion, creativity, and faith are fundamental human rights that are found in
the constitutions of numerous acts of international significance. Freedom in
this context is not physical, but a spiritual creation, belief, thought, and
free manifestation.
Freedom of expression is one of the most debated issues in recent years. The conflicts between civilizations are centered on the issue of the right of individuals to express their views and opinions. It is obvious that when people are allowed to freely express their ideas, their opinions will be various. At that time, we must be able to guarantee the coexistence of those opinions. Freedom of expression does not require following the opinion of the people, but we must give everybody the right to expose their ideas. When you know that you can choose then you are free. Freedom of speech does not mean saying anything, but to know that you can afford to say anything.