The unknown citizen poem analysis. The Unknown Citizen: Summary & Analysis 2023-01-02

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These are just a few examples of current events persuasive essay topics, and there are many others to consider as well. Whatever topic you choose, it's important to do your research and present a well-reasoned argument that clearly supports your position.

The "Unknown Citizen" is a poem written by W.H. Auden that uses satire to criticize the way in which a government values its citizens. The poem is written as if it were a eulogy, or a speech given at a funeral, but it is actually a tribute to an average, anonymous citizen who has lived a seemingly unremarkable life.

The poem begins by stating that the unknown citizen was a "model" member of society. He was a "saintly" man who never caused any trouble and always did what he was told. He paid his taxes, followed the rules, and held a steady job at the Ministry of Statistics. The government even built a monument in his honor.

However, as the poem continues, it becomes clear that the government is not really interested in the unknown citizen as a person. They are only interested in the fact that he was a "good" citizen who followed the rules and contributed to society. The poem suggests that the government sees its citizens as nothing more than numbers, and that they are only valued based on their usefulness to the state.

One of the most striking aspects of the "Unknown Citizen" is the way in which the poem presents the government's perspective on its citizens. The speaker of the poem speaks in a tone of cold, detached efficiency, listing the unknown citizen's virtues and accomplishments as if they were nothing more than data points. This contrast between the emotional, human experience of life and the clinical, statistical view of the government highlights the dehumanizing effect of a society that values its citizens only for their usefulness.

Another important aspect of the poem is the way in which it critiques the idea of conformity. The unknown citizen is praised for being a "model" member of society, but this seems to be based on his ability to conform to societal norms rather than on any genuine qualities or achievements. This critique of conformity speaks to the idea that society often values people based on their ability to fit in rather than on their individuality or uniqueness.

Overall, the "Unknown Citizen" is a powerful critique of the way in which society values its citizens. It suggests that society often sees people as nothing more than numbers, valuing them only for their usefulness and conformity to societal norms. The poem's cold, clinical tone and its focus on conformity highlight the dehumanizing effect of this type of thinking and encourage readers to consider the ways in which they value others.

The Unknown Citizen by W.H Auden : Summar, Questions Answers and Analysis » Smart English Notes

the unknown citizen poem analysis

H Auden does not transport us into another world. He added his share to the population of the country as the government wanted. This negative view of the scabs was the popular during the age of America industrialism. Furthermore, to be effective propaganda must be continuous and continual, affording the citizen no opportunities to find and take recourse in points of reference outside the dominant system of propaganda. He is a loyal and a friendly man.

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The Unknown Citizen Poem Summary and Analysis

the unknown citizen poem analysis

I give you an example of irony. The Unknown Citizen, by W. There, the youth learn society's expectations for their behavior. Society puts both men and women under pressure to fit the image of perfection, yet when a person does achieve this so called perfection, others ridicule them for succumbing to peer pressure. The man did as he was told, dedicated himself to his work, and was continually in the good graces of his employers. When peace reigned, he worked in a factory and was an ideal employee, but at the same time loyal to his trade union and popular with his fellows.

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Analysis Of The Unknown Citizen English Literature Essay

the unknown citizen poem analysis

In a nutshell, he had no free will of his own and believed in whatever he was asked to believe in. He left his job only once. With the piece of writing being a set of various lyric poems, the content can be hard to unpack but Rankine makes certain that even if the reader misses all the subliminal messages, they will certainly be able to understand the common themes inside the writing. The unnamed citizen lives a life that satisfies those around him: He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be One against whom there was no official complaint And all the reported on his conduct agree That, in the modern senses of the old-fashioned word, he was a saint. The poem is very ironical in its tone. A principled society focuses on equal rights, and not identical appearances or talents.

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The Unknown Citizen Analysis

the unknown citizen poem analysis

The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. The so many years have elapsed since the writing of the poem The poem still rings true today. William Hugh Auden wrote Unknown Citizen, which talks about a political. All of you would have read poetry that would have touched your hearts where the poet has transported you into another world- a world of imagination which takes us away far away from the real world in which we live. Did he only do the minimum? Thus he had become a cent percent harmless mechanism. The next few lines talk about the family of the unknown citizen.

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W. H. Auden: Poems “The Unknown Citizen” Summary and Analysis

the unknown citizen poem analysis

The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong we should certainly have Heard. He has everything that a modern man needs to have — a gramophone, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. He travelled to Germany, Iceland, China and also served in the Spanish Civil war. The poem is supposedly written on a statue somewhere built by the state. He was simply a man who did what he was told. This makes the government appear unconcerned with the true thoughts and feelings of its people, seeing them only as statistics. They looked for other people that were like them and they finally passed by each other and never knew that they were exactly alike.


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The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden

the unknown citizen poem analysis

He is very critical of the state taking control over the individual. He had been a professor of poetry at Oxford. He simply accepted peace when it was a peace-time and joined the army for the country when war was declared. It was here that his thinking changed from socialism to Christianity and theology. He is a model of compliance. These are the real questions that the poet is asking. The clinical tone which the poet adopts is very apt to describe the flawed methods of the government which based their judgment of an individual on reports and documents of his conformity and his normalcy.

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The Unknown Citizen: Summary & Analysis

the unknown citizen poem analysis

They were not being true to themselves therefore they missed out on an amazing encounter. Auden, is about a man who obeys the law and does what needs to done by a normal citizen. The other is that the problem is internal and they way things are run are not copasetic to citizens and people living in the United States of America. He listens to every dictate of the state. It ridicules the average citizen who surrenders his own individuality and accepts the wishes or the policies of a dictatorial government.

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A Short Analysis of W. H. Auden’s ‘The Unknown Citizen’

the unknown citizen poem analysis

As a conscientious man he bought a newspaper every day and his reaction to advertisements were normal in every way. It is abundant with irony or ironical statements. Written in free verse, although using many couplets, this poem is a poem that describes the life of a certain person through his records and documents. What did the social psychology workers find about the Unknown citizen? He was fully insured. The social psychology workers found that the Unknown citizen was popular among his fellow-workers and enjoyed the company of friends 6. He represents the mass society and has no distinctive qualities by which one can identify him.

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Poem Analysis: The Unknown Citizen

the unknown citizen poem analysis

The policy is taken out in his name proof that he was fully insured. The dictatorial government has erected a marble monument for the unknown citizen for conforming the views and policies of the government promptly and completely. He worked hard to live up to the American Dream. Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. The teacher said that the children of the Unknown Citizen were getting the proper education that the government had insisted. . Obeying the orders of the powers without a demur, he created no problem for them.


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Analysis Of The Poem ' The Unknown Citizen '

the unknown citizen poem analysis

Since it is the voice of one man working for the government, it is an interesting combination of the public and private view of life. In 1939 he moved to America and became an American citizen. At first glance, this poem seems like the well-deserved tribute to a man who lived the perfect life, but after a more detailed analysis, the speaker reveals his attitude towards his subject. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs. Happiness, then, is a natural consequence of freedom. The poem is intended to show a humorous approach to the modern world of 1938 which takes itself too seriously.

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