Hoe Does Auden Narrate the Poem 1st September 1939

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In the first two stanzas one finds the speaker in "one of the dives on Fifty-second Street" where he is both "Uncertain and afraid" (1-2). At first glance one could conclude that Auden or the speaker is merely in a small club, but with thought towards his sexual orientation it may in fact suggest that he is avoiding a crowded area where he would normally be uncomfortable (Miller). In the second stanza there is a strong reference to Germany by means of Luther (an anti-Semitic) being that which has pushed the German society to their status quo (14-15). After such Auden then makes a reference to Linz and a psychopathic god in lines 16 and 18 which seems to make an allusion to Hitler due to the fact that Hitler was born in Linz and could easily be thought of as a sort of psychopathic god (Shipon). Auden then tosses in the phrase "Those to whom evil is done do evil in return" (21-22) which makes one possibly consider that this may be an allusion, though not directly, to the Treaty of Versailles which in 20/20 hindsight clearly sets those who made the treaty as doers of evil. In stanzas three and four one is shown a more anti-American concept. Auden first makes a reference in line 23 to Thucydides who was one of the first people to suggest that history should always be recorded for what it is and not for the glory of the country that records it; because of such a statement, Thucydides was exiled from his home. Towards America this may reference things such as the old propaganda movies our military used to show which were filled with lies and stereotypes to make us think in a more pro-American way. Stanza four then takes focus upon the boasts of "The strength of Collective Man" (37). Effectually Auden starts to write this idea that the buildings we make show our greatness as a "vain competitive excuse" (38-39) which when considered is justifiably true. To make clear his

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