The poem, ‘1st September, 1939’ by W.H. Auden, was occasioned by Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. In this poem, the poet expresses his shock at the news. In the present stanza, he expresses his view that Germany alone is not to blame for starting the Great War. He says that correct research into the thinking of the German people from Martin Luther’s times to the present age can lead us to the conclusion that the Germans are great lovers of national freedom, self-respect, and national honor. The researches can also reveal the whole nature of the offense which lies embedded in the Versailles Treaty of 1918 and which has inflicted a great psychological wound on the German mind.
1st September, 1939 Analysis
I sit in one of the dives
(…)
A psychopathic god:
The poem can be read in full here and more poetry by W.H. Auden here.
Its violent reaction has now driven the German nation mad with anger and with a thirst for revenge. Researches should also be made to find out what wrongs Hitler suffered during his childhood and youth at Linz, a town in Upper Austria, and what great psychological wound his German nationalist mind incurred from the German defeat in the First World War (1914 to 1918) and from the Versailles Treaty. For those, psychological wounds have turned him into an insane German god. The poet implies that Nazi Germany and her dictator Adolf Hitler have been made almost insane by the psychological blows they have suffered.
I and the public know
(…)
To an apathetic grave;
In these lines, the poet expresses the view that demarcates and dictators have beguiled the people since ancient times. He says that having been exiled from Athens, Thucydides wrote a critical history of the Peloponnesian War (43 to 1408 B.C.). It was fought between the republic of Athens and that of Sparta. In his book, he has described the nature of the speeches of democrats and dictators about democracy. He has described the behavior of ruling dictators, and also the nature of the serious-looking nonsensical, promises they make to the people. Moreover, he has also commented on the nature of the common people. According to him, they are not only indifferent to politics, at heart, but are also intellectually dead. Auden implies that the nature of dictators and that of the people has not changed even today.
Analysed all in his book,
(…)
To make this fort assume
In this stanza, the poet says that the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany has shaken the Americans at heart, although outwardly they are indifferent to it. He says that all the activities of American life are going on as usual. They have not been disturbed by the Great War which has begun. The indifference of Americans shows that they feel as safe and secure as one feels at home. But the American Government is calm and quiet lest the Americans should see the dangerous situation they are in. As a matter of fact, the American s and Europeans are like the children who have got lost in a haunted wood.
And they are afraid of the night which has come on them. He adds that they have never been happy with their lot, and never good to one another. W.H. Auden implies that they are children because they are still immature and start fighting with one another. They are in a haunted wood, because all of them are still like wild beasts to one another. The night which has come on them is the night of the present World War. That they have never been happy with their lot is evident from their imperialistic policies. And they are not good as evident from the fact that they exploit the poor and the weak at home and abroad.
The furniture of home;
(…)
Who can speak for the dumb?
In the above lines, the poet describes the nature of the task his poetic voice has to perform in America. He says that he possesses only his poetic voice, and no other power, to undo the evil beliefs prevalent in America and elsewhere. The first evil is the conservative ignorance of the religious-minded. Then there is the fictitious lie of individualism. Its doctrine declares that nothing exists but the individual self. This doctrine rules over the mind of the materialistic man-in-the-street. The third evil theory is the lie of authoritarianism. It has declared state authority to b as high as the sky. And it has set state authority above the individual’s liberty. Auden mentioned evils ruling over the minds of the people. And he has to contradict them by means of his poetic power.
All I have is a voice
(…)
And the lie of Authority
In these foregoing lines, the poet says that his poetic voice has to undo the fictitious doctrines of authoritarianism and individualism. In this stanza, he argues against them. He says that the State has no existence independent of the people. The State authority is therefore the authority of the people. It is, therefore to be used for the good of the people, not to suppress their liberty. The state authority has no natural basis for itself. For example, the policeman is the unit of the State authority.
But he is as much subject to hunger as a citizen. The theory of Authoritarianism is hence unfounded. It is a falsehood. As regards individualism, no one can live by oneself, without the company or help of others. Evidently, the theory of absolute individualism is also baseless, and an outright lie. The poet then concludes that all the citizens and also the citizens and the man in power, must love one another as equals; or else they shall live and die, in the misery of selfish love.
Whose buildings grope the sky:
(…)
Show an affirming flame.
In these last lines of the poem, the poet says that today the people of the world have no armor of faith against the attack of the devil. They also lie stupefied in the night of ignorance. Yet some righteous men still illuminate the dark of their ignorance with flashes of their spiritual light, here and there, now and then. The poet says that, like the righteous, he is also made up of a righteous soul and physical body. He is also surrounded by the people of the same negation of faith and despair.
He, therefore prays to God that he may also fill his poetry with spiritual light like them. He prays that the elements of his spiritual light may be a positive flame on faith in God and His ways, and also the selfless universal love called agape. The poet implies that he intends to compose poetry of religious themes. It will be filled with spiritual light whose elements are faith and selfless Christian brotherly universal love.
