I am sharing 'Hidden Message in September 1 1939'

Poem by W.H. Auden

1. The Hidden Message in September, 1 1939 Presented by- Hinaba Savaiya.

2. M.A. Sem 02 Paper no:- 107 Twentieth Century literature: From World War II to the end of the century. Roll number:- 09 Enrollment number:- 4069206420210032 Email id:- [email protected] Submitted by:- S.B. Gardi Department of English, MKBU.

3. Introduction:- September 1, 1939 poem by W.H. Auden, published in the Collection Another Time (1940) The poem converts the poet’s emotional response to the outbreak of World War II. The Title of the work refers to the date of the German invasion of the Poland, which precipitated the war.

4. The author uses this primary interpration as a vessel to mask and deliever his underlying critique of homophoa. Auden uses codified language to conceal the underlying theme of lack of acceptance of homosexuality in society. The poem creates metaphors, such as a contrast of light and dark and uses implications through historical figures and government to show the offence done to homosexuals.

5. Details by The author and how to related A Hidden Message in September,11939?

6. Wystan Hugh Auden was born in England in 1907 and had two older brothers.Auden’s family moved around the country for various reasons, typically because of his father work. He was eight years old, he was sent to st Edmunds boarding school and after he receiving a schorship to Oxford in which we was going to study in the natural science.

7. Auden seemed to have feelings for fellow undergraduate men and these feelings had gone unexpressed. While at college, he tried to develop heterosexual traits through such things as psychoanalysis and celibacy. While in Berlin, Auden began a process of self examination that allowed him to understand his sextual nature.

8. The fact that Auden met and fell in love with young man Kallman in 1939 the same year that he wrote “September 1 1939”. This idea shows up in his peom, Auden uses the historical event of war as a platform to state his own personal philosophy.

9. Which type of Metaphor used in this poem? In this poem, Auden creates a metaphor of Light and Dark. The meaning behind the metaphor in terms of the intolerance of homosexuality interpretation is the light represents those who are accepting and embrace homosextual lifestyle. Dark is those who are intolerant and look down on homosextuals. In this line “ Waves of anger and fear/ Circulate over the bright and darkened lands of the earth”

10. The feeling of fear represent the feelings that people felt towards the nation of homosextuals because being openly gay was a new concept of the society. Auden continues his metaphor of light and dark by stating that, “The Lights must never go out” He is trying to express the idea that if love is lost, humans are doomed. In the perspective of war, the love is the honesty and respect between humans, while homosexual interpretation takes the idea that if we do not learn to love and tolerate one another, we are doomed.

11. Historical References to support his perspective:- The first major reference is the mention of Martin Luther. Auden claim that
“ Scholarship can/ Unearth the whole offence/ from Luther until now” To Parallel the religious ideology that Hitler shared with Martine Luther. Both menwere anti-semities but also both spoke against homosexuality.

12. Another reference that Auden makes is Ninjinsky and Diaghilev. The line speaks of “ What Is true of the normal heart” “ Love for all Love alone” Which in the context of the war, Auden uses this reference to emphasize the idea that people seek isolation and avoid love for one another and confrontation. Auden includes this reference because Nijilsky and Diaghilev were homosextuals and subject Auden uses Ninjinsky to speak is love.

13. Conclusion:- Auden’s personal life and the language and reference with in the poem give evidence to a deeper meaning. Auden loved to play with language and help people self reflect by reading his work. By creating a poem with two levels of interpretation. Auden is able to speak about two different subject that he feels very strongly about of which work together to rally for a more honest tolerable world.

14. Work Citation:- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "September 1, 1939". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Dec. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/September-1-1939 . Accessed 12 April 2022. Walker, Morgan. “Morgan Walker: A Hidden Message: Auden’s Personal Protest in Time of War.” Modern American Poetry, THE SUBULTERN, 10 Aug. 2013.