Interview
IEB poetry notes for Refugee Blues by WH Auden
- Course
- English Home Language
- Institution
- 12
detailed IEB poetry notes for Refugee Blues by WH Auden. grade 12 English
[Show more]
Content preview
refugee: someone forcedto leave their home,
seeking refuge. Written
Refugee Blues the poem meditates on the
plight of Jewish refugees—
forced to flee Nazi
just before world war 2 WH Auden 1907-1973 Germany, but unable to find
refuge elsewhere.
Say this city has ten million souls,
emotional and physical beings
Some are living in mansions, some are living in holes:
contrasting the upper and lower class
highlighting the differences in social classes
Yet there’s no place for us, my dear, yet there’s no place for us.
the speaker explains that there is nothing for them. not even a hole is available for
them to live in. they do not belong there. 'My Dear' shows couple/partnership (kind)
Once we had a country and we thought it fair,
looking back, reflecting. circumstances has changed from the time they remember as 'once'
the way they remember it, it was just and beautiful. But it was also their right as
their birth country
Look in the atlas and you’ll find it there: country could possibly be Germany
the only way they can see it is in the atlas, they can't get back
We cannot go there now, my dear,
its impossible, they are restricted.
we cannot go there now.
Inplace
theofvillage churchyard there grows an old yew,
referring to a tree
religion. where we are taught to tolerate.
Every spring it blossoms anew;
evergreen tree; it never dies or goes bare.
Old passports can’t do that, my dear, old passports can’t do that.
speaker is comparing the regenerative tree to the expired passport that can't do
the same; the passports are useless now.
their plan of action
Went to a committee; they offered me a chair;
sense of community and politeness
Asked me politely to return next year: they might not make it to next year
ironic, they were turned away, a lack of compassion is seen here. the image of a
'community' is broken down
But where shall we go today, my dear, but where shall we go today?
they are in a crisis, he doesn't know what to do. but he is still controlled when
speaking to his partner.
Came to a public meeting; the speaker got up and said:
daily bread alludes to the lord's prayer. ironic
‘If we let them in, they will steal our daily bread’;
direct speech- more effective in conveying the harsh words that were said. this
line relates to propaganda and xenophobia
He was talking of you and me, my dear, he was talking of you and me.
speaker feels like a victim, a sense of hopelessness
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller delamarekaylynn. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R50,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
77254 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now