Understanding a poem is key to success in the exam. This section includes:
- The poem in a nutshell
- A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
- A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Auden’s intention and message
'Funeral Blues' in a nutshell
‘Funeral Blues’ was written by W.H. Auden and was first published in 1938. The poem is an elegy that attempts to encapsulate the immensity of grief and loss after someone has died. The poem is written from the perspective of someone who is mourning and wants the world to mourn too.
'Funeral Blues' breakdown
Lines 1–4
“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.”
Translation
- The speaker is asking for complete silence before the coffin of the deceased is brought out
Auden’s intention
- The opening line commands a dramatic and immediate end to all normal activities, indicating the profound sense of loss and the need for complete silence
- The clock, which could symbolise the passage of time, is ordered to stop, and communication with the outside world is severed by cutting off the telephone
- The poet is expressing a desire to freeze time and shut out the external world, reflecting the intensity of their grief
- The command to “silence the pianos” suggests that the speaker wants all celebration and dancing to end
- The imagery in the first stanza creates a sense of stillness and isolation that highlights the magnitude of the speaker’s loss and grief
- The final line of the stanza reveals why the speaker wishes for the world to be silent:
- They want utter respect for the deceased as their coffin is brought forward
Lines 5–8
“Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.”
Translation
- The speaker wants people to take part in the mourning and for the funeral to be acknowledged by the public
Auden’s intention
- The first line of this stanza introduces a striking image of aeroplanes circling above and the use of the word “moaning” associates the noise of the plane with death or dying:
- The personification of the plane “moaning” could also suggest that the speaker will only accept sombre sounds in relation to grief
- The idea for the plane to scribble “on the sky the message He Is Dead” suggests that the speaker wants the news of his loved one’s passing to be broadcast far and wide for everyone to know
- The speaker wants his grief to be displayed in public and the use of the plurals “aeroplanes” and “policemen” highlights how the speaker longs for collective acknowledgement of the loss:
- The image of traffic policemen wearing black cotton gloves adds a touch of solemnity to the scene
- This stanza mentions two colours, “white” and “black” which are associated with mourning, grief and death:
- It could also suggest that the speaker is not able to recognise any colour other than those in relation to mourning, or that all life and colour has drained from their experience
Lines 9–12
“He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.”
Translation
- The speaker reflects on the deceased person’s role and importance in their life
Auden’s intention
- The first line of this stanza uses a metaphor to suggest that the speaker has lost all sense of direction as a result of their loss
- The second line of the stanza further emphasises how the speaker’s life revolved entirely around the presence of the deceased:
- In the mundane routines of daily life such as the “working week”
- And also in moments of relaxation and calm such as “Sunday rest”
- The speaker continues to use metaphors to convey how important the deceased person was to them and the use of the metaphor “my song” could link to earlier stanzas where the speaker is trying to silence all noise:
- Now that the speaker’s loved one has passed, no other sound or “song” compares
Lines 13–16
“The stars are not wanted now: put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.”
Translation
- The final stanza shows the profound extent of the speaker’s grief
Auden’s intention
- This stanza begins with the speaker metaphorically suggesting that even the stars, which are often associated with beauty, wonder and guidance, are irrelevant and unwelcome in the wake of their loss:
- The command to “put out every one” implies a desire to extinguish all sources of light and hope, emphasising the profound darkness and despair felt by the speaker
- The second line continues the theme of extinguishing all symbols of light and life from the sky, which highlights the true extent of the speaker’s grief and despair:
- This stanza links to the previous stanza in which the speaker states that the deceased person was their guiding light
- Now that their loved one is gone, they are in total darkness
- The command to “pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood” further illustrates the speaker’s despair by using hyperbolic language to highlight the magnitude of their loss
- The concluding line encapsulates the profound sense of hopelessness and despair that pervades the poem:
- The speaker believes that their world has been irreparably altered by the loss and they cannot envision any possibility of happiness or goodness in the future
