Funeral Blues Flashcards
Summarise the poem
The speaker is grieving the loss of a loved one and he has lost his whole world
Why does Auden use a lot of end stopping?
To create a pause to make it dramatic. He could also be attempting to have power and control over the reader.
Why might have Auden written the poem?
To reveal the importance of cherishing loved ones
How does Auden explore grief?
-By using metaphorical language to portray the immense devastation caused by grief
-“He was my North, my South, my East and West” suggests that this loved one gave him direction and made him feel whole
-“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone” implies the speaker wants isolation and to freeze time
-The imperative verbs are demanding the reader what to do
-Suggests the speaker wants control in a time of chaos and grief
