About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.
In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
First Instinct
After reading through the poem by Auden, my first reaction to the poem is that in the beginning of the poem, it is discussing elderly individuals. In the first stanza it mentions how elderly people have suffered and are suffering due their age. However, more individuals are being born into their life as they continue to suffer. With the new addition to the family, the elderly individuals begin to suffer even more because they wish they were that young once again. However in the second stanza, Auden mentions a famous piece of art. In this piece of art is shows that opposite of the first stanza. A young boy seems to be in trouble but the elderly farmer does not even attempt to help save the boy. However, in the end a ship appears and saves the young boy from drowning.
Paraphrasing
People are never wrong about suffering
the elderly people; understand it well
and its human position. How it takes place
While somebody is eating or opening the window
Or just boringly walking around;
How, the elderly are respectfully, and keenly waiting
For a baby, there always must be
Children do not especially want it to happen, Skating
On a pond by edge of woods:
Never to forget
That even the horrible misery must run its course
Anyway in a corner, some messy spot
Where the dogs go on their life and the intimidator's horse
Cuts its naïve butt on a tree.
the elderly people; understand it well
and its human position. How it takes place
While somebody is eating or opening the window
Or just boringly walking around;
How, the elderly are respectfully, and keenly waiting
For a baby, there always must be
Children do not especially want it to happen, Skating
On a pond by edge of woods:
Never to forget
That even the horrible misery must run its course
Anyway in a corner, some messy spot
Where the dogs go on their life and the intimidator's horse
Cuts its naïve butt on a tree.
In Icarus, how everything turns away
Rather unhurried from the tragedy; the farmer may
Have heard the splashes and the cries for help
But for him it was not important; the sun shine
As it had to on the legs disappearing into the grass
Water and the ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy fell out of the sky,
Had to go somewhere and sailed away.
Rather unhurried from the tragedy; the farmer may
Have heard the splashes and the cries for help
But for him it was not important; the sun shine
As it had to on the legs disappearing into the grass
Water and the ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy fell out of the sky,
Had to go somewhere and sailed away.
SWIFTT
Syntax/Word: The long stanzas functions to allow the author to describe how art establishes itself. The structure supports the author’s purpose because having to long stanzas allowing the author to give a real life example of suffering and then an example of suffering in art. Throughout the poem, Auden uses childish phrases to describe things discussed within the poem. The childish phrases are used to distract the readers from what they are truly readers. This is like children participating in childish activities to distract them from what is occurring in their lives.
Imagery: After reading through the second stanza, the readers can conclude that the whole second half of the poem is imagery itself. It is imagery itself because Auden is describing a specific painting. The image of this picture depicts a picture of a boy drowning, crying out for help; however the farmer that sees the boy does not save him. The boy in the picture continues to drown until a boat passes by to save him. This is significant because the purpose for the author to write this poem was to prove that nobody cares about other sufferings and pain. Then in the first stanza, the author depicts a sense of everybody life for individuals during a certain time period because the readers can envision the children skating on a frozen pond, the dog bring tied to something, and the elderly individuals walking around. This is significant because it provides an everyday example of how individuals do not bother with other’s suffering and the children do not suffer.
Figurative: After reading through the poem a few times, that Auden does not uses any forms of figurative language. There are no forms of metaphors, similes, or personification in “Musee des Beaux Arts”.
Tone: Once the reader closely analysis the poem, they can conclude that the tone of the poem is casual. There is a casual tone to the poem because Auden writes what was coming to his mind as he was writing. Auden uses this tone to place emphasize on the individuals in the poem attitude towards living their life.
Theme: In order for the readers, to be able to understand what the theme of the poem is they had to closely analysis the poem extremely well. After reading the two stanzas, the reader can be somewhat confused about the main message Auden is trying to get across. However, there is a common theme between the two stanzas; which is apathy. Apathy is a common theme between the two stanzas because they both discuss how humans are indifferent about the events that are occurring around them. For example, the boy is drowning the farmer realizes that the boy is in danger but decides not to help him.
Conclusion
After closely analyzing the word choices, imagery, figartive language, tone, and theme I have gained a better understanding for the true reason why Auden decided to write this piece of literature. Auden’s true meaning for writing “Musee des Beaux Arts” is that it is his way of expressing his feeling toward today’s society. In today’s society Auden believes the individuals are apathetic towards events that are surround them and occurring in their life. Another reason for Auden writing the poem is to express his opinion about individuals only caring about the suffering they can through and not suffering others go through. This assumption can be supported because of the paint that is described in the second stanza.
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