A critical appreciation of the poem “Observer” by Michael Hamburger could center on the repetitive language and the detached tone.

In five out of the six stanzas in Hamburger’s poem, the first line reads, “The newspaper in my hands.” Thus, Hamburger uses repetition to reinforce the presence of the newspaper. Through the newspaper, the speaker learns about “a four sided-battle,” “casualties,” and “gossip” relating to business and fashion.

One’s critical appreciation might detail how the repetition of the newspaper creates a detached tone. The speaker isn’t fighting in the war, nor do they seem to care about the gossip, parties, or business mergers. It’s as if the speaker is reading the newspaper mechanically and without much feeling. The language, too, might come across as robotic or puppet-like. It’s like the speaker is narrating their movements from afar. The phrases “I drop the newspaper,” “I pinch it,” and “I look at my left hand” carry the tone of an objective command.

By analyzing the tone and language, a critical appreciation could also touch on themes from the poem. These might relate to how modern life can be a numbing and deadening experience with its surplus of information. As the final line reads, “And nothing hurts. Nothing.”