The Unknown Citizen

by W. H. Auden

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The Unknown Citizen

W. H. Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen" explores themes of conformity, anonymity, and state control. It satirizes the reduction of individuals to mere statistics by government and society,...

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The Unknown Citizen

The irony in "The Unknown Citizen" lies in the contrast between the speaker's portrayal of the citizen as a perfect conformist and the underlying suggestion that such conformity strips away...

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The Unknown Citizen

"The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden reflects Modernist themes like the loss of individual identity in a bureaucratic society. The poem critiques the dehumanizing effects of modern life, where a...

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The Unknown Citizen

The citizen in "The Unknown Citizen" was neither happy nor free. What's more, the speaker regards the very question as absurd. Had the unknown citizen been either of these things during his lifetime...

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The Unknown Citizen

Through the poem “The Unknown Citizen,” Auden wants to convey the idea that modern society is overly regimented and controlled by the state. As a result, people have become dehumanized, treated as...

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The Unknown Citizen

The epitaph in "The Unknown Citizen" introduces the theme by highlighting the citizen's anonymity and compliance, as it starts with a number instead of a name and notes the monument was erected by...

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The Unknown Citizen

The marble monument in "The Unknown Citizen" signifies modern society's values, highlighting the loss of individuality and uniqueness. While traditionally honoring fallen soldiers, this monument...

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The Unknown Citizen

Yes, "The Unknown Citizen" contains symbolism. The title and dedication symbolize the alienation and deindividuation in society, where the man is known only by a number. The monument symbolizes...

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The Unknown Citizen

In "The Unknown Citizen," "JS" likely represents the initials of the unknown citizen's first and last names. The alphanumeric inscription JS/07 M 378 may symbolize the dehumanizing practice of using...

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The Unknown Citizen

"The Unknown Citizen" by W. H. Auden is a satirical poem that critiques the conformity and anonymity of modern society. Written as an ironic tribute to an ordinary man, it uses a third-person...

1 educator answer

The Unknown Citizen

The "unknown citizen" in the poem is identified solely by a number, which symbolizes the loss of individual identity in a bureaucratic and conformist society. This numbering reduces the citizen to a...

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The Unknown Citizen

"Unknown Citizen" is considered satire due to its ironic portrayal of a "model" citizen through the eyes of bureaucratic entities, highlighting conformity and compliance as virtues. Auden's purpose...

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The Unknown Citizen

The last two lines of Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" emphasize the dehumanizing effects of modern bureaucracy. They suggest that the government reduces individuals to mere data, implying that personal...

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The Unknown Citizen

Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen" critiques government indifference through a satirical tone, parodying official rhetoric. Written in 1939, it compares the citizen to an "unknown soldier,"...

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The Unknown Citizen

In both "The Unknown Citizen" and "The Man He Killed," the duties of the individual are contrasted with personal freedom and individuality. Hardy's soldier, while forced by duty to kill a stranger in...

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The Unknown Citizen

W.H. Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" satirizes the modern surveillance state by highlighting its superficiality in understanding individuals. The poem portrays a citizen reduced to data points, such as...

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The Unknown Citizen

This poem is a dystopian view of a society in which the government considers you a saint if you are a conformist.

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The Unknown Citizen

The figure of speech in line four of W. H. Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" is satire. The line describes the citizen as a "saint" in a modern sense, highlighting the irony of equating conformity and...

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The Unknown Citizen

Auden capitalizes words like Press, Union, and Public Opinion in "The Unknown Citizen" to emphasize the power and self-importance of modern state institutions. By using capital letters, Auden...

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The Unknown Citizen

The unknown citizen is declared "sensible" for embracing the advantages of the Installment Plan, reflecting consumer behavior typical of the modern era. This designation highlights his awareness of...

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The Unknown Citizen

From the state's perspective, there is no room in society for the individual. This unknown citizen has no name and no distinctive attributes and is given only an identifying number, or barcode, by...

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The Unknown Citizen

The Bureau of Statistics describes the unknown citizen as a model worker and ideal citizen. He was socially popular, fully insured, and held proper, government-approved opinions. He fulfilled...

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The Unknown Citizen

The unknown citizen is assigned the number JS/07 M378, which symbolizes the depersonalization and lack of individuality in his society. The focus on a number rather than a name indicates a society...

1 educator answer

The Unknown Citizen

The poem "The Unknown Citizen" is an ironic critique rather than a genuine tribute. Auden questions whether the citizen, who seems to conform perfectly to societal norms, was truly happy or free. The...

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The Unknown Citizen

A monument for the Unknown Citizen is erected by the State to ironically highlight the loss of individuality in modern society. It mimics tributes like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but critiques...

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The Unknown Citizen

The man in the poem is a model citizen because he conforms entirely to societal norms without questioning them. He is depicted as an ideal citizen through his anonymity and adherence to social...

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The Unknown Citizen

I'm not really sure what the question is asking for. There is no formula for Socialist Realism, especially considering that it was only practiced by a select group of Soviet artists.

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The Unknown Citizen

"The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden, written in 1939, critiques societal issues that remain relevant today, such as the reduction of individuals to mere statistics by governments. The poem highlights...

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The Unknown Citizen

Auden's ironic tone in "The Unknown Citizen" underscores the citizen's conformity by highlighting how the state values his deeds over his identity. The citizen is reduced to a mere number,...

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The Unknown Citizen

In "The Unknown Citizen," the eulogy becomes an elegy by shifting from praise to critical reflection. Instead of celebrating the deceased, Auden's poem takes a dystopian approach, analyzing the...

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The Unknown Citizen

Wounded Knee, South Dakota, is historically significant as a symbol of the tragic relationship between Native Americans and white settlers. In 1890, the U.S. Army attempted to forcibly relocate the...

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