Viii.
The unknown citizen
W.H.
Auden
The Unknown Citizen by W.H. Auden is a satire on modern
industrial civilization. The so-called modern state has deprived its citizen of
all his individuality and separate identity as a living human beings. He has
been reduced to a mere number. He is expected to act and behave according to
the standard set by the state. Various agencies collect different kinds of
information and data about him. His behaviour is considered good and perfect if
there was no official complaint against him. He is thought to be normal if he
serves the interests of the state and the society. But nobody tries to
understand his heart, his inner feelings and problems. He is treated as a part
of machine. Happiness and freedom have no meaning in a modern state. Nobody
tries to find out whether he is happy or free. Hence he is an unknown citizen.
Ques 1)
What is the
significance of the reference number JS/07/M378 ?
Answer :
The
reference number JS/07/M378 is a fictitious number which is allotted to the
unknown citizen. This citizen is known only by this life less number. When the
citizen, dies, a number is inscribed on the stone of his grave. He lives and
dies for the sake of his country. Still he remains an unknown citizen. A great
number of data is collected around his grave. Thus, the number has a great
significance in the life of the unknown citizen. It is an ironical factor that
citizen is not known by his name by this number.
Ques 2)
Was he free? Was he
happy? The Question is absurd(silly)?
Answer :
The
poet himself puts the questions in the last two lines of the poem and the
question is absurd. The unknown soldier lived a simple life. He never challenge
to any law or rule or person. He kept strictly to rules. The state tries to
find out everything about an ordinary citizen but it doesnot bother to find out
anything about his inner feelings. It is not connected about his freedom and
happiness. So it is foolish to ask any question about his freedom and
happiness.
Ques 3)
He was found by the
Bureau of statistics to be one against whom there was no official complaint?
Answer :
Reference to Context :
These lines have been
taken from the poem The unknown citizen composed by W.H. Auden. In this poem
the poet has tried to depict of a noble citizen in a modern state. In this
society man has lost all his identity. He has been reduced to mere number.
Explanation :
Here the poet says that the Bureau of Statistics
collected data about an ordinary citizen.
According to the
report there was no official complaint against him. His conduct showed that he
was a saint. He worked with devotion and served the society. He was found to be
quite up to the mark. In brief, this citizen was considered ideal.
Video Lecture :- 8
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