Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"This Lunar Beauty" by W.H. Auden is a complex and mystical poem that explores the ephemeral nature of beauty and the contrasting realities of the earthly and the ethereal.

W.H. Auden wrote "This Lunar Beauty" during his early literary career, and it was first published in the 1930s. The poem represents Auden's exploration of love, beauty, and the eternal, themes that would continue to occupy his work throughout his life.

Context

The poem presents the idea of lunar beauty as something otherworldly and timeless, contrasting it with earthly beauty that is transient and changeable. This dichotomy echoes the Romantic tradition of juxtaposing the eternal and unchangeable with the temporal and mutable.

Theme Analysis

Timelessness of Beauty: Auden portrays lunar beauty as something complete, early, and without history. It stands in contrast to earthly beauty, which changes and evolves over time. This theme can be interpreted as a longing for something pure and eternal that is untouched by the ravages of time.

Love and Loss: The poem suggests that earthly beauty is often tied to love and loss. Unlike the ethereal lunar beauty, earthly beauty has known love and sorrow. The mention of a ghost haunting and longing implies a sense of lost love and the eternal pursuit of something unattainable.

Dream vs. Reality: Auden creates a contrast between the dreamlike quality of lunar beauty and the harsh reality of daytime. Time is measured in inches, a physical and limiting quantity, while the heart's changes signify the fleeting and ever-changing nature of human emotions. The ethereal quality of the moon and the beauty it represents is lost in the glare of the day.

Poetic Devices

Auden employs concise language and imagery to create a mystical and dreamlike quality in the poem. The repetition of words like "beauty" and "ghost" reinforces the themes and adds a musical quality to the poem. The structure of the poem, with its concise lines and simple rhyme scheme, adds to its ethereal tone.

Conclusion

"This Lunar Beauty" is a thought-provoking poem that invites the reader to reflect on the nature of beauty, love, and time. Through its concise language and mystical imagery, it captures a longing for the eternal and unchangeable and a recognition of the transient and mutable aspects of earthly existence. Auden's exploration of these themes creates a rich and multifaceted poem that resonates with readers and prompts deeper contemplation of the human condition.

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