Consider Auden As an Anti-Romantic Poet. 

Answer

Consider Auden as an anti-romantic poet. 

Or Find out the anti-romantic elements in W.H. Aude’s poetry.

W.H. Auden (1707-73) is often considered an anti-romantic poet. He rejected many of the principles and themes of the Romantic era in his work. Unlike the Romantics, who idealized nature, human emotion, and the sublime, Auden’s poetry reflects a more skeptical and realistic view of the world. Below are some key points of discussion that highlight Auden’s anti-romanticism.

Realistic Love in “Lullaby”: In “Lullaby,” Auden presents love not as a perfect, eternal bond but as a transient, flawed experience. The poem opens with, 

Lay your sleeping head, my love, 

Human on my faithless arm, 

It suggests that human love is inherently imperfect. This contrasts with the Romantic ideal of love as an everlasting and pure emotion. Auden acknowledges the fleeting nature of beauty and love. It drops his portrayal in reality rather than in idealized fantasy.

Anti-Romantic Towards Nature: One of the hallmarks of Romantic poetry was the glorification of nature. It is seen as a source of beauty, inspiration, and spiritual renewal. However, Auden rejects this view and portrays nature as indifferent. He even represents nature hostile to human life. 

Rejecting Individualism: Another characteristic of Romanticism is the celebration of the individual. It is seen as a source of creativity and moral authority. However, Auden rejects this view and portrays the individual as vulnerable. 

Rejection of Idealism and Romanticism: Auden rejects the romantic ideal of heroism and beauty in “The Shield of Achilles. He presents a dark image of modern warfare. He describes the “massacre” and “slaughter” in the battle scene. It contrasts with the traditional romantic portrayal of war as a heroic and honorable activity. The following lines from the poem illustrate this rejection:

But there on the shining metal

His hands had put instead

An artificial wilderness

And a sky like lead.

Destruction of Illusions in “The Shield of Achilles”: “The