A Walk After Dark
By W. H. Auden
A cloudless night like this
Can set the spirit soaring:
After a tiring day
The clockwork spectacle is
Impressive in a slightly boring
Eighteenth century way.It soothed adolescence a lot
To meet such a shameless stare;
The things I did could not
Be so shocking as they said
If that would still be there
After the shocked were dead.Now, unready to die
But already at the stage
When one starts to resent the young,
I am glad those points in the sky
May also be counted among
The creatures of middle age.It’s cosier thinking of night
As more an Old People’s Home
Than a shed for a faultless machine,
That the red pre Cambrian light
Is gone like Imperial Rome
Or myself at seventeen.Yet however much we may like
The stoic manner in which
The classical authors wrote,
Only the young and rich
Have the nerve or the figure to strike
The lacrimae rerum note.For the present stalks abroad
Like the past and its wronged again
Whimper and are ignored,
And the truth cannot be hid;
Somebody chose their pain,
What needn’t have happened did.Occurring this very night
By no established rule,
Some event may already have hurled
Its first little No at the right
Of the laws we accept to school
Our post diluvian world:But the stars burn on overhead,
Unconscious of final ends,
As I walk home to bed,
Asking what judgment waits
My person, all my friends,
And these United States.
Welcome, fellow explorers of language and thought, to a journey through W. H. Auden’s profound poem, “A Walk After Dark”. This piece invites readers to ponder the vastness of the cosmos, the passage of time, and humanity’s place within it all. Prepare to uncover the layers of meaning and the masterful use of language that make this poem a truly captivating experience.
A Walk After Dark Summary and Central Idea
At its heart, “A Walk After Dark” captures the introspective thoughts of a speaker during a nighttime stroll under a clear, starry sky. The poem begins with an appreciation for the serene beauty of a “cloudless night,” which initially offers a sense of peace after a long day. However, this tranquility soon gives way to deeper reflections on the speaker’s own journey through life, from adolescence to middle age, and the changing perspectives that come with time.
The central idea of “A Walk After Dark” revolves around the contrast between the indifferent, eternal universe and the transient, often troubled, human experience. The speaker grapples with personal anxieties about aging and mortality, alongside broader concerns about societal injustices and the uncertain future of the world. The poem ultimately questions the nature of judgment and responsibility, both individual and collective, against the backdrop of an unchanging cosmic order.
Noteworthy Knowledge for Readers
- The Speaker’s Journey: The poem traces a clear emotional and intellectual arc, moving from initial wonder to personal reflection on aging, then to a contemplation of historical patterns and contemporary societal issues, culminating in a profound question about the future.
- Cosmic Indifference: A key theme is the universe’s vastness and its apparent lack of concern for human affairs. The stars are described as “Unconscious of final ends,” highlighting a stark contrast with human worries.
- Social Commentary: Beyond personal introspection, the poem touches on themes of injustice and the consequences of human actions, suggesting that “Somebody chose their pain, What needn’t have happened did.”
- Auden’s Signature Style: While deeply personal, the poem also exhibits Auden’s characteristic blend of intellectual rigor, conversational tone, and a keen observation of both the inner and outer worlds.
In-Depth Analysis of “A Walk After Dark”
Let us delve deeper into the intricate workings of “A Walk After Dark,” examining its structure, themes, and the rich tapestry of literary and poetic devices employed by Auden.
Structure and Form
“A Walk After Dark” is meticulously structured, comprising eight sestets, or six-line stanzas. This consistent stanza length provides a stable framework for the speaker’s shifting thoughts. The poem also employs a regular ABCBDB rhyme scheme in each stanza, which lends a subtle musicality and a sense of order to the reflective narrative. For example, in the first stanza:
A cloudless night like this (A)
Can set the spirit soaring: (B)
After a tiring day (C)
The clockwork spectacle is (A)
Impressive in a slightly boring (B)
Eighteenth century way. (D)
This consistent rhyme scheme, while not overly dominant, creates a gentle rhythm that supports the poem’s contemplative tone, making it both accessible and artful.
Themes Explored in “A Walk After Dark”
The poem weaves together several powerful themes, inviting readers to consider their own place in the grand scheme of existence.
- The Passage of Time and Aging: The speaker explicitly charts a personal journey through time. The night sky, initially a source of adolescent comfort, is later seen through the lens of middle age. The lines,
Now, unready to die
But already at the stage
When one starts to resent the young,
I am glad those points in the sky
May also be counted among
The creatures of middle age.reveal a poignant acceptance, and even a wry humor, about growing older. The past is also evoked with “red pre Cambrian light” and the speaker’s own “seventeen,” emphasizing the vast stretches of time that dwarf individual lives.
- Humanity’s Place in the Cosmos: A profound tension exists between the speaker’s human concerns and the universe’s indifference. The “clockwork spectacle” of the stars is both “Impressive” and “slightly boring,” suggesting a detachment from human drama. This cosmic indifference is most starkly presented in the final stanza:
But the stars burn on overhead,
Unconscious of final ends,These lines underscore the idea that the universe operates on its own terms, unaffected by human hopes or fears.
- Societal Responsibility and Injustice: The poem broadens its scope to address human suffering and accountability. The speaker observes how “the present stalks abroad / Like the past and its wronged again / Whimper and are ignored.” This powerful imagery highlights a recurring pattern of injustice. The stark declaration, “Somebody chose their pain, / What needn’t have happened did,” places the blame squarely on human agency, rather than fate, for much of the world’s suffering.
- The Echo of History: Auden masterfully uses historical allusions to connect past and present. The “Eighteenth century way” of the stars suggests a long-standing, predictable order. More dramatically, the line “That the red pre Cambrian light / Is gone like Imperial Rome” links ancient geological time with a fallen empire, implying cycles of rise and fall that apply even to the speaker’s own youth. The “post diluvian world” further evokes a sense of aftermath and new beginnings, yet still subject to human laws and choices.
Literary Devices in “A Walk After Dark”
Auden employs a rich array of literary devices to deepen the poem’s meaning and enhance its impact.
- Imagery: Vivid sensory details create a strong atmosphere and convey complex ideas. The “cloudless night” immediately sets a scene of clarity and vastness. The “red pre Cambrian light” is a striking image that evokes deep time and the fleeting nature of even ancient phenomena. The night as “more an Old People’s Home / Than a shed for a faultless machine” is a unique and memorable image that personifies the night in a comforting, yet melancholic, way.
- Metaphor: Complex ideas are illuminated through comparison. The stars are described as a “clockwork spectacle,” a metaphor that emphasizes their predictable, mechanical, and perhaps soulless, operation. Later, the night is metaphorically reimagined as an “Old People’s Home,” suggesting a place of quiet reflection and shared experience in old age, contrasting with the cold efficiency of a “faultless machine.”
- Allusion: References to historical periods and concepts enrich the poem’s intellectual depth.
- “Eighteenth century way” alludes to the Age of Enlightenment, a period known for its emphasis on reason and scientific observation, which might find the predictable stars “impressive in a slightly boring” manner.
- “Imperial Rome” serves as a powerful symbol of past glory and inevitable decline, linking the speaker’s lost youth to the fall of a great civilization.
- “lacrimae rerum” is a Latin phrase meaning “tears of things” or “the sadness of life,” an allusion to Virgil’s Aeneid. It refers to the inherent sorrow in the human condition. The poem suggests that only the “young and rich” can afford to express such profound melancholy without appearing self-indulgent.
- “post diluvian world” alludes to the period after the biblical flood, suggesting a world that has survived a great catastrophe but still requires human laws and governance.
- Symbolism: Certain elements carry symbolic weight. The “stars” can symbolize eternity, indifference, or the vast, unknowable universe. The “first little No” in the seventh stanza symbolizes a nascent act of defiance or disruption against established norms, hinting at the fragility of order.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause creates a natural, conversational flow, mirroring the speaker’s stream of consciousness. For example, in the lines:
Some event may already have hurled
Its first little No at the right
Of the laws we accept to school
Our post diluvian world:The thought spills over multiple lines, drawing the reader forward and emphasizing the unfolding nature of events.
Poetic Devices in “A Walk After Dark”
Beyond literary devices, Auden’s careful selection and arrangement of words contribute significantly to the poem’s overall effect.
- Diction: The poet’s word choice is precise, blending conversational language with more formal or philosophical terms. Words like “spectacle,” “adolescence,” “resent,” “stoic,” and “diluvian” elevate the discourse, inviting deeper contemplation while maintaining an accessible tone. This careful diction allows for both immediate understanding and layered interpretation.
- Rhyme Scheme: As discussed, the consistent ABCBDB end rhyme in each sestet provides a subtle musicality and structural integrity. This regular pattern offers a sense of control and order amidst the speaker’s often anxious reflections. For instance, in the second stanza, “lot” rhymes with “not,” and “stare” rhymes with “there,” creating a gentle, echoing effect.
- Rhythm and Meter: While not strictly adhering to a formal meter, the poem maintains a relatively consistent rhythm, often employing lines of similar syllable count. This contributes to the conversational yet thoughtful cadence, making the poem feel like a natural extension of the speaker’s internal monologue. The lines flow with a natural speech rhythm, preventing the rhymes from feeling forced.
- Tone: The overall tone of “A Walk After Dark” is contemplative and reflective, tinged with a subtle melancholic anxiety. There are moments of wry humor, particularly when the speaker admits to starting “to resent the young,” and moments of profound wonder at the cosmos. This blend of introspection, observation, and concern creates a rich and engaging emotional landscape.
- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds adds emphasis and musicality. Consider “Can set the spirit soaring” in the first stanza, where the repeated ‘s’ sound creates a sense of lightness and movement. Another example is “such a shameless stare” in the second stanza, drawing attention to the bold, unchanging nature of the night sky.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words creates internal rhyme and enhances the poem’s lyrical quality. In “To meet such a shameless stare,” the long ‘e’ sound creates a subtle connection between the words. Another instance is the short ‘e’ sound in “red pre Cambrian light,” which gives a quick, sharp quality to the ancient image.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words or at the end of words, but with different vowel sounds, adds texture. In “The clockwork spectacle is,” the hard ‘k’ and ‘c’ sounds mimic the mechanical precision described. Also, in the final stanza, “what judgment waits My person, all my friends, And these United States,” the repeated ‘n’ and ‘t’ sounds create a sense of gravity and interconnectedness in the speaker’s concerns.
The Enduring Resonance of “A Walk After Dark”
W. H. Auden’s “A Walk After Dark” remains a powerful and relevant poem, inviting readers to engage with universal questions about life, time, and humanity’s place in the universe. Through its masterful blend of personal reflection and broad societal commentary, the poem encourages us to look up at the stars, not just with wonder, but with a critical eye towards our own actions and the future we are shaping. It is a profound meditation on what it means to be human, walking under an indifferent sky, yet burdened with the weight of responsibility and the search for meaning.