September 1, 1939

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The poem September 1, 1939 by W. H. Auden describes the historical context "from Luther until now" and the feelings of the poet as he sits

. . . in one of the dives

On Fifty-second Street

1 Literary Achievements
2 Modern Significance
3 Speculation
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Literary Achievements

Considered one of his early works, "September 1, 1939" is associated with Auden's writings on the repression of the individual by an assimilating society. Though Auden creates a vividly morbid representation of the imperial world, the work is supremely optimistic. It is primarily characterized by Auden's quest for a better society and liberation from his time. The final two stanzas reflect Auden's sincere belief in those who inspire change amidst the "negation and despair" he perceives to be plaguing the senseless world.

[edit] Modern Significance

The poem's focal point and most recognized verse: "We must love one another or die" has become a symbol for the modern struggle. Widely circulated in the aftermath of September 11, the poem was seen as oddly prescient and relevant to the struggle against a new international threat: terrorism. The poem, written during a period of transition for Western Europe with the insurgence of Nazi Imperialism, has been compared to the new decade of religious terrorism attributed to the beginning of the 21st century. Although "September 1, 1939" is one of Auden's most respected works, the author himself requested its omission from later anthologies citing the impracticality of the dichotomous comparison between death and the abscence of love. Few anthologies acquiesced to his request, and the poem can be found in most modern collections.

[edit] Speculation

On the first day of World War II, Auden seems to have written the poem in New Jersey, while visiting relatives of his lover Chester Kallman. In a fanciful biography written much later, Dorothy Farnan -- who didn't meet Auden until three years after the poem was written -- imaginatively identified the bar as the Dizzy Club, a gay bar on 52nd Street in New York City. Other sources claim the poem was not written there and had nothing to do with the Dizzy Club.