Refugee Blues by Wystan Hugh Auden

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 Refugee Blues by W. H. Auden

Summary

The poem Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden talks about the pain and struggles of refugees who are forced to leave their home country. The speaker, along with a loved one, shares their feelings of rejection and hopelessness as they try to find a place to live. Despite living in a world with so many people and opportunities, they are treated as outsiders and denied help.

 The poem shows how refugees face cruelty and discrimination. Politicians and officials turn them away, and society views them as a threat. The poet contrasts their suffering with the freedom of animals and nature, like birds singing happily and fish swimming freely. These comparisons highlight how unfair life is for humans who are controlled by political decisions.

 The repeated lines, such as “my dear,” make the poem sound like a sad song, showing their endless search for safety and acceptance. In the end, the poem reflects the refugees’ fear of being hunted and their deep sadness over losing their homeland and dignity.

Understanding The Poem

1. The title, ‘Refugee Blues’ encapsulates the theme of the poem. Comment.

Answer: The title “Refugee Blues” highlights the sadness and struggles of refugees. “Blues” refers to a type of music that expresses sorrow, showing their pain and hopelessness.

2. What is the poetic technique used by the poet to convey the plaintive theme of the poem?

Answer: The poet uses repetition (e.g., "my dear"), simple language, and emotional imagery to emphasize the hardships of refugees. This gives the poem a musical, sad tone.

3. What do the references to the birds and animals made in the poem suggest?

Answer: The birds and animals in the poem represent freedom and simplicity, contrasting with human life, which is full of rules and restrictions.

4. How does the poet juxtapose the human condition with the behaviour of the political class?

Answer: The poet shows how refugees suffer due to the selfishness of politicians. While birds and animals live freely, humans suffer because of borders, passports, and decisions made by leaders.

5. How is the essence of the poem captured in the lines ‘two tickets to Happiness’?

Answer: This line symbolizes the refugees’ longing for safety and happiness, but their dream seems impossible because every place they try is full or closed.

Try This Out

  1. Poetic Devices:
    • Refrain: The repeated lines, such as “my dear,” make the poem sound like a sad song, reinforcing their pain.
    • Pathos: The poem evokes deep sympathy for the refugees through their struggles and emotional expressions.
    • Irony: While animals are free, humans with advanced societies are restricted and oppressed.
    • Sarcasm: The line about being "officially dead" mocks the absurdity of valuing passports over human life.
  2. Colour “Blue”: In the poem, “blue” represents sadness and despair.
    Other Colours and Moods:
    • Red: Anger or love
    • White: Peace or purity
    • Black: Fear or mourning
    • Green: Hope or nature
Let's Make it Simpler 
Summary 
This poem is about people called refugees. Refugees are people who have to leave their homes because it's not safe there anymore. This poem tells us how sad and difficult it is to be a refugee. The speaker in the poem is a refugee and talks about how no one wants to help them find a place to live. Even though there's lots of space in the world, they feel like they don't belong anywhere. The poem compares their situation to animals who are free to go wherever they want, highlighting how unfair it is for refugees.

Understanding The Poem 
1. The title, ‘Refugee Blues’ encapsulates the theme of the poem. Comment.
• The title tells us exactly what the poem is about: the sadness (blues) of being a refugee.
• OR: Why is the word "Blues" used in the title? 
• (The word “Blues” is used in the title because "blues" music is often about sadness, and the poem is about the sadness of refugees.)
• OR: What does the title "Refugee Blues" suggest about the poem's topic?
• (It suggests the poem will be about the unhappiness and difficulties faced by refugees.)

2. What is the poetic technique used by the poet to convey the plaintive theme of the poem?
• The poet uses simple words, repeats phrases like "my dear," and paints sad pictures with words to make us feel the refugees' pain. This makes the poem sound like a sorrowful song.
• OR: How does the poet make the poem sound sad?
• (The poet makes the poem sound sad by repeating phrases, using simple language, and describing sad situations.)

3. What do the references to the birds and animals made in the poem suggest?
• The birds and animals are free to fly and roam wherever they want. This shows how different their lives are from the refugees, who are restricted and not welcome anywhere.
• OR: What is the difference between the animals in the poem and the refugees? 
• (The animals are free, but the refugees are not.)

4. How does the poet juxtapose the human condition with the behaviour of the political class?
• The poem shows that politicians and leaders make rules and decisions that make life hard for refugees. While animals are free, humans suffer because of these rules, like needing passports and dealing with closed borders.
• OR: Who makes life difficult for the refugees in the poem? 
• (Politicians and leaders make life difficult for the refugees in the poem.)

5. How is the essence of the poem captured in the lines ‘two tickets to Happiness’?
• This line shows that the refugees just want to find a safe and happy place to live. But it seems impossible because they are turned away everywhere they go.
• OR: What do the "two tickets to happiness" represent?
• (The “two tickets to happiness” represent refugees' desire for safety and a better life.)

Try This Out 
Poetic Devices 
• Refrain: Repeating words or phrases (like "my dear") to emphasize a feeling or idea. It's like the chorus of a song.
• Pathos: Making the reader feel sad or sympathetic towards someone.
• Irony: When something is the opposite of what you expect. In this poem, it's ironic that animals are freer than humans.
• Sarcasm: Using words to mock or make fun of something. The line "officially dead" is sarcastic because it makes fun of how important passports are seen to be.
• Colour “Blue”: In the poem, "blue" represents sadness.

Other Colours and Moods 
• Red: Strong feelings like anger or love.
• White: Things that are pure, clean, or peaceful.
• Black: Sadness, fear, or death.
• Green: Nature, growth, or hope.

Mind Map of "Refugee Blues"

Central Theme: Refugee Experience

  • Displacement
    • Big city, no home
    • Contrast: Wealth vs. poverty

Key Stanzas Breakdown

  1. Stanza 1: City Life
    • 10 million people, but no place for us.
  2. Stanza 2: Lost Homeland
    • Once had a country; now it's gone.
  3. Stanza 3: Nature vs. Documents
    • Nature thrives; old passports can't help us.
  4. Stanza 4: Bureaucratic Struggles
    • Officials dismiss us; we feel invisible.

Emotional Journey

  • Despair: Feeling unwanted and unsafe.
  • Hope: "But we are still alive."

Symbolism

  • Thunder: Threat of violence.
  • Old Tree: Represents hope and resilience.

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