The Unknown Citizen
Encyclopedia
The Unknown Citizen is a poem by W. H. Auden
. Auden wrote it in 1939, shortly after moving from England to the United States. It was first published in 1939 in The New Yorker
, and first appeared in book form in Auden's collection Another Time (1940). The poem is the epitaph
of a man
, identified only by a combination of letters and numbers somewhat like an American Social Security number
("JS/07/M/378"), who is described entirely in external terms: from the point of view of government organizations such as the fictional "Bureau of Statistics
." The speaker of the poem concludes that the man had lived an entirely average, therefore exemplary, life. The poem is a satire
of standardization at the expense of individualism. The poem is implicitly the work of a government agency at some point in the future, when modern bureaucratizing
trends have reached the point where citizens are known by arbitrary numbers and letters, not personal names.
The epigraph
to "Unknown Citizen" is a parody
of the symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
commemorating unidentified soldiers; tombs of unknown soldiers were first created following the first World War.
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
. Auden wrote it in 1939, shortly after moving from England to the United States. It was first published in 1939 in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, and first appeared in book form in Auden's collection Another Time (1940). The poem is the epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
of a man
Man
The term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...
, identified only by a combination of letters and numbers somewhat like an American Social Security number
Social Security number
In the United States, a Social Security number is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents under section 205 of the Social Security Act, codified as . The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent...
("JS/07/M/378"), who is described entirely in external terms: from the point of view of government organizations such as the fictional "Bureau of Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
." The speaker of the poem concludes that the man had lived an entirely average, therefore exemplary, life. The poem is a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
of standardization at the expense of individualism. The poem is implicitly the work of a government agency at some point in the future, when modern bureaucratizing
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
trends have reached the point where citizens are known by arbitrary numbers and letters, not personal names.
Interpretation
By describing the "average citizen" through the eyes of various government organizations, the poem criticizes standardization and the modern state's relationship with its citizens. The last lines of the poem dismiss the questions of whether he was "free" or "happy", implicitly because the statistical methods used by the state to describe his life have no means of understanding such questions.The epigraph
Epigraph (literature)
In literature, an epigraph is a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component. The epigraph may serve as a preface, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional...
to "Unknown Citizen" is a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
commemorating unidentified soldiers; tombs of unknown soldiers were first created following the first World War.