How does W. H. Auden fulfill his duty as a socialist by writing the poem ‘ Night Mail ‘. Explain with close reference to the poem.
Night Mail by W. H. Auden is a poem on the theme life. He wrote this poem about the first journey of Night Mail train from London to Glasgow. He is very happy about the train as it serves poor people very much. It not only serves the poor but also the rich. So the poet is praising the train. W. H. Auden fulfills his duty as a socialist by praising the Night Mail train which helps ordinary people. Further , he personifies the train to increase its importance.
The poet has personified the train to honor it. He honors the train because it serves people , specially ordinary people. He respects to the train by personifying it to a woman. He says,
” Snorting noisily , as she passes ”
” The gradient’s against her , but she’s on time ”
” All Scotland waits for her ”
He likes the train very much. Because it makes poor people happy. W. H. Auden is a socialist and when ordinary people are happy he is happy also. So he does a great job by praising and honouring the train as a socialist.
The poet praises the labourious work done by the train. As a socialist, he also is talking about labourism. But here the poet praises the train. He says though how much difficulties come , the train goes to Glasgow on time.
” The gradient’s against her , but she’s on time ”
And the way the train is climbing the mountain.
” Pulling up Beattock , a steady climb ”
He praises that non – living thing as he thinks it does a great service to ordinary people.
Mostly he praises the train as a socialist because it does a great service to ordinary people. The train gave a cheap communication way to people. It increases people’s bonds. The train never did any discriminations. It transports letters of the rich as well as the the letters of the poor.
” Letters for the rich , letters for the poor
The shop at the corner , the girl next door ”
Because of this quality of the train the poet praises the train. And also the poet has shown a wide variety of letters to represent the variety of the society.
” Letters of thanks , letters from banks
Letters of joy from the girl and the boy…. ”
This also proves that the train never does any discrimination to people.
And the poet shows the importance of the train by telling that people are eagerly waiting for it.
” All Scotland waits for her ”
People can not live without human contacts. People need their friends , relatives. They need to communicate with each other. So the Night Mail train gave a great help for that as it does a cheap communication. The poet wanted to show the need of communication.
” For who can bear to feel himself forgotten ? ”
Again he praises the train as a socialist.
The long structure of the poem represents the train and the rhythm of the poem represents the rhythm of the train. It changes from stanza to stanza. And the poet uses and image of mare to show the speed of the train. Though the train did such a hard work the train is happy after doing his job as it makes people happy. So the poet is happy.
Although Night Mail train is a machine the poet has given life to it because it furthers human relationships. The poet mostly praises the train and the services done to the people by it. Specially as it serves ordinary people mostly the poet is happy. By praising and honoring the train he did his duty as a socialist.