Reading Auden’s September 1, 1939 as an Anti-War Poem

Abstract

Wystan Hugh Auden’s “September 1, 1939” has immense potential of being read as an anti-war poem as it depicts horrors of the Second World War. It was included in the volume of his poems entitled Another Time (1940). It was first published in The New Republic issue of October18, 1939.The poem is on a historical and nearly political theme. It is, no doubt, a lyrical poem, mostly reflective in character. Obviously, the date in the caption announces beyond doubt that the poem is concerned with the beginning of the Second World War.