Q: Critically analyse the poem “Oh Where are you

going? ” by W. H Auden

Explanation:

Oh where are you going by W. H Auden, as we look at

the title the poem is in a question form and this question
is in everybody’s mind. This poem is a conversation
between two imaginary persons as a reader and rider.
Reader and rider are “metaphors. Everybody of us have
these internal conversations and in which we assume the
role of the reader and the rider. The reader asks the
‘rider’ many questions with fears and tensions building
up. All questions are answered at the end where the
‘rider’ runs away leaving us in an attempt to confront our
fears. And the use of these questions bring us kind of
tension and fear all the questions are answered in the
end where the rider he leaves, he runs away, and leaves
the reader or leaves us to confront these fears. “fears”
are “imagery”. These fears are from the unknown
territory. They are ‘who’, ‘what’ ‘where’ ‘when’ ‘why’
and ‘how’ so many questions but the answers we are to
find the answers ourselves. The “personification” of the
human mind and thought process allows the reader to
appreciate the internal struggle we all face. By
representing our mind as real people we are able to
relate to the problems we are facing all the time the
voices which are coming from inside us they are given
two names to build up the tension till we reach the end
of the poem. The reader and the rider they are basically
our own internal The title to where are you going is a
deep question it makes the reader think of big question
in life providing universal meanings for each individual.
Poem in a verse form within the type of a ballad that
predicts the fate humanity suffers due to indecisiveness
and not taking action the verse consists of four stanzas
all of that square measure quatrain alternating between
two voices. There square measure varied interpretations
to whom these voices belong to, However it is
presumably a spoken language between a person of
action and a man who fears going forward in life. Auden
offers a style of the past days and brings to our attention
that fearing and worrying can solely leave you behind
whereas being daring and taking the primary step is that
the solely thanks to achieve life. Oh where are you going
reflects someone going out into the wild and being
stopped by another individual who fears several trials
may occur in his path.
“Oh where are you going?”, follows the ABCB rhyme
scheme.
Auden uses revolve questions and “Hyperbole” to
indicate us that can cause you to lose out on new
opportunities and literally leave you behind, whereas
others loco mote in life.
In the last line of 2nd stanza literary device Alliteration
has been used Your footsteps feel from granite to grass.
The word ‘f’ is an alliteration. O Where are you going?
Said reader to rider. Consonance Literary device has
been used word E,A and I are the repetition of vowel
sounds.