Introduction of the Poem:
The poem entitled “The Wanderer” owes its origin to the thirteenth century Middle English lyric entitled Sawles Warde. It was first published in 1930. In the poem Auden speaks of the man (the wanderer) who takes the challenge of active life. He cannot be deterred by any kind of odds that might hamper his voyage. This lonely wanderer is the symbol of the self-willed exile. The poet expresses the theme of the quest through the wanderings of this man. His wanderings represent the migration from the dead past to the living bright future. The wanderer is the explorer of a new world of thought and conduct. The poem closes with an invocation of some abstract power for the safe and happy return of the lucky wanderer who is on a necessary voyage in a hostile world.
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| Auden’s Poem The Wanderer: Summary and Critical Analysis |
Summary of the Poem:
Stanza 1:
Doom is dark and deeper than any sea - dingle
Upon what man it fall
In spring, day - wishing flowers appearing.
Avalanche sliding, white snow from rock - face.
That he should leave his house.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. Doom ... dingle= God's Judgement is secret and deeper than any deep, narrow cleft between rocks. 2. Doom = though this word stands for adverse fate, but here it has been used for God's Judgement, probably for adverse Judgement. 3. Upon ... fall= it is God's desire that man hears His adverse Judgement. 4. In spring ... house = when man is fed up of his worldly and social life among the members of his family, he is badly tempted to lead a life of wanderer. He wishes to wander in the lap of Nature and decides to undertake mysterious and dangerous voyages. Natural scenery such as colourful flowers and snow caped mountains fascinated him and force him to give up domestic life. 5. Avalanche = a large mass of snow, ice which has broken loose from a mountain side and is sliding.
Paraphrase:
The poet speaks of the man (wanderer) who does not like to lead a homely or domestic life and is tempted to lead a life of liberty as a wanderer. He wishes to undertake mysterious voyages in order to explore new worlds, strange lands and people. While living with his wife and children, he feels no satisfaction. He hates a static and rotten worldly life. He remains curious to know more about this mysterious universe. The wanderer is impelled by a strong urge of his will. He is determined to face the obstacles and difficulties fallen in the way of his voyage. His isolation of the domestic and worldly life is a kind of misfortune, but in this misfortune there is God's will. In fact it is a divine inspiration which dawns upon the man when he is prepared to give up everything related to worldly life. It is God's Judgement. God expects that he should set about in the quest of extreme knowledge of the world. His resolution to go on the voyage brings pain and sorrow for the members of his family because they are left in the state of utter helplessness. But as he is chosen by destiny for this mission, he goes voluntarily on his dangerous mission. The beautiful sights of nature such as the woods, fields, rivers and the snow covered mountains fascinate him and encourage him to start his voyage. He leaves home with a resolution of exploring new experiences.
Stanza 2:
No cloud - soft hand can hold him, restraint by women;
But ever that man goes
Through place – keepers, through forest trees,
A stranger to strangers over unried sea,
Houses for fishes, suffocating water,
Or lonely on fell as chat,
By pot - holed becks
A bird stone - haunting, an unquiet bird.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. Cloud - soft hand = it means the affectionate and tender feelings of the wife. 2. Restraint by women = the overwhelming emotions of the women such as wife, mother, sister and other women having family relationship cannot prevent him from going on the mysterious voyage. They cannot move him from his resolution. 3. Restraint = stoppage, check. 4. But – goes= the man (the wanderer) is firmly determined to fulfil his mission of achieving new experiences by going on voyage. 5. Through place - keepers = the wanderer without caring the emotions of his dearers and nearers, goes on his voyage and during his voyage, he passes through different places. He visits new places. 6. Through forest trees= while journeying, he passes through dense woods thickly populated with trees and wild animals, but he remains calm without having any fear. 7. A strange ... sea = during his sea voyage, he sails through many unknown seas and meets his companion sailors who are completely strangers for him. 8. Houses for fishes= the sea, the greatest abode of different kinds of fish. 9 Suffocating water= for the wanderer the sea is quite suffocating. 10. Fell = stretch of hilly land. 11. Chat = stonechat, a little black, ruddy and white European songbird of gorse heathland with a call resembling the sound of two stones being banged together. 12. Becks = mountain stream or brook.
Paraphrase:
The wanderer is so much dejected and disappointed of his present life leading among the members of his family that he cannot stay for longer. He wishes to find new kind of joy and enthusiasm as a wanderer. He cannot suppress his will power of setting out on his sea voyage. He does not feel satisfied with his present worldly knowledge and experiences so he extremely desires to explore new mysterious lands. He is fully prepared to accept the challenge of his journey. He does not have any fear of the obstacles of his journey. He cannot be deterred from his mission by such considerations as family bonds and emotional attachments. He voluntarily breaks himself away from the original pattern of life. His motive is to explore new vistas of life. When he is ready to set out on his voyage, his wife is greatly overwhelmed with emotions. Her eyes are tearful. She tries to stop him with her affectionate feelings, but in vain. The other women such as his mother, sister and daughter also make their best efforts to put a check on his mission, but his will power is so strong that all these worldly and emotional attachment cannot move him. During the course of his journey, he passes through many strange and mysterious lands. He sees dense forests where the fierceful animals dwell, but he remains fearless. Every new place remains a stranger for him. Mostly he settles his journey through the way of the sea which is a huge abode of different kinds of creatures particularly of fishes, but it may be suffocating for the wanderer. When he feels tired after the day's journey, he sits by a stream in a moorland ridge. He hears the song of a bird. The sound of its song resembles the sound of two stones being banged together. This restless bird represents the unquiet of the heart of the wanderer.
Stanza 3:
There head falls forward, fatigued at evening.
And dreams of home,
Waving from window, spread of welcome.
Kissing of wife under single sheet;
But waking sees
Bird - flocks nameless to him, through doorway voices
Of new men making another love.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. There head ... home= in the evening when the wanderer is badly tired of his day's journey, he sits at some place to rest , but the memories of his house begin to linger in his mind and he feels homesick. 2. Fatigued = tired. 3. Dreams of home= the wanderer recalls the moments spent in the company of his wife and children. 4. Waving from window= when he sleeps, he sees in the vision of his dream that the window of his house is opened and his wife is stood waiting for his arrival. 5. Kissing.... sheet = he sees in his dream that he is lying with his wife under one sheet and both of them are making showers of kisses for each other. 6. But waking ... love= but when he wakes up he finds different kinds birds chirping around him, but these birds art entirely unknown to him. They are completely different from those of his region. He, instead of the members of his family, finds new men who show their affection for him.
Paraphrase:
After his day's journey and achieving new experiences from the different places, the wanderer is so much tired that he thinks of having rest at some secured place. When the evening approaches, he feels sleepy. In his sleep, he sees the visions of his home in his dream. He sees that home where his sweet wife is counting the day of his arrival. He sees the window of his home where his wife seems to be standing and eagerly waiting for his arrival. He sees that she has stretched her arms to embrace him. He feels great pleasure when he finds himself kissing to his wife warmly. But when, in the morning, he wakes up, the visions of his dream are shattered. But these visions add his grief. He is drowned in his past memories. He recalls the moments spent in the company of his wife and children. His sweet home which is ready to welcome him, calls him. The sweet memories of his home make him highly dejected. In fact this is an adverse fate that he is inspired to choose this mission. Now this separation seems to him the greatest misfortune. After waking up in the morning, he again finds everything entirely strange. He hears the different kinds of birds flying around him. They (birds) chirp and sing, but these birds for him are only strangers. He meets unknown people, who show their affectionate attitude for him, but this attitude does not console his dejected feelings, nor does it calm down the wanderer's aspiration for his wife's and children's love.
Stanza 4:
Save him from hostile capture,
From sudden tiger's leap at corner;
Protect his house,
His anxious house where days are counted
From thunderbolt protect,
From gradual rain spreading like a strain;
Converting number from vague to certain,
Bring joy, bring day of his returning,
Lucky with day approaching, with leaning dawn.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. Save ... capture= the poet wishes for the wanderer's safe return to his sweet home where everyone waits for him. 2. Hostile capture = à hurdles and difficulties falling in the way of his journey. 3. From ... corner = God may save him from the misfortunes waiting him for sudden attack. 4. Protect his house = the poet prays God to protect his home in his absence. 5. His anxious ... counted= his sweet home is waiting for his arrival. 6. Thunderbolt = a flash of lightning with crash of thunder, something very destructive, terrible, sudden or startling. 7. From ... strain = God may save his family from the great disaster which gradually spreads its wings and brings utter ruin. 8. Converting ... certain = it is hoped that pessimistic attitude might be converted into optimistic. In other words God may certain his arrival to home. 9. With leaning dawn = the poet prays to God to bring the dawn with the happy news of his arrival.
Paraphrase:
The poet expresses his good wishes for the wanderer so that he may arrive his sweet home safely where his wife and other family members are waiting him eagerly. They are impatiently counting the days of his arrival. In his sweet home, everyone seems to be worried. He prays to God to save him from the dangers of the way of the journey. He also prays to God to protect his house where all the members of his family are anxious about his safe arrival. Every moment they are looking for his arrival. Their eyes are greatly tired of waiting him. The poet prays that God may protect his family from the sudden attack of fatal disaster which may be hovering over his home in his absence and seeking the opportunity to capture his sweet home. He prays God to certain the arrival of the wanderer. God may bring joy and pleasure for the members of his family after making sure the day of his arrival. The poet thinks that there is still the feeling of uncertainty about his safe arrival to his home. But the family members are hopeful of his arrival. In fact that day would the luckiest day that approaches with the happy news of his arrival.
Critical Analysis of the Poem:
Introduction:
This poem was first published with the title “Something Is Bound to Happen”. Adapted from a Middle English West Midland homily, Sowles Warde probably written in the thirteenth century where there is reference to God's judgments as “His dooms that are secret and deeper than any sea dingle.” A dingle is an abyss. The rest of the poem owes something to an Old English poem also entitled The Wanderer, from which Richard Hoggart translates these relevant lines: " Often the solitary man prays for favour, for the mercy of the Lord, though, sad at heart, he must need stir with his hands for a weary while the icy sea across the watery wastes, must journey, the paths of exile; settled in truth is fate! So spoke the wanderer, mindful of hardships. He knows who puts it to the test how cruel a comrade is sorrow for him who has few dear protectors; his is the path of exile, in no wise the twisted gold; a chill body, in no wise the riches of the earth; he thinks of retainers in hall and the receiving of treasure, of how in his youth his gold - friend was kind to him at the feast. The joy has all perished. Then the friendless man wakes again, sees before the dark waves, the sea - birds bathing, spreading their feathers; frost and snow falling mingles with hail; sorrow is renewed. The poem is a representative example of the poet's treatment of the theme of quest. The poem is a remarkable example of totality of impression.
Thought - Content:
The poem begins with a call for a journey overseas and across mountains. It is also a call for renouncing home, domestic, social and worldly life. It is a call to turn the face from emotional attachment of the family. The poet's call is to the wanderer who accepts the challenge of active life and leaves his home with a firm resolution to set out on a voyage of quest. The wanderer is inspired by a strong urge of his will. He is well prepared and determined to face obstacles and difficulties involved in the voyage. He cannot be moved from his object by such considerations as family - bonds and emotional attachments. He voluntarily breaks himself away from the original pattern of life.
The Use of Symbols and Imagery:
The poet speaks of the man ( the wanderer ) who is determined to accept the challenge of dynamic life . He gives up his sweet home and family with a resolution of exploring new experiences. The lonely wanderer is the symbol of the self - willed exile. The wanderer's wanderings represent the migration from the dead past to the living bright future. According to Auden, the wanderer is the explorer of a new world of thought and conduct. Auden has made of apt imagery to bring out the dark and deeper doom that gives a suggestion of the pangs of homesickness. The various images of the cloud, etc. have been used effectively:
“In spring, day - wishing flowers appearing,
Avalanche sliding, white snow from rock - face,
That he should leave his house.
No cloud - soft hand can hold him.”
The image of the ‘leaning down’ of the last line has a definite suggestion of a fresh mode of life, expected to be better and more joyful than the one he had left behind. The word ‘lucky’ is also significant with regard to the positive and fruitful end of the wanderer's voyage who has obviously set out with an unlucky background. There is suggestion of the reorientation of the ‘anxious house’ of the wanderer:
“His anxious house where days are counted
From thunderbolt protect,
From gradual rain spreading like a strain;
Converting number from vague to certain,
Bring joy, bring day of his returning,
Lucky with day approaching, with leaning dawn.”
Style and Language:
Auden's poem is more impersonal than the old English: except for the brief close - up in the second stanza, his wanderer is seen from a great distance, and the emphasis at the end is not on him but on “His anxious house where days are counted" and the joy with which his return will be greeted . The last stanza, “Save him from hostile ...” is, of course, a prayer, though addressed to no one in particular, and the exotic tiger suggests a widening of reference from the Nordic . Auden is chiefly a poet of ideas. Hence, he uses a language suitable for his themes - both private and public. His diction suits well his psychological, social, political, religious and philosophical subjects. He cultivates language as a fit medium for the expression of various concepts and ideas in his poetry. His diction is mainly conceptual.
