The document analyzes W.H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939" through the lens of queer theory. It discusses Auden's own homosexual experiences and relationships, which informed the poem. Specifically, the poem uses metaphors of light and dark to represent acceptance vs intolerance of homosexuality. Lines in the poem referencing history and relationships also contain autobiographical details alluding to Auden's sexuality. The analysis concludes the poem serves as Auden speaking out against the mistreatment of homosexuality through layered meanings and references.

1. Queer Theory In W.H.
Auden’s “September
1, 1939”
Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Paper no.: 107 The Twentieth Century Literature: World War II to end of century
Prepared by: Jheel Barad

2. I am Jheel Barad
Roll No.: 12
Enrollment no.: 4069206420210003
Sem.: 2 (M.A.)
Paper no.: 107 Paper code: 22400
Paper name: The Twentieth Century Literature: World War II
to end of Century
Topic: Queer Theory In W.H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939”
Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi, Department of English,
M.K.B.U
E-mail: jheelbarad@gmail.com

3. Can we Decodigy any Underlying
Theme In
September 1, 1939
through Autobiographical reading of
Poet?

4. ‘September 1, 1939’ is a date of Poland invasion by Hitler.
It's a war poem. Reflects a mood of europe on the outbreak
of world war II.
Primarily it is a war poem; which is talking about Dishonesty
of the Government during the World War II.
Another interpretation else then the dishonesty and
manipulation of government can lead to war, is theme of The
Lack of acceptance of Homosexuality in society.

5. Queer theory is often used to designate the
combined area of gay and lesbian studies,
together with the theoretical and critical writings
about all modes of variance— such as cross-
dressing, bisexuality, and transsexuality— from
society’s normative model of sexual identity,
orientation, and activities.
-M.H Abram

6. Teresa De Lauretis was the first to organise conference on
queer Theory in 1990s.
Gender studies are indebted to the social historian Michel
Foucault, who analyzed all sexual identities.
Informal use of the term "Queer Theory" began with Glorida
Anzaldua and other scholars in the 1990s, influenced by the
work of French post- Structuralist philosopher Michael
Foucault.
Early queer theorists include Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Michael
Warner, Lauren Berlant, Judith Butler, Adrienne Rich, and
David Halperin
HISTORY:

7. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ELEMENTS:
Studying in Oxford he had a feeling for the undergraduate student but
gone unexpressed.
He also tried to develop heterosexual traits.
Auden wrote six German poems which were influenced by his love affairs
‘Law Like Love
‘Funeral Blues’
In 1939, He met a young man named Chester Kallman in The League of
American Poets and soon they were lovers until his death.
In 1035, Auden married a woman named Erika Mann, to let her escape from
Nazi’s in Germany. He lived his life with Kallman and Mann both continuing
his Homosexual relation.

8. Duality of The Poem:
Metaphor of ‘light and dark’
Light- acceptance and embracing homosexual Lifestyle; dark-
intolerance and looked down on homosexuality.
“Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth”
Anger and fear of so called normal society towards Homosexual
society.

9. “The lights must never go out”
Light suggests the people in the world who are ready to accept homosexual
in the conservative Society (dark).
“ …scholarship can
Unearth the whole offence
From Luther until now”
Historical context of Martin Luther who share ideology with Hitler, men of
antisemitism and both also spoke against the homosexual. He also took the
historical reference of Nijinsky and Diaghilev it is shown by the lines.
“is true to the normal heart”
Nijinsky and Diaghilev were homosexual. Auden uses Nijinsky to speak
about love.

10. “…error bred in the bone
Of each woman and each man
Craves what it cannot have,”
Error breed- homosexuals which are natural. Craving for what it cannot
have’ are craving for the homosexual partner, same-sex and craving for
the acceptance by society.
“The dense commuters come,
Repeating their morning vow;
"I will be true to the wife,
I'll concentrate more on my work,"
people belonging to homosexual society always try to remind
themselves, repeatedly that they are heterosexual and try to leave a
heterosexual life.

11. ‘Romantic lie in the brain’
Bainwashed to live heterosexual life.
“All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie”
Voice to speak against injustice happening in the world and
through this poem he is speaking out against the mistreatment
happening to the homosexuality.
“Of Eros and of dust,”
Eros the god of love love and sexuality in Greek
mythology,equality in all love around the world

12. ‘Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion but an escape from
emotion, it is not the expression of personality but an escape from
personality’
-T.S. Eliot in Tradition and
Individual Talent'
Auden’s poetry attempts to involve the reader and create a “self critical
dialogue with the new perspective on himself” and is attempting to
accomplish this by creating generality in his poems. Auden wants to lead a
variety of readers to respond to his poetry in their own way. (Blair in “Poetic
Art of WH Auden”)
CONCLUSION:

13. Abrams, M.H., and Geoffrey Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2012.
Auden, W. h. “September 1, 1939 by WH Auden - Poems | Academy of American Poets.” Poets.org,
https://poets.org/poem/september-1-1939. Accessed 12 April 2022.
“Auden in Love by Farnan Dorothy J.: Good Hardcover (1984) | Clement Burston Books.” AbeBooks,
1984, https://www.abebooks.com/Auden-Love-Farnan-Dorothy-J-Simon/977022790/bd.
Accessed 12 April 2022.
Blair, John G. “Poetic Art of WH Auden.” Princeton University Press, 2016,
https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691650302/poetic-art-of-wh-auden. Accessed
12 April 2022.
Works Cited

14. Eliot, T. S. “Tradition and the Individual Talent.” Literary Theory and Criticism, The MIT Press, 2014,
https://literariness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Literariness.org-Essay-Tradition-and-the-
Individual-Talent.pdf. Accessed 12 April 2022.
Firchow, Peter Edgerly. “WH Auden: Contexts for Poetry – University of Delaware Press.” University of
Delaware Press, 2002, https://udpress.udel.edu/book-title/w-h-auden-contexts-for-poetry/.
Accessed 12 April 2022.
Osborne, Charles. W.H. Auden: the life of a poet. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979. Accessed 12 April
2022.
Waxman, Olivia B. “Why the Invasion of Poland in 1939 Launched World War Ii.” TIME, 30 August
2019, https://time.com/5659728/poland-1939/. Accessed 12 April 2022.

15. THANK YOU!