The Unknown Citizen

The Unknown Citizen is a poem by W. H. Auden. It was written in 1940. It is the epitaph of a man, as told by the state. The poem has strong resemblances to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four

Related Topics:
W. H. Auden - George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"The Unknown Citizen"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(To JS/07/M/378

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This Marble Monument

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Is Erected by the State)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One against whom there was no official complaint,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And all the reports on his conduct agree

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Except for the War till the day he retired

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He worked in a factory and never got fired,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For his Union reports that he paid his dues,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(Our report on his Unions shows it was sound)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And our Social Psychology workers found

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That he was popular with his mates and like a drink.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was married and added five children to the population,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~