“A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

“A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden, was initially published in 1931 and has since become one of the poet’s most celebrated works. This poem explores fundamental human concerns, including mortality, the natural world, and the human condition, all within the framework of a solitary evening stroll. Through its haunting imagery and contemplative tone, “A Walk After Dark” presents a poignant meditation on the transience of life and the beauty of the world around us. Auden’s use of precise and evocative language draws the reader into the quiet, introspective world of the poet’s musings, creating in them a sense of intimacy and immediacy.

Text: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

A cloudless night like this
Can set the spirit soaring:
After a tiring day
The clockwork spectacle is
Impressive in a slightly boring
Eighteenth-century way.

It soothed adolescence a lot
To meet so shameless a stare;
The things I did could not
Be so shocking as they said
If that would still be there
After the shocked were dead

Now, unready to die
Bur already at the stage
When one starts to resent the young,
I am glad those points in the sky
May also be counted among
The creatures of middle-age.

It’s cosier thinking of night
As more an Old People’s Home
Than a shed for a faultless machine,
That the red pre-Cambrian light
Is gone like Imperial Rome
Or myself at seventeen.

Yet however much we may like
The stoic manner in which
The classical authors wrote,
Only the young and rich
Have the nerve or the figure to strike
The lacrimae rerum note. (Tear of things)

For the present stalks abroad
Like the past and its wronged again
Whimper and are ignored,
And the truth cannot be hid;
Somebody chose their pain,
What needn’t have happened did.

Occurring this very night
By no established rule,
Some event may already have hurled
Its first little No at the right
Of the laws we accept to school
Our post-diluvian world:

But the stars burn on overhead,
Unconscious of final ends,
As I walk home to bed,
Asking what judgment waits
My person, all my friends,
And these United State

Annotations: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

Stanza	Annotations
1	Auden begins by describing a cloudless night, suggesting a sense of clarity and openness. He compares the night to a spectacle, using the metaphor of “clockwork” to evoke a mechanical, predictable quality. The reference to the “eighteenth-century way” implies a sense of tradition and routine, perhaps hinting at the monotony of daily life.
2	Here, Auden reflects on his youth, suggesting that the night sky provided solace and reassurance during adolescence. He implies a sense of defiance against societal judgment, suggesting that the permanence of the night sky made his actions seem less shocking. The stanza ends with a contemplation on mortality, as Auden considers the fleeting nature of shock and the enduring presence of the night sky after the shocked have passed away.
3	Auden acknowledges his own aging and the resentment that often accompanies it. He finds comfort in the idea that the stars in the sky can be seen as fellow companions in middle age, suggesting a sense of solidarity and shared experience. The stanza reflects on the universal experience of growing older and the changing perspective it brings.
4	Here, Auden contrasts the idea of night as an “Old People’s Home” with its portrayal as a shelter for a faultless machine, perhaps referencing the perfection and order often associated with youth. He reflects on the passing of time and the impermanence of youth, likening the disappearance of the red pre-Cambrian light to the fall of Imperial Rome or his own youth at seventeen.
5	Auden critiques the stoic manner in which classical authors wrote about the “tear of things,” suggesting that only the young and wealthy have the audacity to express such sentiments. He reflects on the cyclical nature of history, where past wrongs are repeated and ignored. The stanza highlights the tension between acceptance and defiance of societal norms and the inevitability of suffering in the world.
6	In the final stanza, Auden contemplates the uncertainty of the future and the possibility of unforeseen events altering the course of history. Despite the uncertainty, the stars continue to burn overhead, seemingly indifferent to human affairs. Auden concludes by returning to the personal, expressing a sense of introspection and questioning about the judgment that awaits him and his society.

Literary and Poetic Devices: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

Device	Example	Explanation
Allusion	“Like Imperial Rome / Or myself at seventeen”	Auden alludes to historical and personal contexts, comparing the disappearance of the red pre-Cambrian light to the fall of Imperial Rome and reflecting on his own youthful days.
Anaphora	“And the truth cannot be hid; / Somebody chose their pain, / What needn’t have happened did”	The repetition of the phrase “And” at the beginning of each line emphasizes the inevitability of truth and the consequences of choices made, creating a rhythmic and emphatic effect.
Assonance	“Asking what judgment waits / My person, all my friends, / And these United States”	The repetition of the vowel sound “a” in “asking,” “waits,” “States,” etc., creates a smooth and melodic flow to the lines, enhancing the overall rhythm and musicality of the stanza.
Consonance	“Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way”	The repetition of the consonant sound “r” in “Impressive,” “slightly,” “boring,” and “Eighteenth-century” creates a harmonious and rhythmic effect, contributing to the poem’s musicality.
Enjambment	“After a tiring day / The clockwork spectacle is”	The continuation of the sentence from one line to the next without a pause or break emphasizes the seamless flow of time and action, enhancing the sense of continuity in the poem.
Hyperbole	“A cloudless night like this / Can set the spirit soaring”	Auden exaggerates the impact of a cloudless night, suggesting that it can elevate one’s mood to great heights, thereby emphasizing the emotional power of the natural world.
Imagery	“The red pre-Cambrian light / Is gone like Imperial Rome”	Auden creates vivid mental images, comparing the disappearance of the red pre-Cambrian light to the fall of Imperial Rome, evoking a sense of grandeur and historical significance.
Irony	“I am glad those points in the sky / May also be counted among / The creatures of middle-age”	Auden ironically compares the timeless stars to creatures of middle-age, highlighting the paradoxical nature of time and the human experience, where the eternal and the temporal coexist.
Metaphor	“After a tiring day / The clockwork spectacle is / Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way”	Auden metaphorically compares the night sky to a “clockwork spectacle,” suggesting its predictable and mechanical nature, while also evoking a sense of awe and wonder.
Onomatopoeia	“The present stalks abroad / Like the past and its wronged again / Whimper and are ignored”	The word “whimper” imitates the sound of distress or complaint, emphasizing the suffering of the wronged and adding a visceral quality to the stanza.
Oxymoron	“Old People’s Home / Than a shed for a faultless machine”	Auden juxtaposes the contradictory images of an “Old People’s Home” and a “faultless machine,” highlighting the contrast between human imperfection and mechanical precision.
Personification	“For the present stalks abroad / Like the past and its wronged again / Whimper and are ignored”	Auden personifies “the present” and “the past,” giving them human-like qualities of movement and suffering, thereby emphasizing their impact on human experience.
Repetition	“It soothed adolescence a lot / To meet so shameless a stare”	The repetition of the phrase “a lot” emphasizes the significance of the night sky in soothing the speaker’s adolescent anxieties, highlighting its therapeutic effect on the speaker’s psyche.
Rhyme	“A cloudless night like this / Can set the spirit soaring”	The words “this” and “soaring” rhyme, creating a pleasing and rhythmic effect, enhancing the musicality of the line and contributing to the overall structure of the poem.
Simile	“As I walk home to bed, / Asking what judgment waits / My person, all my friends, / And these United States”	Auden uses a simile to compare the act of walking home to bed to the contemplation of judgment, highlighting the speaker’s introspective and uncertain state of mind.
Symbolism	“The clockwork spectacle”	The night sky serves as a symbol of the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life, represented metaphorically as a “clockwork spectacle,” implying both order and inevitability.
Tone	“The clockwork spectacle is / Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way”	The tone of the speaker is reflective and contemplative, as he acknowledges the grandeur of the night sky while also finding it somewhat mundane and reminiscent of a bygone era.
Understatement	“It’s cosier thinking of night / As more an Old People’s Home”	Auden employs understatement to downplay the significance of viewing night as an “Old People’s Home,” subtly contrasting it with the previous metaphor of a “faultless machine.”
Visual Imagery	“As I walk home to bed, / Asking what judgment waits / My person, all my friends, / And these United States”	Auden paints a vivid mental picture of the speaker walking home under the night sky, contemplating the uncertainty of judgment and the collective fate of himself, his friends, and his country.

Themes: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

• Theme 1: The Passage of Time
  The poem explores the passing of time and how it affects our perspectives and experiences. For example, the speaker notes that “the clockwork spectacle is / Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way” (lines 4-6), indicating a sense of nostalgia and detachment from the world around them. Similarly, the speaker reflects on their own aging, saying “I am glad those points in the sky / May also be counted among / The creatures of middle-age” (lines 13-15).
• Theme 2: Mortality and Impermanence
  The poem grapples with the reality of mortality and the impermanence of things. The speaker notes that “the red pre-Cambrian light / Is gone like Imperial Rome / Or myself at seventeen” (lines 19-21), highlighting the transience of human experience. Similarly, the speaker says “What needn’t have happened did” (line 30), acknowledging the inevitability of pain and suffering.
• Theme 3: Disillusionment and Cynicism
  The poem expresses a sense of disillusionment and cynicism towards the world and its workings. The speaker notes that “the present stalks abroad / Like the past and its wronged again / Whimper and are ignored” (lines 25-27), indicating a sense of despair and powerlessness. Similarly, the speaker says “Somebody chose their pain” (line 29), suggesting a sense of resignation and hopelessness.
• Theme 4: The Search for Meaning
  Finally, the poem explores the search for meaning and purpose in life. The speaker asks “What judgment waits / My person, all my friends, / And these United States” (lines 37-39), indicating a desire for clarity and direction. Similarly, the speaker says “As I walk home to bed, / Asking what judgment waits” (lines 35-36), highlighting the ongoing quest for answers and understanding.

Literary Theories and “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

Literary Theory	Description	Example from the Poem
Psychoanalytic Theory	Explores the speaker’s unconscious thoughts and desires	“It soothed adolescence a lot / To meet so shameless a stare” (lines 5-6) – The speaker’s attraction to the “shameless stare” may indicate a repressed desire or unresolved adolescent conflict.
Marxist Theory	Analyzes the poem’s social and political context, highlighting power dynamics and class struggle	“Only the young and rich / Have the nerve or the figure to strike / The lacrimae rerum note” (lines 23-25) – The speaker critiques the privilege and power of the young and wealthy, who can afford to express emotions and concerns that others cannot.
Existentialist Theory	Emphasizes individual freedom and responsibility, and the absurdity of human existence	“What needn’t have happened did” (line 30) – The speaker acknowledges the randomness and uncertainty of life, and the fact that suffering and pain are inherent to human experience.
Symbolic Theory	Interprets symbols and imagery in the poem to uncover deeper meanings	“The stars burn on overhead, / Unconscious of final ends” (lines 33-34) – The stars may symbolize the indifference of the universe to human concerns, highlighting the speaker’s existential crisis.
Postmodern Theory	Questions the notion of objective truth and challenges traditional notions of reality and identity	“The clockwork spectacle is / Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way” (lines 4-6) – The speaker’s ironic tone and critique of the “clockwork spectacle” may indicate a postmodern skepticism towards grand narratives and the notion of progress.

Topics, Questions, and Thesis Statements: “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

Topic	Question	Thesis Statement
The Passage of Time	How does the poem explore the speaker’s changing perspective on life over time?	“Through its use of imagery and reflection, ‘A Walk After Dark’ reveals the speaker’s growing awareness of mortality and the fleeting nature of youth and experience.”
Mortality and Impermanence	How does the poem confront the reality of death and the impermanence of human experience?	“In ‘A Walk After Dark,’ Auden employs imagery and symbolism to convey the inevitability of mortality and the transience of human existence, highlighting the speaker’s existential crisis.”
Disillusionment and Cynicism	How does the poem express the speaker’s disillusionment with the world and its workings?	“Through its use of irony and critique, ‘A Walk After Dark’ reveals the speaker’s growing disillusionment with the world and its institutions, reflecting a sense of despair and powerlessness.”
The Search for Meaning	How does the poem explore the speaker’s quest for meaning and purpose in life?	“In ‘A Walk After Dark,’ the speaker’s introspection and questioning reveal a deep desire for connection and understanding, highlighting the human search for meaning and purpose in an uncertain world.”

Short Questions/Answers about “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

• Q: What is the speaker’s initial reaction to the night sky?
• A: The speaker finds the clear night sky initially comforting and grand. Lines 1-4 describe it as “impressive” and a “clockwork spectacle,” hinting at a sense of awe.
• Q: How does the speaker’s relationship with the night sky change throughout the poem?
• A: The speaker’s perspective shifts as they contemplate aging and mortality. By line 10, they find solace in the idea that the stars, like them, are “creatures of middle-age.” They prefer this view to the image of the night sky as a perfect machine.
• Q: What does the speaker envy about the young and rich?
• A: The speaker acknowledges the “stoic manner” of classical writing (line 18) but suggests only the young and rich have the emotional capacity (“nerve”) and confidence (“figure”) to express the true “tear of things” (deep sadness, line 20).
• Q: How does the poem end?
• A: The poem concludes with a sense of unease. The speaker ponders a potential future event that might disrupt the established order (“first little No,” line 25) while the stars remain indifferent. The final line reflects on the unknown judgment awaiting the speaker, their friends, and their nation.

Literary Works Similar to “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

1. “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost: Similar to Auden’s poem, Frost’s “Acquainted with the Night” explores themes of loneliness, introspection, and the passage of time through the imagery of the night. Both poems depict the night as a backdrop for contemplation and self-reflection.
2. “The Night Migrations” by Louise Glück: Glück’s poem “Night” shares thematic similarities with Auden’s work, as it delves into the emotional and psychological landscape of the nighttime. Both poets use the night as a metaphor for inner turmoil, existential questioning, and the search for meaning amidst darkness.
3. “Walking at Night” by Ted Kooser: Kooser’s poem “Walking at Night” shares Auden’s focus on the nighttime as a time for solitary reflection and contemplation. Both poets use the image of walking alone at night to explore themes of solitude, mortality, and the human experience.
4. “Night Thoughts” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Goethe’s poem “Night Thoughts” echoes Auden’s exploration of nighttime introspection and existential questioning. Both poets grapple with the complexities of human existence and the mysteries of the night, offering profound insights into the human condition.

Suggested Readings for Further Analysis of “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

1. Auden, W. H. “A Walk After Dark.” Selected Poems. Edited by Edward Mendelson, Vintage Books, 2007, pp. 113-114.
2. Bloom, Harold, editor. W. H. Auden. Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
3. Smith, Stan, editor. The Cambridge Companion to W. H. Auden. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
4. McNulty, Margaret Mary. “Expression of the Modern World in the Works of WH Auden.” (1944).
5. Poetry Foundation. “W. H. Auden.” Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/w-h-auden

Representative Quotations from “A Walk After Dark” by W. H. Auden

Quotation	Context	Theorization
“The clockwork spectacle is / Impressive in a slightly boring / Eighteenth-century way.” (lines 4-6)	The speaker describes the night sky, comparing it to a mechanical spectacle.	This quotation highlights the speaker’s detachment and sense of nostalgia, as they view the world with a mix of awe and boredom. (Psychoanalytic Theory)
“It soothed adolescence a lot / To meet so shameless a stare;” (lines 5-6)	The speaker reflects on their adolescence and the allure of something “shameless”.	This quotation suggests the speaker’s attraction to the unknown or taboo, and the comfort they found in exploring these desires during adolescence. (Psychoanalytic Theory)
“I am glad those points in the sky / May also be counted among / The creatures of middle-age.” (lines 13-15)	The speaker notes their own aging and the stars’ indifference to human experience.	This quotation highlights the speaker’s acceptance of their own mortality and the impermanence of human experience, as they find comfort in the stars’ enduring presence. (Existentialist Theory)
“Only the young and rich / Have the nerve or the figure to strike / The lacrimae rerum note.” (lines 23-25)	The speaker critiques the privilege of the young and wealthy, who can express emotions and concerns that others cannot.	This quotation reveals the speaker’s awareness of social inequality and the power dynamics that shape human experience. (Marxist Theory)
“What needn’t have happened did.” (line 30)	The speaker acknowledges the randomness and uncertainty of life, and the fact that suffering and pain are inherent to human experience.	This quotation highlights the speaker’s existential crisis and acceptance of the unknown, as they confront the reality of human suffering. (Existentialist Theory)