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Meaning Of Auden's Villanelle

254 Words2 Pages
There are hints to the poem’s meaning, which is a Villanelle. There are 19 lines, divided into five stanzas of three lines and one of four. The first and third lines of the first stanza are repeated at the end of the other stanzas. The second line of every stanza rhymes with the others, and the poem ends with a rhyming couplet – another repetition of lines one and three. This strict form can represent Auden’s desire to have the same level of control over his life, which is far less organized. The repetition and regular meter reflect the passage of time, which is key to the message being expressed. The poem seems to be an apologetic response to some unanswered question a loved one has asked about life and death and the role
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