What was the poem read at the funeral in Four Weddings and a Funeral?

What was the poem read at the funeral in Four Weddings and a Funeral?

Although only one scene contains poetry, the recitation of “Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden is one of the film’s most memorable moments. A moving elegy to a dead lover, the poem begins “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone” and can be found in Auden’s Collected Poems.

Who is WH Auden talking about in Funeral Blues?

‘Funeral Blues’: summary The poem is divided into four stanzas. The first two stanzas see the speaker of the poem, who is mourning the loss of a close friend (or, indeed, a lover), making a series of requests or commands.

What is the message in the poem Funeral Blues?

“Funeral Blues” was written by the British poet W.H. Auden and first published in 1938. It’s a poem about the immensity of grief: the speaker has lost someone important, but the rest of the world doesn’t slow down or stop to pay its respects—it just keeps plugging along on as if nothing has changed.

Was Auden married?

Erika Mannm. 1935–1969
W. H. Auden/Spouse

Why was Funeral Blues written?

It was written as a satiric poem of mourning for a political leader. In the play, the poem was put to music by the composer Benjamin Britten and read as a blues work.

Is Funeral Blues a satire?

Auden first wrote it in 1936 as part of The Ascent of F6, a play that he co-wrote with Christopher Isherwood. In the play, the poem was satirical, which means that it was snarky, mocking, and overblown. One of the characters in the film does a heartbreaking rendition of the poem at his lover’s funeral.

Where is Auden buried?

W.H. Auden

Who was Funeral Blues written for?

W. H. Auden
Funeral Blues/Authors
“Funeral Blues” or “Stop all the clocks” is a poem by W. H. Auden. The poem first appeared in the 1936 play The Ascent of F6. Auden substantially rewrote the poem several years later as a cabaret song for the singer Hedli Anderson. Both versions were set to music by the composer Benjamin Britten.

Why does WH Auden marry Erika Mann?

At the time, Auden was teaching English at the Downs School in Herefordshire. This was a marriage of convenience; by marrying Auden, Mann intended to obtain British citizenship to escape persecution in Nazi Germany.

Why did WH Auden write Funeral Blues?

The poem was five stanzas long when it first appeared in the 1936 verse play The Ascent of F6, written by Auden and Christopher Isherwood. It was written as a satiric poem of mourning for a political leader. In the play, the poem was put to music by the composer Benjamin Britten and read as a blues work.

Why is Funeral Blues called Funeral Blues?

By W. H. Auden The poem is called “Funeral Blues,” and Shmoop thinks that’s the perfect title. After all, it’s a sad song (blues) about a dead guy (funeral). Done and done. As we discuss in our “In a Nutshell” section, the song was set to music before it was published as a poem.

What is the structure of Funeral Blues by Auden?

‘Funeral Blues,’ is a classic elegy. While the narrator does not go into specific detail about the loss suffered, the feelings of loss are very present. The text is referenced often in film and TV (such as in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Gavin and Stacey ). Auden structured the poem in four, four-line stanzas known as quatrains.

Why did Auden change the title of the poem?

Professor Mendelson himself used that title for the poem when editing “Collected Poems” (1976). ‘Auden reprinted the poem under various titles, as was his habit. In “Collected Shorter Poems” it appears as one of the 12 songs.

How many times has Auden written the ascent of F-6?

I am also pretty sure the poem first appeared in the verse play “The Ascent of F-6” which Auden wrote with Christopher Isherwood.’ “Auden intended it to be set to music, and it has been used as lyrics at least three times.

What is the first line of Funeral Blues by William Blake?

In the first lines, the speaker demands that everything quiet down and that all the “mourners come” to mourn. The speaker seeks out transformation in the world but is unable to find it. They are isolated in their loss and no one adequately respects that fact. ‘Funeral Blues,’ is a classic elegy.