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them only for their role in maintaining order, productivity, and conformity, rather than
celebrating their unique identity.
The title also echoes the concept of the “Unknown Soldier,” a symbol of soldiers who died
anonymously in wars. However, while the unknown soldier is honored for their sacrifice, the
unknown citizen is celebrated not for heroism, but for fitting perfectly into a system that
demands obedience and conformity.
Theme of Conformity and Individuality
One of the major themes of the poem is the loss of individuality. Auden emphasizes how
society, particularly the government, reduces people to statistics. The “unknown citizen”
lived a life that was considered perfect by the authorities. He never rebelled, he worked
hard, he followed the rules, and he was seen as a “model” citizen. However, Auden subtly
mocks this idea. The poem implies that by living such a conformist life, the unknown citizen
has lost what makes him truly human—his individuality.
The state defines him through his conformity: he followed every rule, he never caused
trouble, and he always did what was expected. But this raises an important question: does a
life spent only in obedience and conformity really fulfill the essence of what it means to be
human? The poem challenges us to think about how modern society, through bureaucracy
and state control, erases individual expression and personality in favor of uniformity and
control.
Irony and Satire
Auden’s use of irony is a key element of the poem. On the surface, the poem seems to
praise the unknown citizen for his perfect obedience and compliance. The speaker lists all
the ways in which the citizen has been a good, responsible member of society. For example,
he worked in a factory, paid his bills, bought consumer products, and never caused trouble.
He was never out of line, and he always fulfilled the expectations placed upon him.
However, as we read deeper, we see that Auden is not actually praising the citizen. Instead,
he is mocking the way society measures a person’s worth. The speaker never mentions the
citizen’s feelings, thoughts, dreams, or desires. He only refers to the citizen’s actions in
terms of his utility to the state and society. This highlights how the state views its citizens as
machines rather than as humans with individual needs and personalities.
The line, “Was he free? Was he happy?” at the end of the poem is especially ironic. The
speaker dismisses these questions by saying, “Had anything been wrong, we should
certainly have heard.” This sarcastic remark underscores the point that society doesn’t care
about the happiness or freedom of the individual, as long as they follow the rules and
contribute to the system.
Structure and Style
The poem is written in the form of a mock “bureaucratic” report, using formal, impersonal
language. This style reflects the cold, detached attitude of the state towards its citizens. The
use of official-sounding language such as “Bureau of Statistics” and “Social Psychology