9.- “And the angel will not come”: W. H. Auden and the paradox of poetic language
Resumen
El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las nociones de poesía y de lenguaje poético que propone W. H. Auden (1907-1973) desde su perspectiva de crisis de la cultura moderna, en una selección de ensayos y poemas, con especial énfasis en “Autumn Song” (1936). En esta obra, el ángel que no llega a la Tierra, la parálisis de los seres vivos y el silencio dominante muestran las limitaciones del lenguaje humano al intentar dar cuenta de la realidad y de las experiencias personales. Aunque la figura del espíritu celeste, la estación de otoño en que se enmarca el poema y las imágenes de desencanto resultan claves para su interpretación, es fundamental considerar las ideas religiosas y filosóficas que Auden desarrolló durante su carrera, las que permiten comprender mejor su poética. Paradójicamente, a la vez que el poeta angloamericano reconoce la limitación de las palabras, encuentra en el lenguaje poético un camino posible para conocer y explorar lo que significa ser humano con todo su
misterio.
Abstract:
The aim of this article is to analyze the notions of poetry and poetic language proposed by W. H. Auden (1907-1973) from his perspective of crisis of modern culture, in a selection of essays and poems, with special emphasis on “Autumn Song” (1936). In this work, the angel who does not arrive to the Earth, the paralysis of living creatures and the dominant silence show the limitations of human language when trying to account for reality and personal experiences. Although the figure of the celestial spirit, the autumn season in which the poem is framed and the images of disenchantment are key to its interpretation, it is essential to consider the religious and philosophical ideas that Auden developed during his career, which allow us to better understand his poetics. Paradoxically, at the same time that the
Anglo-American poet acknowledges the limitation of words, he finds in poetic language a possible way to know and explore what it means to be human with all the mystery of it.
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