Perceptions Of Life And Human Experiences In Refugee Blues By W. H. Auden

It is through the consequences and experiences of a discovery where an individual makes an attempt to conceal or forget the events of the past, but find it impossible to suppress it completely, as the discovery made is confronting and provocative. Through the dramatic text Away by Michael Gow and the poem Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden, the notions of loss, time, and nature are explored. These ideas consequently lead to transformed perceptions of life and human experiences as a whole and thus a rediscovery. These ideas are further explored through various language forms utilising both dramatic and literary techniques that amplify the concept of discovery and its effect on groups and individuals.
Loss is an aspect of life, which is primarily portrayed …show more content…
With the progression of time, an individual can rediscover and eventually suppress the past events. In Michael Gow’s Away, it is through the concept of time where the characters are able to make a rediscovery. Tom acts as a catalyst in Gwen’s rediscovery in Act 1 Scene 2, Tom wishes Gwen “a rotten holiday. I hope you have a fucken miserable time”. The use of foreshadow accurately predicts the future as Gwen’s caravan gets destroyed during the storm and she ends up having a ‘miserable time’. Gwen’s transformed attitude and perception towards life is evident through the rhetorical question: “What do you think of me?” This quote implies Gwen’s efforts at concealing the past and an optimistic outlook towards the future. Gwen’s metamorphosis is further accentuated in Act 4 Scene 1, when Gwen is unable to take the Bex powder. “I can’t take this powder. I can’t…”- demonstrates, through the repetition of ‘I can’t’, Gwen’s changed personality over a period of time; an emotional rediscovery. Her positive approach to life makes amends in her relationship with Jim. Correspondingly, in Refugee Blues by W.H. Auden, time is a representation of the concealment of the past. “Once we had a country…you’ll find it there”- the use of a past tense, amplifies the passing of time as they ‘once had a country’ and the personas enforced actions of a rediscovery to ensure that they will ‘find it there’. In …show more content…
In Gow’s Away, nature is utilised to rectify relationship issues amongst and within characters. In Act 3 Scene 4, the stage direction of “Storm scene” alludes to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. The pathetic fallacy of the storm is the culmination of the characters’ emotions and Gow manipulates this to bring the characters together at “The beach”. The setting of “The beach” in Act 4 Scene 1 is a symbolism of the characters renewed perceptions of life and human experience. Gow utilises ‘the beach’ as a source of rediscovery for the characters, particularly Gwen. Moreover, in Auden’s Refugee Blues, nature is used as a comparison to the lack of freedom for the persona. “An old yew,/Every spring it blossoms anew”- the connotations of nature reiterates its freedom and suggests that individuals should look towards nature for a discovery. In addition, “The birds in the trees/Sang at their ease/They weren’t the human race, my dear, they weren’t the human race”- establishes nature’s freedom as they ‘sang at their ease’ because ‘they weren’t the human race’. The high modality of ‘weren’t’ ascertains that ‘the human race’ needs to discover freedom first, through nature, as nature itself is unrestricted and free. Nature can be manipulated to conceal the past, as it diverts the focus of individuals away, but cannot suppress it for prolonged periods. The freedom acquired through nature is an