poetry

Holocaust is an event of mass murder of approximately six million Jews. These two poems convey a message about the horrific effects of holocaust. These are two political, angry and fighting poems which aim to convey a message of abused people. These two poems also show how politics can be immoral, evil and mischievous.

Auden’s “refugee blues” laments the plight of the Jews expelled from Europe, some were killed and some arrested under the rule of Hitler. The poem is about two Jews assumed to be a couple. They are refugees in Germany and they are not welcomed at all to add I feel this couple is at the wrong place at the wrong time. The poem takes the form of a ‘blues’ which is a slow sad song which originates from slave songs. Through the poet’s diction, symbolism, imagery and repetition, the idea of abused human rights and the victim’s plight is evidently communicated. The poem concludes metaphorically with narrator telling his companion how he saw ten thousand soldiers looking for them to jail them or even worse to execute them. Each stanza intensifies their suffering.

Primo Levi’s poem “Shema” mourns lives of Jews in concentration camps during Nazi regime. The Jews were humiliated and a lot were executed. The poem takes the form of a traditional Jewish prayer which is considered the essence of the religion; the prayer is titled “Shema.” Each of the three stanzas serves a main purpose: the first stanza Levi states whom he is addressing, the second stanza he provides directions of judgement and the last he warns. I think the poet presents the poem in the religious manner so that we interpret his opinion from a religious perception. With the aid of numerous literal devices like symbolism, imagery, contradiction, metaphor and simil...

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...the camp.

Next Levi uses simile and I believe it is the most effective of them all, this is because it allows him to compare merely on one aspect “Eyes empty and womb cold As a frog in winter” here not only appearance is taken to consideration but also the inside being “womb cold” which means she has been rendered infertile. The simile “as a frog in winter” paints a picture of a woman alone in a dark, cold place with no sense of hope. I think he uses animal because the Jews were equals of animals.

Primo writes in simple past tense to illustrate that what is talking about has already happened. He also uses first person narration to interact with the readers and to make the poem dramatically. This is a unique poem it is a free verse this allows the writer to express himself.

These two poets are successful in conveying the suffering brought by mankind to harm mankind.