Themes

• Human Indifference to Suffering: The poem shows that people ignore others’ pain. Life continues even when tragedy happens. Auden says human nature easily forgets others’ suffering and stays busy with daily life.
• Ordinary Life beside Tragedy: Auden contrasts suffering with normal life. While someone suffers, others keep working or playing. This shows the gap between individual pain and the world’s routine.
• The Role of Art and the Old Masters: The Old Masters understood human truth. Their paintings show how suffering is part of life. Art helps us see pain and indifference side by side. 
• The Smallness of Human Tragedy: Auden shows that even great pain looks small to the world. Icarus falls, yet no one stops. The world forgets quickly.