Lullaby
Poetry
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W. H. Auden
Lullaby key Facts
Key Facts
Writer: W. H. Auden (1907 – 1973)
Original Title: “Lullaby”
First Line: “Lay your sleeping head, my love, / Human on my faithless arm.”
Source: Originally published in The Ascent of F6 (1936), later included in Another Time (1940)
Written Time: 1937
Published Date: 1937
Form: Lyric poem in four stanzas of ten lines each (irregular meter and rhyme)
Genre: Love poem...
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Lullaby Character
Characters
The Speaker (Narrator): The speaker is a lover watching the beloved sleep. He feels deep tenderness and calm love. He knows humans are weak and mortal. Yet, he finds this love pure and holy. His voice is gentle, honest, and caring. The speaker reflects Auden’s own thoughtful and loving nature.
The Beloved: The beloved is the person asleep in the poem. The poet gives no gender or name. T...
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Lullaby Summary
Background: W. H. Auden wrote ““Lullaby”” in 1937, during a tense time between the two World Wars. Europe was filled with fear, political unrest, and moral doubt. Auden turned to love as a form of peace and truth in this uncertain world. The poem shows that even in dark times, human love can be pure, gentle, and sacred.
Summary
Stanza 1 – The Sleeping Beloved and the Power of Love: The poem opens...
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Lullaby Theme
Themes
The Power of Love: The poem celebrates love’s purity and strength. It shows love as gentle, truthful, and forgiving. Even in a world full of fear and death, love gives peace.
Human Mortality and Time: Auden reminds us that beauty and life fade with time. The beloved is mortal, yet beautiful to the lover. The poem accepts death as a natural part of love.
Acceptance of Imperfection: The poet...
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Lullaby Quotations
Quotes
“Lay your sleeping head, my love, human on my faithless arm.”
Explanation: The poem opens with this tender invitation. The poet asks the beloved to rest peacefully on his arm. The words “human” and “faithless” show that love accepts imperfection. The poet’s love is sincere, gentle, and deeply human.
“Mortal, guilty, but to me the entirely beautiful.”
Explanation: The poet admits tha...
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Notes
Explore 4 detailed notes related to Lullaby. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.