Passage 162 · 1947
"The Age of Anxiety"
Main effectThrough anaphoric modal preference, passive ruination, adversative rejection of change, repeated death-choice, prepositional dwelling-in-dread, infinitive cross-climbing challenge, temporal genitive, and coordinate letting-illusions-die, Auden creates syntax of existential cowardice—grammar that indicts collective human preference for familiar destruction over transformative struggle required by present moment.
Device index
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Tropes
Implicit comparison.
Human qualities to abstractions.
Schemes
Repetition at beginning.
Balanced opposition.
Syntax
"We would rather be ruined"—modal auxiliary with comparative. Syntax shows active choice for destruction.
"be ruined"—passive infinitive. Syntax removes agency from ruin.
"than changed"—comparative conjunction with passive participle. Syntax makes change the rejected alternative.
"We would rather die"—repeated modal preference. Syntax reinforces collective choice.
"in our dread"—locative preposition with possessive. Syntax makes fear a place of dwelling.
"Than climb the cross"—infinitive with metaphorical object. Syntax makes alternative active, effortful.
"of the moment"—genitive specification. Syntax makes present time the crucifixion.
"And let our illusions die"—coordinating conjunction with causative verb. Syntax adds second required sacrifice.
"our illusions"—possessive with abstract noun. Syntax shows attachment to false beliefs.
Close reading
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Modal Preference
"We would rather be ruined"—modal auxiliary with comparative. Syntax shows active choice for destruction.
Passive Destruction
"be ruined"—passive infinitive. Syntax removes agency from ruin.
Adversative Comparison
"than changed"—comparative conjunction with passive participle. Syntax makes change the rejected alternative.
Parallel Modal
"We would rather die"—repeated modal preference. Syntax reinforces collective choice.
Prepositional Emotion
"in our dread"—locative preposition with possessive. Syntax makes fear a place of dwelling.
Infinitive Challenge
"Than climb the cross"—infinitive with metaphorical object. Syntax makes alternative active, effortful.
Genitive Temporality
"of the moment"—genitive specification. Syntax makes present time the crucifixion.
Coordinate Refusal
"And let our illusions die"—coordinating conjunction with causative verb. Syntax adds second required sacrifice.
Possessive Illusions
"our illusions"—possessive with abstract noun. Syntax shows attachment to false beliefs.
Stylistic Effect
Through anaphoric modal preference, passive ruination, adversative rejection of change, repeated death-choice, prepositional dwelling-in-dread, infinitive cross-climbing challenge, temporal genitive, and coordinate letting-illusions-die, Auden creates syntax of existential cowardice—grammar that indicts collective human preference for familiar destruction over transformative struggle required by present moment.