Poem Analysis - Horae Canonicae Sext

Auden's "Horae Canonicae: Sext" is a complex exploration of vocation, authority, and collective experience. The poem unfolds with a tone of detached observation, moving from individual dedication to societal structures and culminating in a unified, almost religious experience. The mood shifts from appreciative to critical, before ultimately embracing a kind of paradoxical unity found in shared participation.

The Beauty of Focused Purpose

The first section establishes a theme of vocation as a form of secular holiness. Auden celebrates the "eye-on-the-object look" of those absorbed in their work, whether a cook, surgeon, or clerk. This intense focus, this forgetting of self "in a function," is presented as a kind of modern-day piety, a dedication to craft that transcends base desires. He then wonders that we don't appreciate the "nameless heroes who took it first," those who first put their minds to the task and forgot things like dinner. The poem uses religious language, like "shrines," "mystery," and "pray," but the worship is directed towards figures like St. Phocas (patron saint of gardeners) and other more grounded figures, highlighting a shift from traditional religion to a reverence for practical skill and dedication.

The Necessity of Imperfect Authority

The second section confronts the often-unpleasant nature of authority. While the dedicated vocation is good and innocent, authority is not necessarily. The poem acknowledges that those who wield power – "besieging general[s]," "bacteriologist[s]," and "prosecutor[s]" – might be morally questionable ("very great scoundrels"). Despite this, the poem argues for the necessity of authority in maintaining order and civilization. The "judicial mouths," even if belonging to unsavory characters, are responsible for "basilicas, divas, dictionaries, pastoral verse, / the courtesies of the city." The consequence of lacking authority, as he describes it, is a squalid, localized existence, "tethered for life to some hut village." The poem paints a complex view that acknowledges the moral ambiguities of power while simultaneously recognizing its crucial role in shaping society.

Collective Identity and Shared Belief

The final section introduces the concept of the crowd and collective experience. In contrast to the individual focus of the first section and the specialized authority of the second, this part emphasizes the unifying power of shared belief. The crowd is depicted as an entity with a single eye and many mouths, seeing only "an epiphany of that / which does whatever is done." The poem suggests that regardless of individual beliefs, the crowd believes in a singular, shared truth. This collective belief transcends individual differences, allowing people to say "all men are our brothers." Auden seems to value the capacity of humanity to unite, even in the face of difficult and even barbaric circumstances ("this dying").

Symbols of Progress and Sacrifice

Throughout the poem, images of civilization and progress are intertwined with moments of death and sacrifice. The "flaker of flints" who forgets his dinner is a symbol of early human innovation, but also a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of progress. Similarly, the reference to "this death" at noon, repeated throughout the poem, serves as a constant reminder of the costs associated with both individual dedication and societal order. The very invocation of "Sext", the sixth hour of the monastic day, is one tied to death - as it is traditionally associated with the crucifixion of Christ, and, with it, sacrifice.

Concluding Paradox

"Horae Canonicae: Sext" ultimately presents a complex and somewhat paradoxical view of human existence. Auden suggests that meaning and value are found in individual dedication to work, in the imperfect but necessary structures of authority, and in the unifying power of collective experience. The poem acknowledges the inherent contradictions and moral ambiguities of these elements, but ultimately celebrates their combined contribution to the human condition. The poem asks us to find unity in even the most disparate circumstances.