Chapter refugee-blues: Refugee Blues | Long Questions

Auden presents bureaucracy as a cold, heartless machine that values rules over human lives. The refugees encounter various 'officials'—the consul, the committee, and speakers at public meetings—none of whom offer actual help. The consul’s statement that they are 'officially dead' without a passport is a powerful example of how bureaucratic logic works; it ignores the physical reality of a living person in favor of a piece of paper. This official indifference is a primary source of the refugees' misery because it blocks their only path to safety. The committee’s polite request for them to 'return next year' shows a total lack of urgency, ignoring the fact that the refugees have nowhere to stay today. Furthermore, the public speaker uses fear-mongering to turn the local population against them. By showing these different layers of official rejection, the poem illustrates how the state and its institutions can systematically isolate and destroy individuals by simply refusing to recognize their humanity.

The references to Hitler and the marching soldiers ground the poem in its specific historical context—the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. However, Auden presents these political forces as a looming, almost elemental threat. The mention of Hitler is linked to the sound of thunder, suggesting that his power felt like a terrifying, unavoidable storm that could strike at any moment. The 'ten thousand soldiers' searching for 'you and me' at the end of the poem creates a sense of immense scale and claustrophobia. It shows that the refugees are not just wandering; they are being hunted by a massive, organized force. This political reality creates a constant state of fear that dominates the emotional landscape of the poem. The contrast between the individuals ('you and me') and the massive army ('ten thousand') emphasizes the vulnerability of the victims. These references serve to remind the reader that the sorrow of the refugees is not accidental but is the result of a deliberate, violent political will.

The line 'Asked for two tickets to Happiness' is a poignant expression of the refugees' simple, human desire for a normal life. They are not asking for wealth or power; they simply want 'Happiness,' which in their case means safety, a home, and a place where they belong. The mention of the 'express' train suggests a hope for a quick escape from their current misery. However, the reality they face is summarized in the next line: 'every coach was full.' This signifies that the world has no room for them. The metaphor of the full train represents a world that has closed its borders and its heart. It shows that even the most basic human pursuit—the search for happiness—is barred to them because of their status as refugees. This interaction captures the essence of the poem: the tragic gap between the universal human need for belonging and the cold, exclusionary reality of a world divided by borders and prejudice.