Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of the poem The Night Mail by W.H. Auden. However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
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Summary of the poem
The poem begins with the Night Mail train’s journey across a border, carrying various forms of mail for its recipients. As it ascends the Beattock, it maintains a consistent pace, ensuring it remains punctual. Propelled by a steam engine, the train releases plumes of white steam as it traverses diverse terrains. Birds, startled by its passage, gaze at the train’s emotionless carriages, which are depicted with human-like attributes.
As the train moves forward, it passes by farms where residents are deep in slumber. With the break of dawn, the uphill journey concludes, and the train’s direction shifts towards Glasgow. This Scottish city, known for its industrial landscape, is still quiet in the early morning hours. Yet, its inhabitants eagerly await the train, hoping for news and messages.
The poet elaborates on the myriad contents of the train: a plethora of letters varying in purpose, tone, and appearance. These letters range from formal invitations to heartfelt confessions of love, from meticulously typed documents to those with errors. They capture the essence of human communication in all its diversity.
While many still rest in cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh, they harbor the hope of waking up to letters. The mere sound of the postman’s knock will set their hearts racing, for in the poet’s words, who wishes to confront the pain of being overlooked or forgotten?
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Line-by-line explanation of the poem
This is the Night Mail crossing the border,
The poet introduces the Night Mail, a train, as it travels across a boundary or border.
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
The train carries various types of mail, including checks and postal orders, indicating its importance in commerce and communication.
Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The mail serves everyone, regardless of their economic status.
The shop at the corner and the girl next door.
The train carries letters for businesses as well as individuals, emphasizing its universal service.
Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The train faces a challenging ascent at Beattock, a location in Scotland.
The gradient’s against her, but she’s on time.
Despite the uphill battle, the train remains punctual.
Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder
The train travels through scenic landscapes, highlighting the beauty of the countryside.
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,
The steam engine releases steam, emphasizing its power and movement.
Snorting noisily as she passes
The train’s noise is likened to a creature’s snort, giving it a lively presence.
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses.
The contrast between the noisy train and the quiet, windswept landscape is highlighted.
Birds turn their heads as she approaches,
Nature reacts to the train’s presence, showing its impact on the environment.
Stare from the bushes at her blank-faced coaches.
Birds curiously observe the passing train, emphasizing the interaction between man-made and natural worlds.
Sheep-dogs cannot turn her course;
The train’s path is unyielding, not even affected by animals.
They slumber on with paws across.
The dogs sleep undisturbed, indicating the routine nature of the train’s journey.
In the farm she passes no one wakes,
The train’s passage is so regular that it doesn’t disturb the inhabitants of the farm.
But a jug in the bedroom gently shakes.
Its presence is subtly felt, as indicated by the slight movement of a jug.
Dawn freshens, the climb is done.
As morning approaches, the train completes its uphill journey.
Down towards Glasgow she descends
The train now moves towards Glasgow, a major city in Scotland.
Towards the steam tugs yelping down the glade of cranes,
The industrial sounds of the city contrast with the earlier natural scenes.
Towards the fields of apparatus, the furnaces
The train approaches industrial areas, emphasizing the connection between rural and urban.
Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen.
Industrial structures are compared to chess pieces, suggesting their strategic importance.
All Scotland waits for her:
The entire country anticipates the train’s arrival, showing its significance.
In the dark glens, beside the pale-green sea lochs
The scenic beauty of Scotland is described.
Men long for news.
People eagerly await the letters and news the train brings.
Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
The train carries various types of letters, from expressions of gratitude to official bank correspondence.
Letters of joy from the girl and the boy,
Personal letters filled with happiness from everyday individuals are mentioned.
Receipted bills and invitations
The train carries bills that have been paid and invitations to events.
To inspect new stock or visit relations,
Some letters might be business-related, inviting someone to check new inventory, while others are personal, inviting family visits.
And applications for situations
Job applications are also among the mail, indicating people’s hopes for employment.
And timid lovers’ declarations
Love letters, possibly from those too shy to express their feelings in person, are also transported.
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
The train carries letters filled with news and rumors from various places.
News circumstantial, news financial,
Different types of news, both personal and financial, are conveyed through the letters.
Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Photographs from vacations, perhaps to be developed or enlarged, are also sent.
Letters with faces scrawled in the margin,
Some letters might have doodles or drawings, adding a personal touch.
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Family correspondence from various relatives is highlighted.
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,
The train carries international mail, connecting distant places.
Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands Sympathy letters sent to various regions of Scotland are mentioned.
Notes from overseas to Hebrides
Even remote islands like the Hebrides receive international mail.
Written on paper of every hue,
The letters come in various colors, adding to the diversity of the mail.
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,
Specific colors of the letters are mentioned, painting a vivid image.
The chatty, the catty, the boring, adoring,
The content of the letters varies, from casual chats to love letters.
The cold and official and the heart’s outpouring,
Some letters are formal, while others are deeply emotional.
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The letters vary in intelligence, length, and content.
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.
Different methods of writing are mentioned, from typed to handwritten, with some having spelling errors.
Thousands are still asleep
Many people are still sleeping, unaware of the train’s journey.
Dreaming of terrifying monsters,
Some might be having nightmares.
Or of friendly tea beside the band at Cranston’s or Crawford’s:
Others dream of pleasant moments, like having tea at popular spots.
Asleep in working Glasgow, asleep in well-set Edinburgh,
People in major cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh are still in slumber.
Asleep in granite Aberdeen,
Even in Aberdeen, known for its granite buildings, people are asleep.
They continue their dreams,
The sleepers remain in their dream worlds.
And shall wake soon and long for letters,
Soon, they’ll awaken and eagerly await their mail.
And none will hear the postman’s knock
Everyone anticipates the postman’s arrival.
Without a quickening of the heart,
The sound of the postman evokes excitement and anticipation.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
The poem concludes by emphasizing the universal human desire for connection and the fear of being overlooked or forgotten.
Critical analysis of the poem
“The Night Mail” by W. H. Auden is a captivating portrayal of a mail train’s journey and the profound significance of the letters it carries. The rhythmic and rhyming structure of the poem mimics the steady chug of a train, creating an immersive sense of movement and pace. This rhythmic quality lends the poem a song-like aura, enhancing its auditory appeal.
Auden’s use of imagery is masterful, painting a vivid landscape through which the Night Mail travels. From the serene “cotton-grass and moorland boulder” to the bustling heart of industrial Glasgow, the poem captures the diverse terrains and atmospheres of Britain. This imagery not only sets a picturesque scene but also offers a striking contrast between the untouched natural world and the man-made marvel of the train.
Throughout the poem, the train is endowed with human-like qualities, emerging as a dutiful entity that tirelessly works to bridge distances and deliver messages. The description of “blank-faced coaches” evokes an image of stoic, unemotional compartments, emphasizing the train’s mechanical nature. Yet, this imagery is juxtaposed with the deeply emotional and varied cargo they carry, from love notes to official documents.
At its heart, the poem is a celebration of communication and connection. In an era before the ubiquity of instant digital communication, letters were tangible tokens of relationships, memories, and emotions. The diverse nature of the letters carried by the Night Mail underscores the train’s impartiality and highlights the universal human need for connection, irrespective of social or economic status.
The poem also offers a subtle reflection on society. The industrial imagery of Glasgow, with its “fields of apparatus” and towering furnaces, hints at the changing face of Britain during Auden’s time, a nation in the throes of industrialization. Yet, amidst this backdrop of change, the timeless human emotions of anticipation, hope, and the fear of being forgotten remain constant.
The poem underscores the human desire to be remembered, to matter, and to connect. The universal anticipation of the postman’s knock and the deep-seated fear of being overlooked resonate with readers across ages. In “The Night Mail,” Auden transforms a seemingly ordinary subject—a mail train’s journey—into a profound exploration of human connection, communication, and the diverse landscapes, both physical and emotional, that we navigate in our lifetimes.
Additional/Extra questions and answers
1. What is the poem about?
Answer: The poem is about the journey of a mail train called the Night Mail from London to Scotland and how it carries letters, news and hopes for human connection.
23. Extract
Written on paper of every hue,
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,
The chatty, the catty, the boring, adoring,
The cold and official and the heart’s outpouring.
(i) What does the poet convey by describing the paper in different colours?
Answer: The different colours of the paper suggest the variety and diversity of the letters, representing the wide range of emotions and intentions behind them.
(ii) How does the poet describe the content of the letters?
Answer: The poet describes the content as varied, from “chatty” and “catty” to “boring” and “adoring,” as well as “cold and official” and heartfelt expressions.
(iii) What does the phrase “the heart’s outpouring” imply?
Answer: It implies that some letters contain deeply personal, emotional expressions, revealing the intimate side of human communication.
(iv) How does this passage enhance the poem’s depiction of human experience?
Answer: By highlighting the range of emotions and purposes in the letters, the passage reinforces the idea that the mail reflects the full spectrum of human experience.
(v) What might the different tones of the letters suggest about their senders?
Answer: The varied tones suggest that the senders come from all walks of life, with different moods, needs, and stories to tell.
Additional/Extra MCQs
1. What does the Night Mail train carry?
A. Only letters B. Only cheques C. Letters, cheques, news etc. D. Furniture
Answer: C. Letters, cheques, news etc.
15. The train passes through which landscapes and regions?
A. Mountains, glaciers, rivers B. Beaches, cliffs, deserts C. Cotton grass, moors, farm lands D. Jungles, swamps, valleys
Answer: C. Cotton grass, moors, farm lands
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger who manages Online Free Notes. An avid reader of Victorian literature, his favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. He dreams of travelling the world. You can connect with him on social media. He does personal writing on ronism.
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