Does an individual's background or attitude influence how he or she is viewed in society? The poem “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and the poem “The Unknown Citizen” by W. H. Auden imply that background and attitude can influence how an individual is viewed and treated in society. Wilcox's poem "Solitude" and Auden's poem "The Unknown Citizen" share themes of the individual versus society and inner happiness, but "Solitude" focuses on how a person's emotions and attitude influence his part in society, while "The Unknown Citizen" focuses on how an individual's background and position in society can influence his perception. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Wilcox and Auden demonstrate the idea of ​​the individual versus society and happiness, or lack thereof, within a society in each of their poems. Wilcox illustrates the idea of ​​the individual versus society in “Solitude,” but the strongest example in his poem would be: “Be happy and your friends will be many: / Be sad and you will lose them all” (Wilcox 13-14) . . Wilcox states that when an individual is happy they will find themselves surrounded by companionship that seeks to share their happiness, however, when an individual is sad or depressed the companionship dissipates because people do not want to be brought down by an individual's bereavement. Auden also creates the idea of ​​the individual versus society in “The Unknown Citizen” and makes this clear in the last two lines of his poem: “Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: / If something had gone wrong, we would surely have known about it.” (Auden 28-29). Auden's quote takes a sarcastic tone and states that even if the unknown citizen meets the standards that society imposes on a person, including contentment with one's life, there is no way to know if a human being is happy with one's life based solely on his personal background. and inclusion in society. Although Wilcox and Auden both use themes of the individual versus society, both poets use two completely different approaches to make this point. Wilcox shows how an individual's emotions and attitude can influence an individual's position in society, while Auden illustrates how an individual's background and position in society can shape how they are perceived by that society. Wilcox repeatedly uses lines in “Solitude” that all have the same meaning; if a person is happy he will be welcomed by society, but if an individual is unhappy he will be shunned by the world around him. Wilcox's poems became and remain popular, and Gail Shivel, author of the biographical essay “Wilcox, Ella Wheeler,” speculates on why this is: “Although it is commonplace to focus on the emotional content of her work, it is important to note that his popularity probably has more to do with his art. (Shivel, 70). Auden also had a profession of his own and this can be seen in "The Unknown Citizen". Auden's “The Unknown Citizen” is a poem that turns an individual into another statistic, and it can be said that the unknown citizen could be anyone. The unknown citizen in this poem, based on his personal history and place in society during his life, was assumed by society to be happy and thought that if he wasn't, they would know it. Please note: This is just an example Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Wilcox's "Solitude" and Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" both demonstrate the idea of ​​the individual versus.