Question

For Auden, poetry was a............ (Choose the correct option)

• A. light game
• B. interesting game
• C. serious game
• D. troublesome game

Hint:

W.H. Auden viewed poetry as both playful and profound — a “serious game” balancing art and truth.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: About W.H. Auden.
W.H. Auden was a 20th-century English poet known for combining intellect, emotion, and social concern in his works. His poems often reflected his belief that art and poetry have a moral and intellectual purpose.
Step 2: Meaning of “poetry as a serious game.”
Auden described poetry as a “serious game,” meaning that while poetry involves creativity and imagination, it also demands discipline, depth, and responsibility. It is “serious” because it deals with truth and human values, yet a “game” because it involves artistic freedom.
Step 3: Analyzing the options.
- (a) Light game: Incorrect — underplays poetry’s seriousness.
- (b) Interesting game: Not precise — lacks Auden’s intended meaning.
- (c) Serious game: Correct — poetry combines creativity with responsibility.
- (d) Troublesome game: Incorrect — not used by Auden.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Hence, Auden regarded poetry as a “serious game” — a creative art that carries meaning and moral value.