The Night Mail is a poem by W.H. Auden that takes us on a nighttime journey with a special train – the Night Mail! This train isn’t carrying people, but something even more important: letters!
The poem starts with the Night Mail crossing the border, bringing letters for everyone, rich or poor. It doesn’t matter who you are, the Night Mail has something for you – cheques for grown-ups, letters from friends, or maybe even a picture of a loved one.
As the Night Mail travels through the night, we see it climbing a steep hill. It’s hard work, but the Night Mail is strong and keeps going. It puffs out white steam and lets out a loud snort as it passes by peaceful fields and sleeping animals.
At a farmhouse, the train goes by so quietly that no one wakes up. Only a jug on a shelf shakes a little from the vibrations.
Finally, morning arrives, and the Night Mail reaches the busy city of Glasgow. Here, factories and machines stand tall like giant chess pieces. Everyone in Scotland has been waiting for the Night Mail: men in remote valleys by the sea, people in big cities, everyone wants to know the news.
The Night Mail carries all sorts of letters, each one special in its own way. There are thank-you notes, letters from banks, and invitations to visit family or see new things. There are love letters, juicy gossip from all over the world, and even news about money and everyday life. The letters come in all colours and tones – some funny, some sad, some short, some long, some typed neatly, some with misspelt words which were probably written in a hurry.
Even though the letters are so different, they all have one thing in common: they connect people. They bring joy, comfort, and news from faraway places. The Night Mail might just be a train, but it helps people feel close to each other, even if they’re miles apart.
As the poem ends, we imagine people in different Scottish cities waking up and waiting for the postman’s knock. Hearing that knock makes their hearts beat a little faster. After all, who wants to feel forgotten? The Night Mail reminds us that getting letters and staying connected to others is a really important part of life.
Poem Explanation
“This is the Night Mail crossing the border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner and the girl next door.”
Explanation:
The first line of the poem sets the scene. It tells us we’re focusing on a specific train – the Night Mail – and it’s currently crossing a border. (between England and Scotland)
This train, the Night Mail is democratic, it carries letters for the rich as well as for the poor. Mails also include cheques and postal orders, which were used for sending money at the time.
By using these specific details, the poet creates a sense of anticipation and importance surrounding the Night Mail. It’s not just a train; it’s a vital connection that keeps people and businesses informed and connected, even at night.
“Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The gradient’s against her, but she’s on time.
Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,
Snorting noisily as she passes
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses.”
Word meanings:
Beattock: A village in Scotland
Gradient: The slope of a road or railway line.
Moorland: Open, uncultivated land with low vegetation.
Boulder: A large, round rock
Shovelling: pushing quickly and in large quantities.
Snorting: to force air violently through the nose with a rough harsh sound
Explanation:
Beattock is a real location in Scotland known for a steep incline. So, here the train is “pulling up,” indicating effort as it makes the climb. The “gradient” refers to the slope of the tracks, which is working against the train as it goes uphill. But, despite the difficulty, the train maintains its schedule and is always on time.
The next lines paint a picture of the landscape. The train is passing by “cotton-grass,” fluffy white plants that grow in marshy areas, and “moorland boulders,” suggesting a somewhat remote place.
Overall, these lines create a vivid image of the Night Mail’s determined journey. Despite the challenging climb and harsh environment, the train perseveres, highlighting its reliability and strength. The contrast between the noisy train and the silent landscape further emphasizes the train’s significant role in disrupting the nighttime stillness as it delivers its important cargo.
“Birds turn their heads as she approaches,
Stare from the bushes at her blank-faced coaches.
Sheep-dogs cannot turn her course;
They slumber on with paws across.
In the farm she passes no one wakes,
But a jug in the bedroom gently shakes.”
Word meanings:
Blank-faced coaches: Train coaches with no passengers on board.
Slumber: poetic term for sleep.
Paws across: This describes the sheepdogs’ relaxed posture, with their paws crossed in front of them.
Explanation:
The birds are startled by the train’s arrival. They turn their heads and stare at its empty coaches. However, the arrival of the train does not wake the sheepdogs as they are aware that they can not do anything to change the train’s path. The train does not wake the farmhouse residents, but a subtle detail – a “jug in the bedroom gently shakes” hints that the vibrations might have caused a slight disturbance. This suggests the train’s presence is felt even if not consciously felt by the sleeping residents.
“Dawn freshens, the climb is done.
Down towards Glasgow she descends
Towards the steam tugs yelping down the glade of cranes,
Towards the fields of apparatus, the furnaces
Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen.
All Scotland waits for her.
In the dark glens, beside the pale-green sea lochs
Men long for news.”
Word meanings:
Descends: Move downward. (In this context, the train is going downhill towards Glasgow)
Glade: An open space in a forest or woodland. (Here, it’s used metaphorically to describe a large area filled with cranes)
Apparatus: Equipment or machinery used for a particular purpose. (Here, it refers to the industrial machinery)
Furnaces: Large enclosed structures in which fuel is burned to produce heat at high temperatures.
Gigantic: Extremely large or enormous.
Glens: A narrow valley between steep hills or mountains, especially in Scotland and Ireland. (A secluded valley)
Long for: Have a strong desire or feeling of need for something.
Sea lochs: An inlet of the sea forming a long, narrow arm into the land, especially on a rocky coast. Lochs means lakes.
Explanation:
This stanza signifies a turning point. As the sun rises, the train’s uphill journey is over and now it shall descend towards its destination, Glasgow, a major industrial city in Scotland. The further lines introduce the industrial landscape of Glasgow. “Fields of apparatus” and “furnaces” refer to a vast industrial complex. The comparison to “gigantic chessmen” emphasises the sense of power associated with machinery.
Contrasting with the industrial Scotland, “dark glens” and “pale-green sea lochs” evoke a more remote and natural part of Scotland. The men living there also wait for the news the Night Mail brings, emphasising the train’s reach across different regions.
Overall, this passage marks the end of the Night Mail’s challenging journey and its arrival in the industrial Scotland. The imagery of the bustling city and powerful machinery contrasts with the peaceful glens, highlighting the diverse landscape the train connects. The line “All Scotland waits for her” emphasises the train’s vital role in keeping the nation informed and connected.
“Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from the girl and the boy,
Receipted bills and invitations
To inspect new stock or visit relations,
And applications for situations
And timid lovers’ declarations
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
News circumstantial, news financial,
Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled in the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,
Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands
Notes from overseas to Hebrides
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,
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.”
Word meanings:
Receipted bills: Bills that have a stamp or mark showing they have been paid.
Applications for situations: Applications for jobs (situation here refers to someone’s position or employment).
Timid: Shy or hesitant.
Declarations: Statements or announcements, often of strong feelings.
Gossip: Rumours or unsubstantiated information about other people.
Circumstantial: Providing details about the surrounding circumstances.
Financial: Relating to money and finances.
Snaps: Informal photographs, often taken quickly.
Enlarge: To make something bigger.
Margin: The edge or border of a page.
Condolences: Expressions of sympathy on the death of someone.
Highlands and Lowlands: Geographical regions of Scotland, with the Highlands being the more mountainous and rural area, and the Lowlands being the plains and more populated area.
Hebrides: A group of islands off the west coast of Scotland.
Hue: A particular shade or color of light.
Chatty: Friendly and talkative.
Catty: Mean-spirited or malicious in remarks about others.
Adoring: Filled with great love and admiration.
Outpouring: A large or continuous flow of something, often emotions.
Explanation:
The Night Mail carries letters of all sorts like receipts or bills of purchase, invitations to events like weddings, applications for leave, etc., lover letters, gossip chitchat perhaps among friends, circumstantial news related information and news related to financial matters. The letters are from different cities and by various people. The letters are of different styles like long, short, typed, printed and are written on papers of different hues of ink like pink, violet, white and blue. They all have different tones like chatty, catty, boring, friendly, clever, cold and stupid. Some even have wrong spellings.
Overall, this stanza portrays the Night Mail as a vital carrier of human connection. It transports not just physical letters but a kaleidoscope of emotions, information, and stories, connecting people across distances and uniting them through the power of written communication.
Symbolism: The Night Mail itself becomes a symbol. It’s more than just a train; it’s a tireless carrier of human connection, a silent witness to the ever-flowing stream of human emotions and stories.
“Thousands are still asleep
Dreaming of terrifying monsters,
Or of friendly tea beside the band at Cranston’s or Crawford’s.”
Word meanings:
Cranston’s or Crawford’s: References to tea shops or cafes in Edinburgh, Scotland at the time the poem was written.
Explanation:
Many people are still sleeping as the train moves along its tracks. They might be having nightmares of terrifying monsters, or they might be dreaming of a pleasant social gathering. “Cranston’s” and “Crawford’s” likely refer to tea shops or cafes with live music.
The stanza showcases the vast range of emotions and experiences that people encounter in their dreams, from fear to happiness.
“Asleep in working Glasgow, asleep in well set Edinburgh,
Asleep in granite Aberdeen,
They continue their dreams,
And shall wake soon and long for letters,
And none will hear the postman’s knock
Without a quickening of the heart,
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?”
Word meanings:
Well-set (Edinburgh): Prosperous and attractive city, well-maintained and established.
Granite: A type of very hard rock.
Long for: This means to have a strong desire for something.
Quickening of the heart: Speeding up of the heartbeat. (The sound of the postman’s knock will cause their hearts to beat faster due to excitement.)
Explanation:
Here, the poet introduces three major Scottish cities: Glasgow, known for its industries, Edinburgh, known for its beauty, and Aberdeen, nicknamed the “Granite City” due to its prominent buildings made of granite. The people here, despite being asleep, subconsciously await and long for the arrival of their mail. Even the sound of the “postman’s knock” triggers a physical reaction – a “quickening of the heart” – indicating excitement and anticipation.
The last line is the central message of the poem. It suggests that the longing for letters arises out of a fundamental human need to feel connected. Receiving mail is a reassurance of one’s place in the community and a reminder of the outside world.
Overall, these lines create a powerful image of a nation united by a shared desire for connection. Even in their sleep, the people subconsciously await the mail, highlighting the importance of communication and the fear of isolation.
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Poetic Devices in The Night Mail
Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line.
Line 8: “Shovelling white steam over her shoulder”
(repetition of “s” creates a hissing sound)
Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds in a line.
Line 36: “Letters to Scotland from the South of France”
Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses.
Line 33: “Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled on the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France.”
Simile: It directly compares two things by highlighting the similarities using comparison words such as “like”, “as”, “so”, or “than”.
Line 16: “Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen”
(compares the furnaces to chessmen, highlighting their imposing presence.)
Personification: It refers to the representation of a thing or abstraction as a person.
The Night Mail train is personified throughout the poem.
Line 6: “She remains on time as she travels…” – Using “she” refers to the train as a female entity.
Line 8: “Over her shoulder:” – Attributing a shoulder to the train suggests a human-like form.
Line 9: “Snorting noisily as she passes:” – This depicts the train making a sound, similar to how an animal might snort.
Imagery
Visual Imagery: Vivid descriptions paint a picture of the train’s journey.
Line 8: “Shovelling white steam over her shoulder”
Line 15-16: “Fields of apparatus, the furnaces / Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen”
Auditory Imagery: The poem evokes sounds associated with the train and its environment.
Line 9: “Snorting noisily as she passes”
Line 14: “steam tugs yelping down the glade of cranes”
Enjambment: It refers to the continuation of a sentence without a pause.
Lines 7-8: “Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder / Shovelling white steam over her shoulder”
Rhetoric Question: It is a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect rather than to get an answer.
Line 43: For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options.
What does the poem celebrate?
(a) the mail train
(b) human connections
(c) the railway system
(d) none of the above
Where was the mail train heading?
(a) Paris
(b) London
(c) Glasgow
(d) Crawford
‘Snorting noisily as she passes’. Which figure of speech is used here?
(a) personification
(b) alliteration
(c) metaphor
(d) sarcasm
Why does-no one wake up from their sleep as the train passes?
(a) They are intoxicated
(b) They sleep in sound-proof rooms.
(c) The train created no noise.
(d) They have become habituated to the train’s passing and ignore it.
Which of these is NOT carried by the train?
(a) letters
(b) news
(c) cheques
(d) furnaces
‘For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?’ Which literary device is used here?
(a) simile
(b) metaphor
(c) rhetorical question
(d) irony
Which regions does the train pass through?
(a) The seabeach
(b) hills and plains
(c) mountains
(d) war zones
Select the correct option that displays the characteristics of the personified train correctly.
(a) kind
(b) aggressive
(c) methodical
(d) steady
Which of these is repeated numerous times in the poem?
(a) letters
(b) cheques
(c) postal orders
(d) sleeping people
Which types of letters are mentioned in the poem?
(a) chatty
(b) boring
(c) adoring
(d) all of the above
What is the main purpose of the Night Mail?
(a) To transport passengers across the country.
(b) To deliver mail to various destinations.
(c) To compete with other modes of transportation.
(d) To provide entertainment for people along the route.
What evidence from the poem suggests the Night Mail is reliable?
(a) It carries letters for both rich and poor.
(b) It travels through diverse landscapes.
(c) It arrives on time despite challenging terrain.
(d) It wakes people up in their sleep.
Why don’t the sheepdogs react to the Night Mail (stanza 6)?
(a) They are scared of the loud noises.
(b) They are too busy herding sheep.
(c) They are accustomed to the train’s regular passage.
(d) The train travels too fast for them to notice.
What happens in the farmhouse as the Night Mail passes?
(a) Everyone wakes up to check the mail.
(b) The train sounds its whistle loudly.
(c) A jug in the bedroom shakes.
(d) The farmhouse lights turn on.
The phrase “Pulling up Beattock” suggests the train is:
(a) Departing from a station
(b) Beginning a climb
(c) Reaching its destination
(d) Slowing down
What feeling does the poem suggest is universal?
(a) The fear of being forgotten
(b) The excitement of receiving mail
(c) The annoyance of being woken up at night
(d) The joy of travelling by train
The poem is set in:
(a) The United States
(b) France
(c) Scotland and England
(d) A fictional world
What is the main theme of the poem?
(a) The power of technology
(b) The dangers of night travel
(c) The importance of communication
(d) The beauty of the Scottish countryside
Identify the poetic device.
“Towards the fields of apparatus, the furnaces
Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen.”
(a) Metaphor
(b) Personification
(c) Simile
(d) Alliteration
Who among the following wrote the poem “The Night Mail”?
(a) William Wordsworth
(b) W. B. Yeats
(c) W. H. Auden
(d) P.B. Shelly
Answers-(b) human connections
(c) Glasgow
(a) personification
(d) They have become habituated to the train’s passing and ignore it.
(d) furnaces
(c) rhetorical question
(b) hills and plains
(d) steady
(a) letters
(d) all of the above
(b) To deliver mail to various destinations.
(c) It arrives on time despite challenging terrain.
(c) They are accustomed to the train’s regular passage.
(c) A jug in the bedroom shakes.
(b) Beginning a climb
(a) The fear of being forgotten
(c) Scotland and England
(c) The importance of communication
(c) Simile
(c) W. H. Auden
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