The themes and ideas in Auden's _The Age of Anxiety_ reflect his belief that man's quest for self actualization is in vain. I. Auden's background A. As a 1930's poet 1. Views of Society 2. Diagnosis of the industrial society B. Major conflicts of his works II. _The Age of Anxiety_ overview A. As a quest poem 1. Characters' search for self-actualization 2. Characters' inevitable failure in the quest B. Characters' views on the general situation 1. Their belief to …showed first 75 words of 2441 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2441 total…They each remember the despair of the conclusion of "The Seven Stages," but have no recollection of the journey itself (Nelson 123). Auden has effectively portrayed the flaw of man in his fruitless quest for the meaning of self. His representations of Quant and Malin as the elders whose future is bleak counters the bright and cheery illusion that Emble and Rosetta may possibly have a future, though, in reality, the only sure future is death.