Introduction 'What kind of guy inhabits this poem? What is his notion of the good life or the good place? What does he conceal from the reader? What does he conceal even from himself?’; these are the questions W.H. Auden would ask himself when reading...
W.H. Auden’s timeless and universal poetry transcends the barriers of the Modernist period. O’ What is that Sound, written in October 1932 and Spain written in March 1937, both explore the effects of war and the loss of love. Although both these poems differ greatly...
Textual integrity is how well the poet uses context, form, language and purpose to produce a piece that has meaning and value, in other words, it is something that can resonate, move or change the minds of the audience. In Auden’s poems “Spain” and “In...
Poetry does not belong to the sphere of polemics and ideology rather it stimulates the intangible. Inherently subversive, poetry is an artistic abstraction so polyvalent in nature and paradoxical in language, that it invites individuals to derive meaning in the poem independently and to a...
Suffering is the state of aguish or pain of one who suffers. Although human suffering is not severe in the modern world many are living in today, it is still an eminent presence in most places. W.H Auden is meticulous for his didactic insight into...
Prompt Examples for the “W.H. Auden Poetry” Essays Audens’s Insight on Poetry’s Impact Explore W.H. Auden’s perspective on the role of poetry in his quote, “For poetry makes nothing happen.” Discuss how his poetry serves as a vehicle to inspire reflection and action in readers....
“His effort to examine poetry with a coroner’s or detective’s clinical eye conceives of poetry as engaged with history and society” Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get my essay...
W.H Auden’s poetry investigates a decent society as it is oppressed by political ideology and then by war. The prevailing political motivation of a fraught time period and the destructive impact of war are also illustrated in the Australian picture book Home and Away (2008,...
In ‘Musee des Beaux Arts’, W.H Auden explores human responses towards tragedy across the cultures through the setting details of paintings within the ‘Musee des Beaux Arts’. Whilst the poem might be read as an ode to human resilience in the face of tragedy, the...
Introduction W.H. Auden’s “Funeral Blues” is a poignant reflection on loss and despair, encapsulating the profound grief experienced by the narrator following the death of a loved one. Originally penned in the 1930s, the poem has endured as a timeless exploration of human emotions, resonating...
Poetic verse has been used as an outlet of strong emotions and feelings for centuries. The elegance of poetry has long been thought of as more refined than that of prose writing, and thus as a better vessel for conveying strong feelings. Subjects such as...
In the movie Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating teaches his students to seize the day. While showing them a picture of some alumni on the walls of the academy, he draws them in close to hear their legacy, “carpe diem, seize the day.” The lesson...
W. H. Auden’s poem Funeral Blues, also called Stop All the Clocks, is a powerful piece about love and loss. It was first written in 1936 and finalized in 1938. The poem became famous after it was used in the 1994 movie Four Weddings and...
There is a long standing tradition within literature of art within the text holding symbolic meaning. Through either referring or depicting art the author is able to convey, and often consolidate, the ideas of the artist whom they are referring to. This may be to...
In the realm of poetry, the theme of rejection emerges as a poignant reflection of the human experience, particularly in the works of Wilfred Owen and W.H. Auden. Both poets grapple with the tumultuous consequences of war, delving deep into the psychological ramifications faced by...
W. H. Auden, in full Wystan Hugh Auden, was an English-born poet and man of letters who achieved early fame in the 1930s as a hero of the left during the Great Depression. Most of his verse dramas of this period were written in collaboration with Christopher Isherwood.
Works
Auden's poetic works include The Age of Anxiety (1947, Pulitzer Prize) and the collections Another Time (1940) and Homage to Clio (1960). With his longtime companion Chester Kallman, he wrote opera librettos, notably The Rake’s Progress (1951) for Igor Stravinsky.
Themes
Some of Auden's best known poems are about love, such as "Funeral Blues"; on political and social themes, such as "September 1, 1939" and "The Shield of Achilles"; on cultural and psychological themes, such as The Age of Anxiety; and on religious themes such as "For the Time Being" and "Horae Canonicae".
Style
Auden's poetry was noted for its stylistic and technical achievement. His poetry was encyclopaedic in scope and method, ranging in style from obscure twentieth-century modernism to the lucid traditional forms such as ballads and limericks, from doggerel through haiku and villanelles to a "Christmas Oratorio" and a baroque eclogue in Anglo-Saxon meters.
Legacy
Generally considered the greatest English poet of the twentieth century, W. H. Auden's work has exerted a major influence on succeeding generations of poets on both sides of the Atlantic. After his death, his poems became known to a much wider public than during his lifetime through films, broadcasts, and popular media.
Quotes
“Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.”
“We must love one another or die”
“Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can; all of them make me laugh.”
