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The Life and Work of W.H. Auden

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W. H. Auden, a prominent 20th-century poet, was born in 1907 and educated at Oxford. His work, influenced by politics, religion, and psychology, evolved through his travels and experiences, such as the Spanish Civil War and his time in the U.S. during WWII. Auden's poetry, known for its emotional depth and intellectual rigor, includes famous pieces like 'Musée des Beaux Arts' and 'Funeral Blues.' His legacy continues to impact literature.

Early Life and Education of W. H. Auden

Wystan Hugh Auden, an influential 20th-century poet, was born in York, England, in 1907. He was the youngest of three sons in a family with medical and religious backgrounds; his father was a physician and his mother a nurse. Auden's upbringing was steeped in the Anglican tradition, which would later influence his work. He received his early education at St. Edmund's School, Hindhead, Surrey, and Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk. His academic journey continued at Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied English literature. At Oxford, Auden was exposed to the teachings of J.R.R. Tolkien on Old English and Middle English literature and became part of a circle of poets that included Louis MacNeice, Stephen Spender, and Cecil Day-Lewis. This group, sometimes referred to by the media as the "Auden Group" or "MacSpaunday," was known for their left-leaning politics and modernist approach to poetry.
Vintage photo of a focused man in a suit writing with a fountain pen at a desk, with an open book, lamp, and cup of pens nearby, evoking a studious atmosphere.

Auden's Formative Years and Early Works

Upon graduating from Oxford, Auden's literary career began to take shape. He spent a year in Berlin, a city that exposed him to new cultural and political ideas, and where his first collection of poems, "Poems," was privately published by Stephen Spender in 1928. This collection was later published commercially by Faber & Faber, with the help of T.S. Eliot. Returning to England, Auden worked as a schoolmaster for several years, a time during which he continued to write and publish poetry. His early works reflect his engagement with contemporary political issues and his interest in psychology and religion, themes that would recur throughout his career.

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The poet ______ ______ ______ was born in 1907 in ______, ______.

Wystan Hugh Auden

York

England

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The '______ ______' or 'MacSpaunday,' known for their ______ politics, included Auden and contemporaries like ______ ______ and ______ ______-______.

Auden Group

left-leaning

Louis MacNeice

Cecil Day-Lewis

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Auden's first poetry collection publication

Privately published by Stephen Spender in Berlin, 1928; later by Faber & Faber.

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