The Life and Work of W.H. Auden

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.

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.

Auden's Travels and Political Engagement

The 1930s were marked by Auden's extensive travels and deepening political involvement. In 1935, he married Erika Mann, daughter of the German novelist Thomas Mann, in a marriage of convenience to assist her in escaping the rise of Nazism. Auden's travels during this period, including visits to Iceland and China, were documented in collaborative works such as "Letters from Iceland" (1937) with Louis MacNeice and "Journey to a War" (1938) with Christopher Isherwood. His experiences in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War informed his evolving political consciousness and were reflected in his poetry, which increasingly dealt with themes of individual responsibility and the moral implications of political action.

W. H. Auden's American Period and Later Life

In January 1939, Auden emigrated to the United States, a move that initiated a significant phase in his career. In America, he met Chester Kallman, who would become his lifelong companion. Auden's American period was characterized by a shift in his religious views, leading to his conversion to Christianity and affiliation with the Episcopal Church. His poetry from this period, including the collection "Another Time" (1940), reflects his ongoing preoccupation with themes of love, morality, and the human condition. During World War II, Auden remained in the U.S., contributing to the war effort through his writing and work for the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey. His observations and experiences during this time continued to influence his poetry, which often explored the consequences of war and the nature of evil.

The Legacy of W. H. Auden's Poetry

Auden's poetry is celebrated for its versatility and its exploration of a wide range of themes, including love, politics, religion, and the human psyche. His work is characterized by a mastery of form and a distinctive voice that combines intellectual rigor with emotional resonance. Poems such as "Musée des Beaux Arts," which contemplates the suffering depicted in the works of the Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and "Funeral Blues," a moving elegy that was popularized by its recitation in the film "Four Weddings and a Funeral," are testament to Auden's ability to address profound themes with clarity and poignancy. His innovative approach to verse and his engagement with contemporary issues have secured his place as a central figure in 20th-century literature.

The Final Years and Death of W. H. Auden

In his later years, Auden continued to write and lecture, dividing his time between residences in New York and Austria, and a cottage in Kirchstetten provided by the Austrian government. He maintained a transatlantic presence, accepting a professorship in poetry at Oxford University in 1972. Auden's health declined in his final years, and he died from congestive heart failure in Vienna, Austria, in 1973 at the age of 66. His passing was mourned by the literary community and marked the end of an era. Auden's extensive body of work, which includes poetry, essays, and plays, remains a subject of academic study and continues to resonate with readers for its insight into the complexities of the human condition.