W.H. AudenW.H. Auden

By: McKenzie White By: McKenzie White

o Born in York, England on February 21, 1907

o Moved to Birmingham during childhood

o Attended school at Christ Church, Oxford.

o Born in York, England on February 21, 1907

o Moved to Birmingham during childhood

o Attended school at Christ Church, Oxford.

Influenced by the Poetry of• Thomas Hardy • Robert Frost • William Blake• Emily Dickinson• Gerard Manley Hopkins• Old English verse.

Influenced by the Poetry of• Thomas Hardy • Robert Frost • William Blake• Emily Dickinson• Gerard Manley Hopkins• Old English verse.

Life Long Friends

Life Long FriendsWhen At Oxford his skills for

poetry were immediately apparent. He formed

a friendship with two other writers at

Oxford named Stephen Spender and Christopher

Isherwood.

When At Oxford his skills for poetry were

immediately apparent. He formed a friendship

with two other writers at Oxford named

Stephen Spender and Christopher Isherwood.

1928 Poems was privately printed

1930another collection Poems (though its contents were different) was published

1928 Poems was privately printed

1930another collection Poems (though its contents were different) was published

*Poems (privately printed, 1928) *Best SellerPoems (1930)The Orators prose and verse (1932)Look, Stranger! in America: On This Island (1936)Spain (1937)Another Time (1940)The Double Man (1941)The Quest (1941)For the Time Being (1944)The Sea and the Mirror (1944)Collected Poetry (1945)The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue (1947)Collected Shorter Poems 1930-1944 (1950)Nones (1952)

*Poems (privately printed, 1928) *Best SellerPoems (1930)The Orators prose and verse (1932)Look, Stranger! in America: On This Island (1936)Spain (1937)Another Time (1940)The Double Man (1941)The Quest (1941)For the Time Being (1944)The Sea and the Mirror (1944)Collected Poetry (1945)The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue (1947)Collected Shorter Poems 1930-1944 (1950)Nones (1952)

(continued)

(continued)

The Shield of Achilles (1955)Selected Poetry (1956)The Old Man's Road (1956)Homage to Clio (1960)About the House(1965)Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957 (1966)Collected Longer Poems (1968)City without Walls (1969)Academic Graffiti (1971)Epistle to a Godson (1972)Thank You, Fog: Last Poems (1974)Selected Poems (1979)Collected Poems (1991)

The Shield of Achilles (1955)Selected Poetry (1956)The Old Man's Road (1956)Homage to Clio (1960)About the House(1965)Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957 (1966)Collected Longer Poems (1968)City without Walls (1969)Academic Graffiti (1971)Epistle to a Godson (1972)Thank You, Fog: Last Poems (1974)Selected Poems (1979)Collected Poems (1991)

Auden was always admired for his versatility in writing. He was gifted enough to be able to write any type of poem there is. Other than writing poems he also wrote playwrights, librettists, editorials, and essays.

Auden was always admired for his versatility in writing. He was gifted enough to be able to write any type of poem there is. Other than writing poems he also wrote playwrights, librettists, editorials, and essays.

His Work His Work His work talked about culture, current events, and vernacular speech; it also shows a large range of his intellect. His work shows a variety of literature, art forms, social/political theories , and scientific/technical information.

His work talked about culture, current events, and vernacular speech; it also shows a large range of his intellect. His work shows a variety of literature, art forms, social/political theories , and scientific/technical information.

What Else He Did…What Else He Did…• When he wasn’t writing he was traveling.

• He visited Germany, Iceland, and China

• He served in the Spanish Civil War• In 1939 he moved to the United states where he became an American Citizen and also met his lover Chester Kallman

• When he wasn’t writing he was traveling.

• He visited Germany, Iceland, and China

• He served in the Spanish Civil War• In 1939 he moved to the United states where he became an American Citizen and also met his lover Chester Kallman

Different ViewsDifferent Views

While in the United States his believes changed drastically. He is now a firm believer in Christianity and Theology.

While in the United States his believes changed drastically. He is now a firm believer in Christianity and Theology.

DeathDeath

Auden died on September 28, 1973 in

Vienna, Austria.

Auden died on September 28, 1973 in

Vienna, Austria.

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Test QuestionsTest Questions1. When was Auden Born?2. What does the W.H. stand for?3. What were two of his

influences?4. What was his best selling

book?5. What war was he apart of?6. Where did he die at?

1. When was Auden Born?2. What does the W.H. stand for?3. What were two of his

influences?4. What was his best selling

book?5. What war was he apart of?6. Where did he die at?

-Answers--Answers-1. February 21, 19072. Wystan Hugh3. Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost,

William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Old English verse.

4. Poems (1928)5. Spanish Civil War6. Vienna, Austria

1. February 21, 19072. Wystan Hugh3. Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost,

William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Old English verse.

4. Poems (1928)5. Spanish Civil War6. Vienna, Austria

A Walk After DarkBy: W.H. Auden A Walk After DarkBy: W.H. Auden

A cloudless night like this Can set the spirit soaring:

After a tiring day The clockwork spectacle isImpressive in a slightly

boringEighteenth-century way.

A cloudless night like this Can set the spirit soaring:

After a tiring day The clockwork spectacle isImpressive in a slightly

boringEighteenth-century way.

It soothed adolescence a lotTo meet so shameless a stare:The things I did could not Be so shocking as they saidIf that would still be thereAfter the shocked were dead.

It soothed adolescence a lotTo meet so shameless a stare:The things I did could not Be so shocking as they saidIf that would still be thereAfter the shocked were dead.

Now unready to dieBur already at the stage

When one starts to resent the young.

I am glad those points in the sky

May also be counted amongThe creatures of the middle-age.

Now unready to dieBur already at the stage

When one starts to resent the young.

I am glad those points in the sky

May also be counted amongThe creatures of the middle-age.

It’s cosier thinking of nightAs more an Old peoples home Than a shed for a faultless

machine.That the red pre-Cambrian light

Os gone like imperial RomeOr myself at seventeen.

It’s cosier thinking of nightAs more an Old peoples home Than a shed for a faultless

machine.That the red pre-Cambrian light

Os gone like imperial RomeOr myself at seventeen.

Yet however much we may like The stoic manner in which The classical authors wrote.Only the young and rich

have the nerve or the figure to strike

The lacrimae rerum note

Yet however much we may like The stoic manner in which The classical authors wrote.Only the young and rich

have the nerve or the figure to strike

The lacrimae rerum note

For the present stalks abroad Like the past and its wronged

againWhimper and are ignored,

And the truth cannot be hid:Somebody chose their pain,What needn’t have happened

did.

For the present stalks abroad Like the past and its wronged

againWhimper and are ignored,

And the truth cannot be hid:Somebody chose their pain,What needn’t have happened

did.

Occurring this very night By no established rule,

Some event may already have hurled

Its first little No at the right

Of the laws we accept to school Our postdiluvian world:

Occurring this very night By no established rule,

Some event may already have hurled

Its first little No at the right

Of the laws we accept to school Our postdiluvian world:

But the stars burn on overhead, Unconscious of final ends,As I walk home to bed,

Asking what judgment waitsMy person, all my friends,And these United States.

But the stars burn on overhead, Unconscious of final ends,As I walk home to bed,

Asking what judgment waitsMy person, all my friends,And these United States.

Work CitedWork Cited

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