Wystan Hugh (W H) Auden Biography | Poet

Wystan Hugh Auden, known more commonly as W. H. Auden was an English poet, often considered one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. He was one of the greatest Anglo American poets. Born in England, he later obtained an American citizenship. 

His early life and education

Wystan Hugh Auden was born in February 21 1907 and died in September 29 1973. He was the finest English poet of his era. Most of his early life was spent in the United Kingdom, though he travelled to other European countries. He moved to the US during the turbulent era of 1939 and it was assumed he obtained his American citizenship this period. By the time he died in 1973, he was already an American citizen. He spent his childhood in Harbone, Birmingham. This was because his father was based in that city. His father was a renowned medical professional. He started his school at the age of eight. He was sent straight into boarding schools. He attended different schools such as St Edmunds school as well as Gresham’s School, Christ Church school as well as the Oxford University, where he graduated with a third class degree. He left the country to Germany where he was touched by the homosexuality that was prevalent in the area he stayed in the country. He was very critical about this in some of his works.

He came back to the country where he worked as a teacher, he taught at two boys schools and then in other schools across the country. He taught at Helensburgh in Scotland, and this is where he wrote some of his poems. Most of the volumes he wrote n 1932 were written here. He also wrote the Out on the Lawn I Lie in Bed while teaching at the Larchfield. He also published such other books such as the Vision of Agape.

He also worked as a freelancer and that was after he left the Downs School in the year 1935. This gave him the opportunity to tour other lands and write poems about what he observed.

His Work

His works were famous for different reasons. First, is that his work was noted for his stylistic approach, and for his technical achievements. He was positively engaged with moral and political matters in most of his works. This is why his work appeared in different content, forms, and tones. You can always single out different themes in his work, and that includes religion and morals, politics, love as well as citizenship. He was occupied by the unique relationship that should exist between humans and nature.

His work covered many areas. He wrote poems, prose, as well as reviews on many subjects. His work covers all subjects and that was why most of his works were controversial and at the same time influential. Many of the works were published after his death and some of them include Refugees Blues, Musee des, The Unknown Citizen, as well as the September 1 1939.

He controversially rewrote and even discarded some his famous poems. His reasons for rejecting the poems were because they were boring and that most of them were dishonest. He believed that most of them were prepared out of falsehood because he never believed on those views. It was believed that his newfound love for his religion led him into rewriting and discarded his influential works. That notwithstanding, he was the greatest poet of his era.