My report is on the English-born American writer Wystan Hugh Auden.
He was born in 1907 in England and did not become an American citizen until 1946. He was educated at Oxford University.
His views were generally socialist in early years.
Auden's early works utilized unusual meters, words, and images. These poems from the early 30's used both poetry and jazz in rythm. Early poems were very socialist and done for shock value.
Most of his later works were lighter and more romantic. This was attributed to his abandonment of socialism and return to Anglicanism.
Auden was in Germany in the late 30's and saw the rise of Hitler. He even drove an ambulance during the Spanish Civil War.
He was married while in Germany to a woman, Erika Mann, daughter of Thomas Mann.
In 1939, he immigrated to the U.S. He returned to his Anglican faith at this point, which began to influence his works.
Some of Auden's most famous poems include:
early 30's-- Poems; The Orators (many consider his best)
late 30's-- Look, Stranger; Journey to a War
1945-- The Collected Poetry of W.H. Auden (criticised for editing)
later works-- simple, but meaningful poems
Auden also wrote 3 plays with Isherwood and 1 opera with Kallman
Some of Auden's awards include:
King George's Gold Medal for Poetry, The Pulitzer Prize
The Bollingen Poetry Prize, National Medal for Literature
Auden influenced others constantly by teaching, lecturing, and reading his poetry. Upon his death in 1973, he was considered by many to be the most important poet writing in English
Throughout his life WH Auden never lost his moral quality or concern with modern troubles.
My views of Auden: He was a socialist who desired equality, which I can admire, but lack of dedication to it allowed him to quickly become a capitalist. He did happen to 'immigrate' to America just as his country was about to enter war with Germany, though he never even considered himself an American, but a New Yorker, even after America provided him with a new outlook. I guess what I'm saying is that Auden wrote some meaningful poems with alot of feeling, but he himself seemed to lack such feeling in real life.