Portal:Literature/Biography archive/2007, Week 8

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wystan Hugh Auden (21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973), who signed his works W. H. Auden (IPA: /ˈwɪstən hjuː ˈɔːdən/; first syllable of Auden rhymes with "law"), was an Anglo-American poet, regarded by many as one of the great writers of the 20th century. His work is noted for its stylistic and technical achievements, its engagement with moral and political issues, and its variety of tone, form, and content.

Throughout his career he was both controversial and influential. After his death, some of his poems, notably "Funeral Blues" ("Stop all the clocks") and "September 1, 1939", became widely known through films, broadcasts, and popular media.