W. H. Auden is a giant of twentieth-century English poetry whose writings demonstrate a sustained engagement with the times in which he lived. But how did the century's shifting cultural terrain affect him and his work? Written by distinguished poets and scholars, these brief but authoritative essays offer a varied set of coordinates by which to chart Auden's continuously evolving career, examining key aspects of his environmental, cultural, political and creative contexts. Reaching beyond mere biography, these essays present Auden as the product of ongoing negotiations between himself, his time and posterity, exploring the enduring power of his poetry to unsettle and provoke. The collection will prove valuable for scholars, researchers and students of English literature, cultural studies and creative writing.
'A valuable addition to Auden studies, this book opens many windows to this quintessential 20th-century author … required reading for scholars and Auden aficionados. Highly recommended. All readers.'
B. Wallenstein Source: Choice
Sources already referenced in the list of Abbreviations are generally not repeated here, except for the citation of specific content. Thus, the critical studies by John Fuller and Edward Mendelson, widely regarded as indispensable, are referenced there but not here.
The abbreviations are used, where appropriate, in what follows.
See also relevant passages in Carpenter and RD-H 1995.
See also Edward Mendelson’s introductions to the individual volumes of Prose published in the Collected Works.
Loading metrics...
* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.
Usage data cannot currently be displayed.
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.
Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.