Wystan Hugh Auden(1907–1973) was one of the most influential English-language poets of the 20th century. Born in York, England, he studied at the University of Oxford, where he began publishing poetry and became associated with a generation of writers concerned with the political and social upheavals of their time. During the 1930s he gained international recognition for poems that combined intellectual depth, technical mastery, and a keen awareness of contemporary events.
In 1939 Auden moved to the United States and later became an American citizen. His poetry evolved from political engagement toward philosophical, religious, and moral themes, exploring love, faith, human responsibility, and the search for meaning. Among his best-known works are Funeral Blues, September 1, 1939, Musee des Beaux Arts, and The Age of Anxiety, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1948.
