W.H. Auden

W.H. Auden was an English poet, playwright, and essayist born in 1907 in York, England. He was educated at Oxford University and later moved to London, where he became part of a group of writers known as the "Auden Generation," which included poets such as Stephen Spender and Louis MacNeice. Auden's early poetry was noted for its wit and ironic detachment, but he later began to explore themes of loss, love, and faith. His most famous works include "September 1, 1939," "The Age of Anxiety," and "Funeral Blues" (which was later popularized in the movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral"). Auden also wrote several plays, including "The Ascent of F6" (co-written with Christopher Isherwood) and "The Dance of Death." He also worked as a literary critic and essayist, and his theological writings, such as "For the Time Being," were highly influential. Auden lived in New York for much of his later life and became a US citizen in 1946. He continued to write and lecture until his death in 1973.