Photo: Carl Van Vechten / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
W. H. Auden was born in York, United Kingdom on February 21, 1907. W. H. Auden was listed as a poet, screenwriter and literary historian. Death is recorded on September 29, 1973, at the age of 66. Education on record includes University of Oxford. Awards on record include Guggenheim Fellowship (1942), Bollingen Prize (1954), King’s / Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry and 5 more.
My Take
Auden is, for me, one of the indispensable poets of the twentieth century, and the awards list almost undersells him. What I value isn't the Pulitzer or the Bollingen but the astonishing breadth of his vision, the way politics, love, morality and religion all fold into verse of real technical command. He wrote through a dark century and kept reaching outward, which is perhaps why a United Nations Peace Medal feels so fitting. His poems still feel urgent and humane decades later. He reminds me that poetry can be moral labor rather than ornament, and few writers carry that weight so gracefully.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- W. H. Auden
- Name (Japanese)
- W・H・オーデン
- Reading
- W・H・おーでん
- Born
- February 21, 1907 – September 29, 1973
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Goat
- Origin
- York, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- poet / screenwriter / literary historian / playwright / writer
2. Background
- University
- University of Oxford
Awards & achievements
- 1942 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 1954 Bollingen Prize
- King’s / Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry
- Feltrinelli Prize
- 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
- 1956 National Book Award
- 1970 St. Louis Literary Award
- 1971 United Nations Peace Medal
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Orators | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.%20H.%20Auden
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%E3%83%BBH%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%87%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178698
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was W. H. Auden born?
Born February 21, 1907.
When did W. H. Auden die?
Died September 29, 1973, aged 66.
Where was W. H. Auden from?
W. H. Auden was from York, United Kingdom.
What did W. H. Auden do?
W. H. Auden worked as poet, screenwriter, literary historian, playwright, writer.
What was W. H. Auden known for?
Notable works include The Orators.
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