Photo: Carl Van Vechten / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
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
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- poet / screenwriter / literary historian / playwright / writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- 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. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Orators | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was W. H. Auden born?
February 21, 1907 – September 29, 1973.
Where is W. H. Auden from?
W. H. Auden is from York, United Kingdom.
What does W. H. Auden do?
W. H. Auden works as poet, screenwriter, literary historian, playwright, writer.
What is W. H. Auden known for?
Notable works include The Orators.
Poet — see all → · Screenwriter — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.