W.H. Auden and Stephen Spender
W.H. Auden and Stephen Spender Introduction W.H. Auden and Stephen Spender were pivotal figures in 20th-century British literature, known for their intellectual rigor, political engagement, and innovative poetic techniques. Both were central to the "Oxford Group" or "Auden Generation," which redefined modern poetry with themes of social justice, love, and existential reflection. W.H. Auden (1907–1973) Key Facts Full Name : Wystan Hugh Auden Birth/Death : February 21, 1907 (York, England) – September 29, 1973 (Vienna, Austria) Major Influences : Marxism, Freudian psychology, German poetry, and Anglo-Saxon verse. Literary Movement : Modernism, "Oxford Group" (with Spender, MacNeice, and Day-Lewis). Literary Style & Techniques Themes : Love, politics, morality, existential anxiety, and the human condition. Techniques : Colloquial language blended with classical allusions. Irony and satire to critique society. Free verse and complex meters (e.g.,...