by W. H. (Wystan Hugh) 1907-1973 Auden
First published 2021
W. H. Auden stands before the assembled faculty and students of Oxford University on June 11, 1956, delivering his inaugural lecture as Professor of Poetry. He explores the fundamental relationship between making, knowing, and judging in the creative process, drawing from his decades of experience as one of the twentieth century's most influential poets. Auden examines how artists balance technical craft with intuitive understanding, and how critical judgment shapes both creation and reception of literary works. He considers the tension between the poet's role as maker of beautiful objects and as interpreter of human experience. The lecture reveals Auden's belief that artistic creation requires both disciplined knowledge of craft and the courage to make aesthetic judgments that transcend mere technical skill.
Genres: art, essays, literary-criticism, literary-fiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, criticism, academic
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, literary-analysis
Setting: Oxford University
Period: 1956
44 pages · Hardcover · Hassell Street Press