by W. H. Auden
First published 2024
W. H. Auden's National Book Award winner from 1956 returns to print after decades of unavailability. This poetry collection centers on its celebrated title poem, which transforms the mythic shield of Achilles into a vision suited for the modern world. War and heroism no longer match their ancient forms, and Auden captures this transformation through verse. The book contains two major sequences that Auden considered among his finest achievements: "Bucolics" and "Horae Canonicae." Alan Jacobs provides the introduction and notes for this critical edition, arguing that the collection represents Auden's most intellectually confident work. The poems explore how humans exist within both the natural world and the flow of history. Jacobs demonstrates the careful architecture underlying the book's formal design. This collection stands as one of Auden's most significant poetic statements, offering readers a richly conceived exploration of human existence.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, american, poetry, academic
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic
Setting: Greece
Period: 20th-century
Kindle Edition · Princeton University Press