Auden Circle for B.A. 4th Semester, by Podmeswar
Write a note on Auden Circle with special reference to T.S.
Eliot, W. H. Auden and W.B. Yeats.
Ans:
Auden Group (1930-39) is the name frequently used by scholars
as a collection of writers, poets, musicians and painters who as the members of
what T.S. Eliot describe as – ‘definitely post-war generation’. They were
thought to be more or bless closely affiliated during the 1930’s with
the prominent poet of that time, W.H. Auden. The 1930’s was a period in which
poetry, politics, class and block solidarities commanded wild spread loyalty in
Britain. The party in power demanded some kind of loyalty from the writers and
poets in favor of them. As a result different groups emerged showing loyalty
towards different political parties. At a time of social crises and conflict
many citizens define their own identity in terms of collection groupings. In this
sense perception of the Auden group was typical of the time. Its participants
were characterized by their use of less experimental literary styles then those
prevalent in the 1920’s.
Some authorities have claimed
that the group was a mere fiction of copy hungry journalist. The Auden group
had no fixed program, no membership and no regular meeting. However the poet
and editor Geoffrey Grigson whose
periodical ‘New Verse’(1933) was one of the main outlets for Auden and also for
the others who remains in his orbit.
W.H. Auden:
Auden has been accepted a leading poet and one whose influence
was felt in most of the contemporary verse and poets. Auden was outspokenly
anti-romantic and like others of his group of writers stressed on the objective
attitude of the composition. Technically, Auden was an artist of great skill,
an experimental verse form with a fine rhythm and music of words. Stephen
Spender described Auden as the most accomplished technician who wrote poetry in
English language.
There are two scholars of
thought regarding calling him as a modern poet. Some modern critics are the
opinion that he is a great poet who has exercised influenced on modern poetry. But,
the other critics for him, he is a second generation modern, as they found that
Auden was old fashion and traditional in his views, concepts dogmas and ethics.
There is no doubt Auden has influenced the modern poets in the use of new
techniques. Most of the poets of ‘Auden Circle’ imitate his writing techniques.
They copy him as a stylistic and versatile person who has changed the
conception of poetry according to modern circumstances. Auden has a remarkable
grip on history, philosophy, theology, mythology and contemporary current
affairs. His political theory, science and psychology had great impact on all
the poets of his generation. Some other remarkable Auden Circle’s members are—
W.B. Yeats:-
Yeats was an Irishman but he takes his place among the
great English poets of all terms. Tributes to his greatness have been pay for
time to time by evident poets and critics. Yeats is great by virtue of bulk and
variety of his poetry. His poetic works are uniformly great even though he
writes on such varied subjects like ancient pleasant, mythology, folklore,
politics, history, love and constantly creates new myths of his own. His creative
range is immense. He writes with perfect skill on different themes taken from
every possible spheres of life.
Yeats has been called ‘the last
of the great romantics’. He started his poetic carrier as a romantic poet. But,
soon became dissatisfied with the romanticism. His later poetry is
characterized by mark of necked realism. In keeping with modern realistic trend,
Yeats composed poetry with greater force and with perfect use of realistic
language of day by day life. Yeats is a symbolist from the beginning of his
carrier. Many critics regarded him as the chief exponent of the symbolist
movement in England. The same symbol is used in a number of poems but with a different
sense. These techniques make his poetry more complex and more modern.
Yeats is a great myth maker. He is
richly gifted with a mytho-poetic imagination. Yeats is forever finding
analogical for the present and the present in the past and also presented them
in an impersonal manner. Yeats is conscious artist who polished and re-polished
his verses and tried to reveal what he really wants to say beautifully clearly
and musically. Like a true artist, he selects his words with a reference to their
sense and sound. So, we can conclude that Yeats may not be a Shakespeare or a
Milton but he must certainly rank with the greatest poets of all times as Yeats
permanence is beyond question.
T.S. Eliot:
Thomas Stern
Eliot is a major figure in
English literature since 1920’s. His literary carrier extended well-over a
period of 45 years and during this long spend of time which he dominated the
English literary scenario. No other English poet of the 20th century
has shown such originality. His first group of poems, ‘Prufrock and other observations’ was
published in 1917. Eliot was an assistant editor of the Egoist and he also founders
his own magazine called ‘Criterion’ (1922) in which
his famous poem ‘The Waste
land’ (1922) was first published. Eliot’s other most important poems are
‘Ash Wednesday’, ‘Four quarters’ etc. Eliot was
the prominent dramatist of a new kind of drama called ‘poetic drama’ and his
important plays are ‘Murder in the Cathedral’, ‘The
Family Reunion’, ‘The Cocktail Party’ and ‘The elderly Stress man’. As a
critic Eliot has presented many useful theories like ‘Notes towards the definition of culture’, ‘Poetry
and Drama’ and ‘Traditional and individual Talent’. Eliot also
received the Noble Prize for literature in 1948.
Eliot’s poetry is a unique
mixture of tradition and individual talent. He was a poet of vast experience
and his poetry is the outcome of very influences. Eliot was influenced by
English metaphysical tradition, the French symbolist movement, the poetry of
Dante, the philosophy of the East, Hindu’s and Budha’s religion and also
Christian tradition and theology, and ancient myths and reason. He projects all
these influential on the canvas of his poetry and that makes him a very
difficult poet and a poet for the learn few.
Eliot’s poetry is poetry of revolt.
He rejected the romantic tradition of poetry by imparting the reality. Through
his poetry Eliot projects the illusion men of modern times. His poetries are
full of images and symbols. Eliot was a great experimenter with verse form and
always tried to break traditional concept of poetry. Eliot’s influential has
been complexed and varied. Many poets of his time tried to imitate his style. As
a part of Auden Circle, Eliot left much great influential comparing to other
poets of the book.
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