W.H AUDEN was polyvalent because in addition to his poetry he wrote a considerable body of criticism and essays as well as co-authoring some drama with his friend Christopher ISHERWOOD. He also collaborated closely with composers, writing an opera libretto for Benjamin BRITTEN and in collaboration with CHESTER KALLMAN a libretto for IGOR STRAVINSKY and two other libretti for Hans WERNER HENZE. Finally, AUDEN was a frequent correspondent and long time friend of J.R.R TOLKIEN. He was among the most prominent early critics to praise the "Lord of the Rings".

W.H AUDEN was complex and disconcerting because of the experiences lived during his travels or involvements. He visited Germany, Iceland, China, shared his life between Austria and New York. Criticized for having left Europe just before the Second World War, he nevertheless served in the Spanish Civil War.
Complex and disconcerting, because the young British poet was an ardent advocate of socialism and Freudian psychoanalysis, while the man living in the USA will have another central preoccupation in relation to faith and values.

Despite this ambiguity and ambivalence it may be possible throughout his work and his biography to observe a continuity. In many ways and for many reasons he was a controversial figure from the beginning to the end of his career, but when all the controversies have subsided the remains one of the most accomplished and significant writers of his time.

This web review aims at lightening this continuity and is divided into four parts. The first one presents the life of AUDEN which is a good way to face the history of the XX° century but also his ongoing search for human dignity in a period of troubles and uncertainty. The second part focuses on his work in order to understand the two separate periods of his production. After a conclusion the last part is a lexicon likely to gives keys for understanding the authors and his work.