Spring 2026
Prereq: none
Units: 3-0-9 HASS-H; Can be repeated for credit
This class focuses on two of the most prominent English-language poets of the twentieth century. Both complicate the idea of an “American author.”
T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), the author of The Waste Land, Four Quartets, and many other influential works, was born in St. Louis to a branch of an elite New England family but settled in England and became a British subject in 1927. Eliot’s work bears an American stamp, but it also reflects the influence of literature, philosophy, and religious thought from around the world.
W. H. Auden (1907-1973), whose best-known poems include “September 1, 1939,” “Musée des Beaux Arts,” and the series The Sea and the Mirror, was born in York, England, but became a naturalized American citizen after the Second World War. As an editor in London, Eliot helped promote Auden’s early work.
Both figures were regarded as leading voices of their respective generations. Both dealt with the consequences of early fame. Both thought and wrote much about the social and political responsibilities of the artist. In an era of increasing secularization, both had experiences of spiritual vision and conversion and dwelt on these in their work. Both write about the age-old contest of flesh and spirit – Auden from the viewpoint of a gay man. In addition to their poetry, both Eliot and Auden wrote plays and were influential critics of literature and culture. We will read poetry, plays, and essays by each of these major authors. Student work will include brief oral reports and frequent writing exercises. There will probably be one or two in-class exams. Please contact jmbuzard@mit.edu with any questions.