|
|
Reinhold Niebuhr, Christian Realism and the Poetry of W. H. Auden
Tůmová, Šárka ; Quinn, Justin (advisor) ; Vít, Ladislav (referee)
The later views of W. H. Auden were influenced by numerous thinkers and intellectuals and one of the most important among those was the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. This bachelor thesis explores the influence that Auden's friendship with Niebuhr had on both his life and his poetry primarily in the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s. Niebuhr provided the theoretical framework for many of Auden's later ideas and thus helped him to find sense in his poetic vocation, as well as to resolve his more general ideological struggle. The thesis examines three major areas of thought in which Niebuhr's influence on Auden can be traced: Christianity, history and politics. Christianity, which is the focus of the first part of the thesis, serves as an ideological frame and provides a wider background for Auden's and Niebuhr's understanding of both history and politics. Niebuhr's theological opinions are introduced with primary focus on his understanding of Christian realism and the doctrine of original sin. Auden's approach to Christianity is discussed then, primarily in relation to his crisis of vocation and its eventual resolution. Most importantly, the two perspectives are compared, concentrating on Niebuhr's influence on Auden's religious thinking. Their related conceptions of the unconditional and...
|
guest ::
