''Spain'' is a

poem Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

W. H. Auden Wystan Hugh Auden (; 21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973) was a British-American poet. Auden's poetry is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with politics, morals, love, and religion, and its variety in tone, ...

written after his visit to the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

. ''Spain'' was described by

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...

as "one of the few decent things that have been written about the Spanish war". It was written and published in 1937. Auden donated all the profits from the sale of ''Spain'' to the Spanish Medical Aid Committee.David Garrett Izzo, ''W.H. Auden Encyclopedia''. Jefferson, NC : McFarland & Company, 2011. (pp. 245–7) Auden published two versions of the poem, first as a pamphlet ''Spain'' (1937), then, in revised form and titled "Spain 1937", in his book ''

Another Time Another Time may refer to: * Another Time (book), ''Another Time'' (book), a 1940 book of poems by W. H. Auden * Another Time (Jeff Williams album), ''Another Time'' (Jeff Williams album), 2011 * Another Time (Earth, Wind & Fire album), ''Another T ...

'' (1940). He later rejected the poem from his collected editions, regarding it as a "dishonest" poem that expressed political views that he never believed but which he thought would be rhetorically effective. The poem describes the history that led up to the Spanish Civil War, then the arrival of the

International Brigades The International Brigades () were soldiers recruited and organized by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front (Spain), Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The International Bri ...

at the war itself, then foresees a possible future that may result from the war.

Reception and influence

On its publication,

Cyril Connolly Cyril Vernon Connolly CBE (10 September 1903 – 26 November 1974) was an English literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine ''Horizon (British magazine), Horizon'' (1940–49) and wrote ''Enemies of Pro ...

described ''Spain'' as "good medium Auden in a good cause—the Spanish Medical Aid". Connolly criticized the poem's use of

Marxist Marxism is a political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyse class relations, social conflic ...

concepts, but ended his review of ''Spain'' by saying "the conclusion is very fine."Cyril Connolly, "To-Day the Struggle", ''New Statesman'', 5 June 1937. Reprinted in Cunningham, ''Spanish Front : Writers on the Civil War'' (p.325) The poem was widely discussed, notably by

in " Inside the Whale" (1940) and in E. P. Thompson's reply to Orwell, "Outside the Whale" (''Out of Apathy'', 1960). The scientist

Joseph Needham Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham (; 9 December 1900 – 24 March 1995) was a British biochemist, historian of science and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science and technology, initia ...

, a great admirer of Auden, took the title of his 1943 book ''Time: The Refreshing River'' from ''Spain''.

References

* John Fuller, ''W. H. Auden: A Commentary'' (1999). *

Edward Mendelson __NOTOC__ Edward Mendelson (born March 15, 1946) is a professor of English and Comparative Literature and the Lionel Trilling Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University. He is the literary executor of the Estate of W. H. Auden and the auth ...

, ''Early Auden'' (1981). * E. P. Thompson, ''The Poverty of Theory and Other Essays'' (1978). {{W. H. Auden 1937 books Books by W. H. Auden

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

1937 poems Faber & Faber books