On This Island

work by Auden

Also known as: “Look, Stranger!”

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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"On This Island" is a collection of poems by W. H. Auden, published in Britain as "Look, Stranger!" in 1936. This work marked a shift in Auden's style, becoming more accessible to a wider audience. The poems in this collection explore themes of love, loss, and the human condition, often set against evocative landscapes. It represents a period where Auden's verse became more open in texture, moving away from the more obscure style of his earlier works. The collection is a significant part of Auden's career, showcasing his evolving poetic voice and his ability to connect with readers on both personal and societal levels.1

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W. H. Auden
Life
In On This Island (1937; in Britain, Look, Stranger!, 1936) his verse became more open in texture and accessible to a larger public. For the Group Theatre, a society that put on experimental and noncommercial plays in London, he wrote first The Dance of Death (a…
Read More
In On This Island (1937; in Britain, Look, Stranger!, 1936) his verse became more open in texture and accessible to a larger public. For the Group Theatre, a society that put on experimental and noncommercial plays in London, he wrote first The Dance of Death (a…
Read More