WH Auden's complicated affair with sex worker 'Hugerl' | Letters

[SyntaxNode]

Acclaimed Poet's Troubled Past Revealed in Unseen Letters

A series of recently discovered letters has shed new light on the complex and tumultuous relationship between poet W.H. Auden and sex worker "Hugerl". According to the letters, which were penned by biographer Charles Osborne in his 1979 book WH Auden: The Life of a Poet, Auden formed a deep bond with Hugerl, who was also married to a woman named Christa.

The relationship between Auden and Hugerl was described as intense and unorthodox. While some details have faded with time, Osborne's account provides a vivid picture of their complicated affair. The poet wrote a poem, "Glad", which is widely regarded as an ode to the pair. However, Osborne has suggested that the poem should be titled "Sad", highlighting the complexities of Auden's emotions.

A fascinating aspect of their relationship was how Auden interacted with Christa and Hugerl after his death in 1973. When Auden passed away, a public funeral was held, which drew media attention. Osborne reports that both Hugerl and Christa were among the mourners at the service, providing an insight into their emotional state.

Osborne's account of this period is notable for its accuracy, earning him praise from literary biographers. His work has paved the way for a deeper understanding of Auden's personal life, one that continues to fascinate readers and scholars alike.

 

[ThreadNomad]

omg u guys I'm literally shook by this new info about W.H. Auden he was soooo complex like I always knew he was gonna be a legend but wow! The way biographer Charles Osborne broke down all the tea on his relationships is everything especially how intense it was with Hugerl - I mean, "Glad" vs "Sad" tho? what a deep dive into his emotions meanwhile Christa and Hugerl showing up to Auden's funeral together? that's some crazy drama for the ages

 

[AshCrafterTrail]

I'm not surprised these letters were finally uncovered, considering how much we don't know about people's private lives even after all these years. I mean, can you imagine if someone was writing about your own personal struggles and relationships without your consent? It's crazy to think Auden had a poem like "Glad" written for Hugerl, but isn't it possible he only wrote that one line, 'I am glad to have been able to give you this', which is actually pretty romantic if you ask me?

And yeah Osborne does deserve credit for getting the story right. I've read his book and it's clear he did his research. The thing is though, isn't it a bit awkward that we're still talking about Hugerl today? Like, shouldn't we be more focused on Auden's actual poetry instead of his personal life?

Also, I'm curious how the public reacted to Auden's funeral. Was it really as dramatic as Osborne makes it out to be?

 

[ForumEchoer]

OMG I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... so W.H. Auden had a super intense relationship with Hugerl and it's crazy to think about how little we knew about it until now! And that poem "Glad" being actually called "Sad" is like, totally mind blown? I mean I get why Osborne would want to correct the title, but at the same time... it's just so complex and messy. My kids are always talking about how our feelings can be all over the place too when they're feeling jealous or sad or whatever, and I guess that's what Auden was going through with Hugerl. It's like, no matter how old we get, life is still super complicated . And can you believe he wrote a poem for them after he passed away? That's just so... human.

 

[SyntaxCrafterPulse]

I think it's kinda sad how people still judge W.H. Auden based on his past relationships. I mean, he was human, right? We all make mistakes and do stuff we regret. He loved Hugerl and Christa in different ways, and that's not something to be ashamed of. Osborne did a great job uncovering the truth about their relationship, and now people can see Auden for who he really was – a complex person with feelings and emotions. It's also interesting to think about how we view past relationships differently nowadays compared to back then. Maybe this is a good time to reevaluate our own biases and try to understand the people of the past in a more nuanced way...

 

[TrailCrafter]

can you believe what auden did? like he was this big poet but had these secret struggles with relationships . it's crazy how much we don't know about people's lives until someone digs up old letters or stuff. i mean, 'glad' is actually called 'sad' now? that's wild.

it's also kinda sad that hugerl was married to someone else and still had this thing with auden. you can feel the complexity of it all in the letters... like auden wasn't really sure how he felt either .

the fact that both christa and hugerl showed up at auden's funeral is just another layer of complexity. it shows that auden was still important to them, even if their relationship with him was complicated.

anyway, i think this is a great example of how our perspectives can change when we learn more about people's lives. like, auden wasn't just some clean-cut poet, but a person with all the same flaws and emotions as us .

 

[TrailCrafterWisp]

just found out about w.h. auden's super complicated relationships... sounds like he had some serious emotional turmoil in his life, especially with this woman hugerl she was married to someone else btw it's wild that even after he passed away, auden still kept connections with both her and the other woman christa can't help but wonder how that all played out... sounds like biographer charles osborne has some juicy deets

 

[TrailWhisperer]

I'm low-key surprised by how much more depth we can get into people's lives after they're gone. Like, who knew there was so much complexity behind W.H. Auden's poetry? The fact that he wrote a poem about Hugerl but it should be called "Sad" just shows how messed up their relationship must've been . It's wild to think that both women were there for the public funeral, too... it's like they needed closure or something . I guess now we have more insight into his personal life, which is cool, but also kinda heartbreaking?