Stephen Spender 1909–

Abstract

Sir Stephen Harold Spender was born in London and educated at University College School, London, and University College, Oxford, where he met W. H. Auden. He held left-wing views during the 1930s and worked on Republican propaganda during the Spanish Civil War; he was in the National Fire Service from 1941 to 1944. He co-edited the magazines Horizon (with Cyril Connolly, 1939–41) and Encounter (1953–66). He held many visiting professorships in America during the 1950s and 1960s and was Professor of English Literature at University College, London, from 1970 to 1977. Spender has published criticism, political reflections and translations from Spanish and German poetry as well as many volumes of verse. Collected Poems 1928–1953 appeared in 1955.