"For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?": poetry in the drama and documentary of W.H. Auden

The overarching themes readers and critics find in W. H. Audens poetry are also foundin his dramas and documentary films. By approaching both the dramas and films throughthis perspective, as well as through the perspective of performance, Audens ideas aboutcollaborative work and their connection to his exploration of tensions between the communityand the individual become clearer. Audens eventual abandonment of the groups with whichhe worked on these projects thus can be seen as a rejection of a public, political role forpoetry.