Appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1984, Ted Hughes maintained a versatile literary career that spanned poetry, translation, children's literature, and the novel. Born in Mytholmroyd in 1930, his upbringing in the Calder Valley and the Pennine moorland deeply influenced his early creative work, grounding his later artistic development in the natural world and animal life.
Early Influences and Education
The son of a joiner, Hughes was raised among local milling communities and farms. His early years were shaped by the rural landscape, which later provided the subject matter for works like The Thought Fox and The Rain Horse. He attended Mexborough Secondary School where mentors encouraged his writing, leading him to win an exhibition at Pembroke College in 1951. After two years of national service as a wireless mechanic in the RAF, he returned to Cambridge. He initially read English but eventually transferred to Anthropology and Archaeology, subjects that would inform his writing.
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Hughes met the American poet Sylvia Plath at a launch party for St. Botolph's Review in 1956. They married on 16 June 1956 at St George the Martyr, Holborn. Following their marriage, the couple pursued their respective literary careers while living in the United States and England. Hughes worked varied jobs before achieving professional stability, including periods spent at the London Zoo and as an instructor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1958.
Literary Recognition and Legacy
Throughout his life, Hughes received numerous accolades for his body of work. His honors included the Somerset Maugham Award in 1960, the Hawthornden Prize in 1961, and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1974. He also received the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 1985 and the Golden Wreath in 1994. In 1998, shortly before his death in Southwark, he was appointed to the Order of Merit. He served as Poet Laureate until his death at age 68.
Fast facts
- Born: 1930, Mytholmroyd
- Died: 1998, Southwark
- Education: Pembroke College (1951)
- Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom: 1984-1998
- Notable Award: Order of Merit (1998)
- First Marriage: Sylvia Plath (1956)
- Employment: University of Massachusetts Amherst (1958)
- Occupations: poet, translator, playwright, novelist
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Ted Hughes study at university?
He studied English at Pembroke College before transferring to Anthropology and Archaeology.
When did Ted Hughes hold the position of Poet Laureate?
He served as the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1984 until his death in 1998.
Achievements
- Order of Merit — 1998
- Affiliated with University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Educated at University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Worked as poet, translator and novelist
