Ted Hughes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ted Hughes
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Hughes in later life
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| Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom | |
| In office 28 December 1984 – 28 October 1998 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | John Betjeman |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Motion |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward James Hughes
17 August 1930 Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 28 October 1998 (aged 68) London, England |
| Cause of death | Myocardial infarction (heart attack) |
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| Children |
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| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Poet, playwright, writer |
Edward James Hughes (born August 17, 1930 – died October 28, 1998) was a famous English poet and writer. Many people think he was one of the best writers of the 1900s. He was chosen to be the Poet Laureate in 1984. This important job meant he wrote poems for special national events. He held this role until he passed away. In 2008, The Times newspaper said he was the fourth greatest British writer since 1945.
Contents
Early Life of Ted Hughes
Ted Hughes was born in a place called Mytholmroyd in Yorkshire, England. His family lived among farms and the open moorland. His father, William, was a joiner, which is someone who builds things with wood. William had fought in the First World War.
Ted loved being outdoors. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming, and family picnics. When he was seven, his family moved to Mexborough. His parents ran a shop that sold newspapers and tobacco. Ted was very interested in animals. He collected and drew toy animals. He also helped his older brother hunt birds and rats. He grew up seeing the real side of farm life in the valleys and on the moors.
In Mexborough, he spent a lot of time at Manor Farm. He said he knew this farm "better than any place on earth." His first poem, "The Thought Fox," and his first story, "The Rain Horse," were about this area. A close friend, John Wholly, took Ted to the Crookhill estate. They spent many hours there. Ted learned a lot about wildlife from John's father, who was a gamekeeper. Ted thought fishing was a very special experience.
School Days and Writing
Ted went to Mexborough Grammar School. His teachers encouraged him to write poetry. Teachers like Miss McLeod and Pauline Mayne showed him the works of poets like Gerard Manley Hopkins and T.S. Eliot. His sister, Olwyn, who knew a lot about poetry, also helped him.
In 1946, one of Ted's early poems, "Wild West," was printed in the school magazine. More poems followed in 1948. By the time he was 16, he knew he wanted to be a poet.
After school, Ted won a scholarship to study English at Pembroke College, Cambridge. But first, he did his national service for two years (1949–1951). He worked as a wireless mechanic in the RAF at a quiet station. During this time, he mostly read books. He read Shakespeare and memorized many poems by W. B. Yeats.
Ted Hughes's Career
In 1951, Ted started studying at Cambridge. He didn't write much poetry during this time. After university, he had many different jobs. He worked as a rose gardener, a night watchman, and even washed dishes at London Zoo. Working at the zoo gave him a chance to watch animals up close.
Becoming a Famous Poet
Ted Hughes married American poet Sylvia Plath in 1956. She passed away in 1963. After her death, Ted wrote two poems, "The Howling of Wolves" and "Song of a Rat." Then, he didn't write poetry for three years. He also gave many talks and wrote essays about poetry. He helped start Poetry International. This group wanted to connect English poetry with poets around the world.
In 1966, he wrote poems to go with drawings of crows. These poems became a long story called The Life and Songs of the Crow. This is one of his most famous works.
Poet Laureate and Later Years
Ted Hughes became the Poet Laureate in December 1984. This is a special honor given to a poet in the United Kingdom. Earlier that year, he had published a book of animal poems for children called What is the Truth?. He won an award for this book.
Ted wrote many books for children. He also worked with the National Theatre Company. He was very dedicated to the Arvon Foundation. This group helps people learn about writing and offers writing courses. One of these courses was held at Ted's home in Yorkshire. In 1993, he appeared on TV to read from his book The Iron Man. He also appeared in a documentary in 1994.
In 1994, Ted became worried about the decline of fish in rivers near his home. This led him to help start the Westcountry Rivers Trust. This charity works to make rivers healthy again.
Just before he died, Queen Elizabeth II gave Ted Hughes a special award called the Order of Merit. He passed away on October 28, 1998, from a heart attack in London. His funeral was held in North Tawton, and he was cremated in Exeter.
Remembering Ted Hughes
People have created many ways to remember Ted Hughes and his work.
- In 2005, a special walking path was opened in Devon. It leads to a memorial stone for Hughes.
- In 2006, a Ted Hughes poetry trail was built at Stover Country Park in Devon.
- In 2011, a memorial plaque was put up in North Tawton by his wife, Carol Hughes.
- Another plaque is at Lumb Bridge in Yorkshire. It remembers his poem "Six Young Men." This poem was inspired by an old photo of six young men who died in the First World War.
- A Ted Hughes Festival is held every year in Mytholmroyd. It celebrates his life and work.
Poets' Corner Memorial
In 2010, it was announced that Ted Hughes would have a memorial in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey. This is a very special place where famous writers are honored. On December 6, 2011, a stone slab was placed there. Poet Seamus Heaney and actress Juliet Stevenson read poems at the ceremony. Ted's wife, Carol, and daughter, Frieda, were also there.
The memorial stone has lines from his poem "That Morning." These lines describe a time when he saw many salmon in a river: "So we found the end of our journey / So we stood alive in the river of light / Among the creatures of light, creatures of light."
In 2015, a TV show called Ted Hughes: Stronger Than Death explored his life and work. His daughter, Frieda, spoke about her parents for the first time in this show.
Ted Hughes's Writings and Archives
Many of Ted Hughes's original writings, letters, and diaries are kept in special collections. You can find them at places like Emory University and Exeter University. In 2008, the British Library bought a very large collection of his materials. This collection has over 220 files of his manuscripts, letters, and journals. You can look at these materials on the British Library website.
There is also a guide that lists all of Ted Hughes's materials at the British Library. It also links to things held by other places. A German painter named Johannes Heisig created a large series of paintings inspired by Hughes's book Crow. These paintings were shown to the public in Berlin in 2011.
Images for kids
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The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre, Lumb Bank – an 18th-century mill-owner's house, once Hughes's home.
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Homage to Ted Hughes by Reginald Gray (2004), Bankfield Museum, Halifax.
See also
In Spanish: Ted Hughes para niños
