Ted Hughes in Context

"Ted Hughes wrote in a wide range of modes which were informed by an even wider range of contexts to which his lifetime's reading, interests and experience gave him access. The achievement of Ted Hughes as one of the major poets of the twentieth century is complimented by his growing reputation as a writer of letters, plays, literary criticism and translations. In addition, Hughes made important contributions to education, literary history, emergent environmentalism and debates about life writing. Ted Hughes in Context brings together thirty-four contributors who inform new readings of the works, and conceptualize Hughes's work within long-standing critical traditions while acknowledging a new awareness of his future importance. This collection offers consideration not only of the most important aspects of Hughes's work, but also the most neglected"-- "The book begins by distinguishing Hughes's poetic interests and achievements in relation to his contemporaries, in particular, Thom Gunn, Philip Larkin and Seamus Heaney. It seems appropriate to end this opening section on 'Literary Contexts' with a consideration of 'Hughes's Literary Legacy'. There follow chapters on five different