Oleg Gazmanov

Ted Hughes graduated from Cambridge in 1954in 1954 with Anthropology and Archaeology. This was also the year that he had several of his poems published. However, during this period, he used the pseudonyms of Daniel Hearing and Peter Crew.

However, on 25 March 1969However, on 25 March 1969, before he could finish his collection on crows, Assia Gutmann Wevill killed herself and their child, Shura. Again the feminists held him responsible for the act and claimed that he had been abusive to both the women—Sylvia and Assia. Shocked, Hughes stopped writing poems.

In 1963 and 1964In 1963 and 1964 he published three children’s books and wrote two poems, ‘The Howling of Wolves’ and ‘Song of a Rat’. Thereafter for three years, he stopped writing poems. Instead, he busied himself with the publication of Plath’s manuscripts, including ‘Ariel’ and ‘The Journals of Sylvia Plath.’

When in 1957When in 1957, The Poetry Center’s First Publication book contest was announced, Plath persuaded Hughes to submit the manuscript of his ‘The Hawk in the Rain’. She also helped him in typing the work. Ultimately, it was awarded the first prize.

Later in September 1957Later in September 1957, the book was released in the USA and England to much critical acclaim. In the same year, in the month of June, both of them moved to the USA, where he started teaching at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and at the same time continued writing.

In 1959In 1959, Hughes and Plath went on a trip across the USA. In September, they settled at the Yaddo artist colony in Saratoga Springs, New York State. But in December, it was revealed that Plath was pregnant with their first child. Therefore, they returned to England.

From 1955 to 1956From 1955 to 1956, he supported himself by working as a night watchman, a gardener, a zoo attendant, a reader at a film company, and a teacher. His ultimate plan was to migrate to Australia.

In 1960In 1960, immediately on his return to England, Hughes had his second book of poetry, ‘Lupercal’ published. Although most of the poems were written in the USA, they mostly centered on Yorkshire.

The party was attended by American poet Sylvia Plath. She had come to Cambridge on a Fulbright Scholarship and already had a few works published. Ted and Sylvia fell in love and got married on 16 June 195616 June 1956. At that time, he was unaware that his new wife had a history of depression and suicide attempts.