Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: Chronology; Introduction Terry Gifford; 1. The problem of biography Joanny Moulin; 2. The debates about Hughes Paul Bentley; 3. Hughes and animals Chen Hong; 4. Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath Jo Gill; 5. The anthropologist's uses of myth Rand Brandes; 6. Hughes's social ecology Terry Gifford; 7. Hughes and feminism Tracy Brain; 8. Hughes and the Classics Vanda Zajko; 9. Hughes as prose writer Neil Corcoran; 10. Hughes on Shakespeare Jonathan Bate; 11. Class, war and the Laureateship Neil Roberts; 12. Hughes and his critics Alex Davis; Guide to further reading; Index.

"Ted Hughes is unquestionably one of the major twentieth-century English poets. Radical and challenging, each new title produced something of a shock to British literary culture. Only now is the breadth of his literary range and cultural influence being recognised. As well as his poetry and stories, writing for children, translations and prose essays and reviews, in recent years Hughes's own letters have received great critical attention. This Companion consolidates Hughes's life, writings and reputation. International experts from a variety of literary fields here confront the key questions posed by Hughes's work. New archival evidence is provided for fresh readings of his oeuvre with close attention to language, forms and the function of myth. Featuring a chronology and guide to further reading, this book is a valuable and insightful companion for those studying and reading Hughes in the context of his role in the development of modern poetry"--

"Ted Hughes is unquestionably one of the major twentieth century English poets. Radical and challenging, each new title produced something of a shock to British literary culture. Only now is the breadth of his literary range and of his cultural influence being recognised. To the poetry and stories, writing for children, and prose essays and reviews have been added in recent years the translations and letters. This Companion consolidates Hughes's life, writings and reputation. International experts from a variety of literary fields here confront the key questions posed by Hughes's work. New archival evidence is provided for fresh readings of his oeuvre with close attention to language, forms and the function of myth"--