Animal Images as Metaphors in Ted Hughes’ Poetry

Animal Images as Metaphors in Ted Hughes’ Poetry

Gonel , Tuba
Dayton, John

Ted Hughes in his essay “Poetry in the Making” states that poems are a “mysterious they” which present the reader with a special knowledge that “we are very curious to learn”. Poetry, in this respect, should continue its existence whether or not it is read or properly appreciated. For Hughes, who regarded himself as a protector of the secret world presented by this mystical existence, poetry was more than a mere collection of literature; it was the very source of life. That is why his poems deal with particular fields of study such as psychology, anthropology, mythology, and biology in their terminology. Hughes’ commitment to poetry can be better appreciated in light of his description of poetry and its connection to the universe. In his commitment to poetry, Hughes goes further and considers it separately from other institutions in life, and the identity of a poet separately from other roles or identities of a person. This paper aims to analyze some of Hughes` poetry in which he employs animal figures to represent his association of human beings with nature to convey the message that human beings, despite our civilized appearance, are as primitive and violent as other creatures in nature

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012-05

1019