The Independent's Cahal Milmo writes "The Ted Hughes lost poem: Who wants to live forever?"
This is almost a moralistic "high road" piece of journalism which calls into question to appropriateness of publishing unpublished or unfinished works by dead authors from their archives or estates.
However, the article concludes on a note of support I completely agree with by Anthony Thwaite who says, "There is always a difficult judgment to be made in these cases. In the case of Ted Hughes, if Carol Hughes has said that it is time for this poem to be published then that is right and we should be happy about it."
I couldn't agree more.
The article includes links to other related articles such as John Walsh's "Hughes's inner turmoil laid bare" and the Independent's "leading article" "Shock of the new." Walsh's article leaves me wanting; he simply misreads the poems or has misread accounts in memoirs and biographies about Plath's weekend. Granted the weekend is riddled with unknowns, but most can identify where Walsh veers off course. He exaggerates slightly that Plath's suicide was "long planned and anticipated" because a weekend to think about it, I do not think, counts as something "long planned."
What it does show is that something possible catastrophic (see there I go exaggerating, it's contagious watch out) occurred between 5 and 7 February. But I actually believe that whatever happened was catastrophic to her. That Plath went to the Becker's for assistance. That Plath possibly then considered commiting suicide on Friday 8 February (ensuring her children would be safe with the Beckers). That she didn't. But that on Monday morning 11 February she did.
Clearly there is more to be discovered from this poem and from other sources yet unknown and possibly from works that have been completed. How's that for a vague conclusion!
This is almost a moralistic "high road" piece of journalism which calls into question to appropriateness of publishing unpublished or unfinished works by dead authors from their archives or estates.
However, the article concludes on a note of support I completely agree with by Anthony Thwaite who says, "There is always a difficult judgment to be made in these cases. In the case of Ted Hughes, if Carol Hughes has said that it is time for this poem to be published then that is right and we should be happy about it."
I couldn't agree more.
The article includes links to other related articles such as John Walsh's "Hughes's inner turmoil laid bare" and the Independent's "leading article" "Shock of the new." Walsh's article leaves me wanting; he simply misreads the poems or has misread accounts in memoirs and biographies about Plath's weekend. Granted the weekend is riddled with unknowns, but most can identify where Walsh veers off course. He exaggerates slightly that Plath's suicide was "long planned and anticipated" because a weekend to think about it, I do not think, counts as something "long planned."
What it does show is that something possible catastrophic (see there I go exaggerating, it's contagious watch out) occurred between 5 and 7 February. But I actually believe that whatever happened was catastrophic to her. That Plath went to the Becker's for assistance. That Plath possibly then considered commiting suicide on Friday 8 February (ensuring her children would be safe with the Beckers). That she didn't. But that on Monday morning 11 February she did.
Clearly there is more to be discovered from this poem and from other sources yet unknown and possibly from works that have been completed. How's that for a vague conclusion!