This new study of the work of Ted Hughes traces the stages of his development as a poet from his powerful early collection The Hawk in the Rain to his last award-winning translations. Hughes is seen as a complex, multi-faceted writer, a great poet in the English nature tradition, who also sought inspiration from international sources, ancient and modern. His life-long concern for language and his use of mythology and history are explored, while his poetic achievements are examined in context, alongside his writing for children and his experiments with forms of theatre.It is suitable for: students of literature at A level and in higher education; teachers of literature; scholars valuing the extensive and up-to-date bibliography; and, sixth-form, academic and public libraries.