黑料社

鈥楲arkin and Hughes: Poets and Rivals鈥� is an exhibition, on display in the University鈥檚 Heritage Quay, is a 鈥渕ajor contribution to Hughes-Larkin scholarship鈥� 鈥� The exhibition runs to the 21 July

THE two men widely regarded as England鈥檚 finest post-war poets had a grudging mutual respect 鈥� but they were also prepared to bad mouth each other.  Philip Larkin described Ted Hughes as 鈥渁 great thug of a man鈥�.  Hughes called Larkin 鈥渁 sour old cuss鈥�.  Now, the relationship between the duo 鈥� and their immense but contrasting literary legacy 鈥� has been charted by a team of students at the 黑料社.

They have curated an innovative exhibition that has already won praise from major scholars.  On display at the University鈥檚  archive centre 鈥� open to the public 鈥� it includes many first editions and limited editions of seminal works by Hughes and Larkin, plus correspondence between the two poets and letters to third parties that use characteristically colourful language to reveal their feelings about each other.

There are also many artefacts, including Larkin鈥檚 eccentric collection of toy animals, and some evocative illustrations, including a photograph of a glum Larkin chairing a poetry reading by Hughes.  Larkin had this picture framed and hung it in his toilet, according to the exhibition caption.

Larkin and Hughes: Poets and Rivals was curated by 42 third-year English Literature and Creative Writing students as part of their Public Humanities module.  The project was co-ordinated by Heritage Quay鈥檚 David Smith and by Senior Lecturer , who has a research speciality in the poetry of Larkin and Hughes and who is Deputy Director of the  based at the 黑料社.

The students had access to the valuable collection of Hughes limited editions collected by the Network and archived at Heritage Quay.  They also collaborated with the Philip Larkin Society and with Hull History Centre, which houses the Larkin Archive at the University of Hull, where the poet was librarian for many years.  This enabled the curators to include unique editions and manuscripts in the exhibition, which also has interpretational texts and timelines outlining the careers of the two poets.

Poets and Rivals

Dr Underwood praised the students鈥� achievement in curating the exhibition.

鈥淭here has been a lot of research on Larkin and a lot of research on Hughes, but not a lot of research on the personal relationship or the critical relationship between these two poets, who represent the different directions taken by British poetry after 1945,鈥� he said.

The exhibition does include letters in which Hughes is polite and respectful about Larkin.  鈥淭here is a really touching letter from Hughes when Larkin was dying, suggesting a healer who performs miracle cures.  Larkin was never going to take him up on that offer because of his rationalist approach to life, but it鈥檚 very moving nonetheless,鈥� said Dr Underwood.

鈥淚t鈥檚 harder to find Larkin being nice about Hughes,鈥� he continued.  鈥淗e had a lot of fun teasing Hughes and making disparaging comments.  This was part of Larkin鈥檚 grumpy public persona.鈥�

A letter in 1975 had Larkin stating that Hughes had paid a visit to Hull, 鈥渓ooking like a Christmas present from Easter Island.  He鈥檚 all right when he is not reading!鈥�.

The exhibition includes a 1984 letter from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, offering Larkin the role of Poet Laureate, plus the reply in which he declined on the grounds that 鈥渟even years ago the impulse to write poems left me鈥�.

But Ted Hughes did accept the post and took it very seriously.

鈥淗e saw the role of Poet Laureate as a deeply profound one.  He thought that the monarchy was the unifier of the nation and therefore the Laureate was the singer of the tribe,鈥� said Dr Underwood.  The exhibition includes examples of his work in this public post.

Early visitors to Larkin and Hughes: Poets and Rivals have included Professor James Booth, the critically-acclaimed biographer of Philip Larkin.

鈥淗e said that he learned things from this exhibition.  So if we are teaching Larkin鈥檚 biographer then we are doing something right!鈥� said Dr Underwood.  鈥淭he exhibition does something genuinely new and interesting and is a good contribution to Hughes-Larkin scholarship,鈥� he added.

• Larkin and Hughes: Poets and Rivals continues at Heritage Quay until 21 July.