Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
The British
Background
The origins of the
Dryden's successor, Thomas Shadwell, was appointed in 1689 for life. He introduced the custom of producing poems for the new year and the monarch's birthday, which became one of the key duties of the position.[8] After the appointment of William Wordsworth in 1843 the duties settled into an expectation, not requirement, for major court and national occasions. Alfred, Lord Tennyson held the post between November 1850 and October 1892. According to Andrew Motion and Hilary Laurie, Tennyson "gave the poet laureateship new status and significance" with works such as "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington" and "The Charge of the Light Brigade". On his death the post was left vacant as a mark of respect; a new laureate was not appointed until four years later, with the appointment of Alfred Austin in January 1896.[9] As at 2015 the position is an honorary one, and the office holder is left to decide on which occasions they will produce poetry.[1][4] Following Dryden's dismissal from the post, the laureateship was held for life by all successors until Motion was appointed in 1999 for a fixed term of ten years; his successor, Carol Ann Duffy, was also appointed on the same fixed term.[10] Duffy was the first female poet to hold the role, and the first Scot.[8][11]
After Shadwell's selection the laureate was appointed by the Lord Chamberlain, on the monarch's instructions. Since the appointment of Henry James Pye in 1790, the prime minister has recommended which candidate to appoint.[1] For the appointment of Duffy the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) undertook a consultation of academics and literary organisations to draw up a short list of recommendations which they presented to the prime minister. He, in conjunction with the Cabinet Office, then submitted the name to the Queen for approval.[10]
Dryden's salary for the laureateship was £200 per year. In 1630 Charles I added an annual "butt of Canary wine",[a] although this was later discontinued in place of the monetary equivalent.[8] When Ted Hughes was appointed, he rekindled the tradition, and received 720 bottles of sherry.[13] Since Motion's appointment the DCMS provided an annual honorarium of £5,750; Motion also received an additional £19,000 for his work in education. With Duffy's appointment, the salary returned to £5,750 and the barrel of sherry.[14]
Poets laureate
Poet laureate[1][3] | Portrait | Birth and death | Dates of laureateship | Appointed by | Length of tenure (years) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Dryden | 1631–1700 | 13 April 1668 – January 1688 | Charles II | 20 | [15][16] | |
Thomas Shadwell | c. 1640–1692 | 9 March 1689 – 19 or 20 November 1692 | Mary II
|
3 | [17][18] | |
Nahum Tate | 1652–1715 | 23 December 1692 – 30 July 1715 | Mary II
|
23 | [19][20] | |
Nicholas Rowe | 1674–1718 | 1 August 1715 – 6 December 1718 | George I | 3 | [21][22] | |
Laurence Eusden | 1688–1730 | 10 December 1718 – 27 September 1730 | George I | 12 | [21][23] | |
Colley Cibber | 1671–1757 | 3 December 1730 – 12 December 1757 | George II | 27 | [21][24] | |
William Whitehead | 1715–1785 | 19 December 1757[b] – 14 April 1785 | George II | 27 | [21][25] | |
Thomas Warton | 1728–1790 | 20 April 1785 – 21 May 1790 | George III
|
5 | [26][27] | |
Henry James Pye | 1745–1813 | 28 July 1790 – 11 August 1813 | George III
|
23 | [28] | |
Robert Southey | 1774–1843 | 12 August 1813[c] – 21 March 1843 | George III
|
30 | [21][30] | |
William Wordsworth | 1770–1850 | 6 April 1843 – 23 April 1850 | Victoria | 7 | [31][32] | |
Alfred, Lord Tennyson | 1809–1892 | 19 November 1850[d] – 6 October 1892 | Victoria | 42 | [31][33] | |
Alfred Austin | 1835–1913 | 1 January 1896 – 2 June 1913 | Victoria | 17 | [33][34] | |
Robert Bridges | 1844–1930 | 25 July 1913 – 21 April 1930 | George V | 17 | [35][36] | |
John Masefield | 1878–1967 | 9 May 1930 – 12 May 1967 | George V | 37 | [37][38] | |
Cecil Day-Lewis | 1904–1972 | 2 January 1968 – 22 May 1972 | Elizabeth II | 4 | [39][40] | |
John Betjeman | 1906–1984 | 20 October 1972 – 19 May 1984 | Elizabeth II | 12 | [41][42] | |
Ted Hughes | 1930–1998 | 28 December 1984 – 28 October 1998 | Elizabeth II | 14 | [43][44] | |
Andrew Motion | 1952– | 19 May 1999 – 1 May 2009 | Elizabeth II | 10 | [10][45] | |
Carol Ann Duffy | 1955– | 1 May 2009 – 10 May 2019 | Elizabeth II | 10 | [10] | |
Simon Armitage | 1963– | 10 May 2019 – present | Elizabeth II | 4 | [2] |
See also
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ A butt of wine measured 126 gallons (572.80 litres).[12]
- ^ On the refusal of Thomas Gray.[25]
- ^ On the refusal of Walter Scott.[29]
- ^ On the refusal of Samuel Rogers.[33]
References
- ^ a b c d "Poets laureate (1668–2011)". Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 27 August 2015. (subscription required)
- ^ a b "Simon Armitage: 'Witty and profound' writer to be next Poet Laureate". BBC. 10 May 2019.
- ^ a b "List of poets laureate of Britain". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Poet Laureate". The British Monarchy. The Royal Household. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ Laurie & Motion 1999, p. 17.
- ^ Laurie & Motion 1999, pp. 17–18.
- ^
Hammond, Paul (2009). "Dryden, John (1631–1700)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/8108. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b c "Poets Laureate". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
- ^ Laurie & Motion 1999, pp. 10–11, 97–98.
- ^ a b c d "Carol Ann Duffy was officially declared as Britain's first female Poet Laureate on May 1st 2009". The Poetry Society. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
- ^ "Duffy reacts to new Laureate post". BBC. 1 May 2009.
- ^ Unwin 2005, p. 364.
- ^ Brown, Mark (6 August 2014). "Poems, palaces and butts of sherry: exhibition brings poets laureate to life". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Lea, Richard. "Irish literature gets €150,000 boost with laureate award". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Nichol Smith 1950, p. 11.
- ^ Hammond & Hopkins 2014, p. xiv.
- ^ Hammond & Hopkins 2014, p. 333.
- ^
Bennett, Kate (2009). "Shadwell, Thomas (c.1640–1692)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25195. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Dryden & Malone 1800, p. 206.
- ^
Hopkins, David (2008). "Tate, Nahum (c.1652–1715)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26986. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b c d e Bucholz, R.O. "The Artistic Establishment: Poet Laureate 1660–1837, in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (Revised), Court Officers, 1660–1837". British History Online. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
- ^
Sherbo, Arthur (2006). "Nicholas Rowe (1674–1718)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/24203. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Sambrook, James (2004). "Laurence Eusden (1688–1730)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/8934. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Salmon, Eric (2012). "Cibber, Colley (1671–1757)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5416. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b
Scott, Rosemary (2004). "Whitehead, William (bap. 1715, d. 1785)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29294. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 12642". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 April 1785. p. 205.
- ^
Reid, Hugh (2006). "Warton, Thomas (1728–1790)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/28799. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Sambrook, James (2008). "Henry James Pye (1745–1813)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22918. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Hewitt, David (2008). "Scott, Sir Walter (1771–1832)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/24928. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Carnall, Geoffrey (2011). "Robert Southey (1774–1843)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26056. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b
S2CID 163045313.
- ^
Gill, Stephen (2010). "William Wordsworth (1770–1850)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29973. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b c
Ricks, Christopher (2006). "Tennyson, Alfred, first Baron Tennyson (1809–1892)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/27137. Retrieved 2 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^
Scheuerle, William H. (2006). "Alfred Austin (1835–1913)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30503. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 28740". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 July 1913. p. 5321.
- ^
Phillips, Catherine (2004). "Robert Seymour Bridges (1844–1930)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32066. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 33604". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 May 1930. p. 2865.
- ^
Gervais, David (2013). "John Edward Masefield (1878–1967)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32066. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 44494". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 January 1968. p. 89.
- ^
Day-Lewis, Sean (2013). "Cecil Day-Lewis (1904–1972)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31014. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 45807". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 October 1972. p. 12397.
- ^
doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30815. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "No. 49967". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1984. p. 17431.
- ^
Sagar, Keith (2013). "Edward James Hughes (1930–1998)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/71121. Retrieved 7 September 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "Poetry in Motion". BBC. 19 May 1999.
Sources
- OCLC 642439986.
- Hammond, Paul; Hopkins, David (2014). The Poems of John Dryden: Volume Four: 1686–1696. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-90536-3.
- Laurie, Hilary; Motion, Andrew (1999). Verses of the Poets Laureate: From John Dryden to Andrew Motion. London: Orion. ISBN 978-0-7528-1859-7.
- OCLC 2285804.
- Unwin, Tim (2005). Wine and the Vine: An Historical Geography of Viticulture and the Wine Trade. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-76192-0.