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Theology
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Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“A Man Said to the Universe” by Stephen Crane (1899)
Stephen Crane is an American author best known for his short stories and Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895). He also wrote poetry reminiscent of Hughes’s abrasive tone. As with “Theology,” Crane’s short lyric tells a gloomy story about humanity. The universe tells a nameless man that he feels no “obligation” (Line 5) to ensure that the man has a nice and pleasant life. The universe's indifference echoes God’s lack of interference in “Theology.” In both poems, the world appears mean and base.
“The Thought-Fox” by Ted Hughes (1957)
This poem appears in Hughes’s first collection, The Hawk in the Rain. Although not snappy or abrasive, the poem features the same kind of violent atmosphere as “Theology.” Instead of a devilish serpent in paradise, there’s a predatory fox in the forest. Throughout his career, Hughes focused on animals and nature and how they behaved in religious and secular contexts. As with “Theology,” “The Thought-Fox” uses alliteration with lines like “a sudden sharp hot stink of fox” (Line 24).
“Hawk Roosting” by Ted Hughes (1960)
“Hawk Roosting” routinely appears in widely-used anthologies. Once again, Hughes focuses on predation and the violent harshness of the world. This time, a hawk does what it wants. Unlike “Theology,” “Hawk Roosting” has a clear speaker, a hawk: “I kill where I please because it is all mine,” declares the hawk (Line 14). As with the serpent, the hawk seems to have wide-ranging, godlike powers.
“Daddy” by Sylvia Plath (1965)
“Daddy” is one of Plath’s most famous poems. The poem is confessional and blurs the line between art and life. Critics of Hughes read the poem as an indictment against him. He’s the “vampire” (Line 76) who “drank [her] blood” (Line 77) for years. Contentious autobiographical readings aside, the poem demonstrates the confluence between Plath’s and Hughes’s poetry. Both poets tend to privilege harshness, severity, violence, and upset. Plath’s female speaker turns into the empowered Eve who eats or eradicates multiple patriarchal symbols with the snarling quip, “If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two” (Line 75).
Further Literary Resources
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963)
Plath’s novel about a college student, Esther Greenwood, features many themes seen in “Theology.” As with “Theology,” Esther maintains a direct, blunt tone in her narration. She confronts gender norms by standing up to lecherous men and refusing to surrender her power. She also complicates themes of good and evil by comparing one particularly toxic man to a snake she saw at the Bronx Zoo.
What is the Truth? by Ted Hughes (1984)
This is one of Hughes’s many books for children or young readers. It explores the idea of God, albeit in a much less abrasive tone than “Theology.” Through a dialogue between God’s Son and his Father, Hughes addresses the ignorance and folly of human beings. This might be why, in “Theology,” Adam can’t resist the apple and Eve can’t stop herself from eating her husband. What is the Truth? also suggests that God is in everything; perhaps God is in the serpent as well.
Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes (1998)
In Birthday Letters, Hughes addresses his contentious relationship with Plath. Unlike “Theology” and Hughes's other works, these poems are confessional. Hughes, or the poetic persona he creates, is the clear speaker. Like “Theology,” the poems depict a troublesome, consuming dynamic. In relation to “Theology,” it’s possible to see Hughes as Adam and Plath as Eve.
“A Divided Response to Hughes Poems” by Sarah Lyall (1998)
Published in The New York Times following the publication of Birthday Letters, Lyall's article provides a rather impartial overview of the outcry surrounding Hughes and Plath. She details the reasons why some people criticize Hughes while others defend him. She briefly touches on Robin Morgan's controversial poem about Hughes, “The Arraignment,” and how feminists used to disrupt his readings by screaming, “Murderer!” In “Theology,” Hughes’s speaker corrects the myth of Adam and Eve. Later, in Birthday Letters, Hughes's poetic persona arguably corrects the myths about him and Plath.
