Dylan Thomas

For other uses, see Dylan Thomas (disambiguation).

Dylan Thomas
A black and white photograph of Thomas wearing a suit with a white spotted bow tie in a bookshop in New York.
Thomas at the Gotham Book Mart in New York, 1952
BornDylan Marlais Thomas
(1914-10-27)27 October 1914
Uplands, Swansea, Wales
Died9 November 1953(1953-11-09) (aged 39)
New York City, US
Resting placeLaugharne, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Occupation
  • Poet
  • writer
Spouse
​
(m. 1937)​
Children3, including Aeronwy
RelativesGordon Thomas (cousin)

Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953)[1] was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood. He also wrote stories and radio broadcasts such as A Child's Christmas in Wales and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog. He became widely popular in his lifetime; and remained so after his death at the age of 39 in New York City.[2] By then, he had acquired a reputation, which he had encouraged, as a "roistering, drunken and doomed poet".[3] Dylan Marlais Thomas was the son of David John Thomas, a school master, and Florence Hannah Williams who married in 1903 and were living in Sketty Avenue, Sketty, Swansea when the 1911 Census was taken. Their daughter Nancy, born 1906, was not at home with them on Census Day.

Dylan Thomas was born in Uplands, Swansea, in 1914, leaving school in 1932 to become a reporter for the South Wales Daily Post. Many of his works appeared in print while he was still a teenager. In 1934, the publication of "Light breaks where no sun shines" caught the attention of the literary world. While living in London, Thomas met Caitlin Macnamara; they married in 1937 and had three children: Llewelyn, Aeronwy, and Colm.

He came to be appreciated as a popular poet during his lifetime, though he found earning a living as a writer difficult. He began augmenting his income with reading tours and radio broadcasts. His radio recordings for the BBC during the late 1940s brought him to the public's attention, and he was frequently featured by the BBC as an accessible voice of the literary scene. Thomas first travelled to the United States in the 1950s; his readings there brought him a degree of fame, while his erratic behaviour and drinking worsened. During his fourth trip to New York in 1953, Thomas became gravely ill and fell into a coma. He died on 9 November, and his body was returned to Wales. On 25 November, he was interred at St. Martin's churchyard in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire.

Although Thomas wrote exclusively in the English language, he has been acknowledged as one of the most important Welsh poets of the 20th century. He is noted for his original, rhythmic, and ingenious use of words and imagery.[4][5][6] His position as one of the great modern poets has been much discussed, and he remains popular with the public.[7][8]

  1. ^ Ferris (1985), p. vii.
  2. ^ "Did hard-living or medical neglect kill Dylan Thomas?". BBC. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference WAEoW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Morton, Richard (1 January 1962). "Notes on the imagery of Dylan Thomas". English Studies. 43 (1–6): 155–164. doi:10.1080/00138386208597117.
  5. ^ Tindall (1996), p. 18.
  6. ^ Moynihan, William T. (1964). "Dylan Thomas and the "Biblical Rhythm"". PMLA. 79 (5): 631–647. doi:10.2307/461150. JSTOR 461150. S2CID 164050426.
  7. ^ Jones, John Idris (27 August 2012). "Dylan Thomas: a Great Poet?". Wales Arts Review. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  8. ^ "About Dylan Thomas: Academy of American Poets". poets.org. Retrieved 10 May 2020.