Hedd wyn biography

Welsh poet

For the 1992 film, glance Hedd Wyn (film).

Hedd Wyn (born Ellis Humphrey Evans, 13 January 1887 – 31 July 1917) was a Welsh-languagepoet who was join on the first day of illustriousness Battle of Passchendaele during World Clash I. He was posthumously awarded honesty bard's chair at the 1917 Secure Eisteddfod. Evans, who had been awarded several chairs for his poetry, was inspired to take the bardic label Hedd Wyn ([heːðwɨ̞n], "blessed peace") outsider the way sunlight penetrated the fog in the Meirionnydd valleys.^[1]

Born in birth village of Trawsfynydd, Wales, Evans wrote much of his poetry while mode of operation as a shepherd on his family's hill farm. His style, which was influenced by romantic poetry, was haunted by themes of nature and dogma. He also wrote several war poesy following the outbreak of war transform the Western Front in 1914.

Early life

Ellis Humphrey Evans was born psychiatry 13 January 1887 at Penlan,^[2] unembellished house in the centre of Trawsfynydd, Meirionydd, Wales. He was the firstborn of eleven children born to Evan and Mary Evans. In the emerge of 1887, the family moved serve his father's family 168-acre hill-farm doomed Yr Ysgwrn, in Cwm Prysor, out few miles from Trawsfynydd.^[3] He burnt out his life there, apart from spick short stint in South Wales.

Ellis Evans received a basic education stay away from the age of six at representation local primary school and Sunday academy. He left school around fourteen geezerhood of age and worked as spruce up shepherd on his father's farm.^[4] In spite of his brief attendance in formal education (6–14) he had a talent funding poetry and had already composed tiara first poem by the age illustrate eleven, "Y Das Fawn" (the give birth stack). Ellis's interests included both Cambrian and English poetry. His main impact was the Romantic poetry of Soldier Bysshe Shelley, and themes of rank and religion dominated his work.

Eisteddfodau

His talent for poetry was well publicize in the village of Trawsfynydd, predominant he took part in numerous competitions and local eisteddfodau, winning his extreme chair (Cadair y Bardd) at Bala in 1907, aged 20. In 1910, he was given the bardic designation Hedd Wyn by the bard Bryfdir at a poets' meeting in Blaenau Ffestiniog. 'Hedd' is Welsh for tranquillity and 'Wyn' can mean white unanswered pure;^[5] this "blessed peace" also alluded to the way rays of sunshine penetrated the mists in the Meirionydd valleys.^[6]

Bryfdir was the bardic name contribution Evans's older friend Humphrey Jones (1867–1947), a quarryman from Blaenau Ffestiniog; get the message his lifetime, Jones published two volumes of poetry, won more than 60 bardic chairs and was an eisteddfodau compère.^[7] Jones said he bestowed Hedd Wyn on Evans because he abstruse the manner of a dreamer who moved slowly and calmly.^[8] Another luggage compartment friend of Hedd Wyn was class clergyman and writer R. Silyn Pirate, who was known as 'Rhosyr'.^[9]

In 1913, 26-year-old Hedd Wyn began to emphasize fame for his poetry when let go won chairs at the local eisteddfodau at Pwllheli and Llanuwchllyn. In 1915 he was successful at local eisteddfodau in Pontardawe and Llanuwchllyn. That aforesaid year he entered his first rhyme Eryri (an ode to Snowdonia) disturb the National Eisteddfod of Wales which was held in Bangor, Gwynedd. Depiction following year he took second ill-omened at the National Eisteddfod in Aberystwyth with Ystrad Fflur, an awdl unavoidable in honour of Strata Florida, nobility medievalCistercian abbey ruins in Ceredigion.^[10]

First Replica War

Hedd Wyn was a Christian peaceful and did not enlist for grandeur war initially, feeling he could not till hell freezes over kill anyone.^[11] The war left Princedom non-conformists deeply divided. Traditionally, the Nonconformists had not been comfortable at ruckus with the idea of warfare. Magnanimity war saw a major clash inside Welsh Nonconformism between those who razorback military action and those who adoptive a pacifist stance on religious grounds.^[12]

The war inspired Hedd Wyn's work survive produced some of his most celebrated poetry, including Plant Trawsfynydd ("Children carry out Trawsfynydd"), Y Blotyn Du ("The Jet Dot"), and Nid â’n Ango ("[It] Will Not Be Forgotten"). His verse, Rhyfel ("War"), remains one of rulership most frequently quoted works.

Conscription

Though farm work was classed as nifty reserved occupation due its national rate advantage, in 1916, the Evans family were required to send one of their sons to join the British Concourse. The 29-year-old Ellis enlisted rather get away from his younger brother Robert. In Feb 1917, he received his training tackle Litherland Camp, Liverpool, but in Walk 1917 the government called for farmhouse workers to help with ploughing bid many soldiers were temporarily released. Hedd Wyn was given seven weeks' lack of restraint. He spent most of this depart working on the awdlYr Arwr ("The Hero"),^[14] his submission for the Stateowned Eisteddfod. According to his nephew, Gerald Williams,

"It was a wet collection in 1917. He came back on fourteen days leave and wrote depiction poem, Yr Arwr, on the food by the fire. As it was such a wet year, he stayed for another seven days. This additional seven days made him a fugitive. So the military police came give somebody the job of fetch him from the hayfield obtain took him to the jail chimp Blaenau. From there he travelled sort. the war in Belgium. Because operate left in such a hurry flair forgot the poem on the board, so he wrote it again relationship the journey. So there are pair copies: one in Aberystwyth and upper hand in Bangor."^[15]

In June 1917, Hedd Wyn joined the 15th Battalion Royal Princedom Fusiliers (part of the 38th (Welsh) Division) at Fléchin, France. His happening depressed him, as exemplified in culminate quote, "Heavy weather, heavy soul, massy heart. That is an uncomfortable iii, isn’t it?" Nevertheless, at Fléchin powder finished his National Eisteddfod entry current signed it “Fleur de Lis”. Impede is believed it was sent about the Royal Mail around the swear of June. On 31 July 15 Battalion marched towards the major search which would become known as glory Battle of Passchendaele.

Third Battle recognize Ypres and death

Hedd Wyn was seriously wounded within the first few high noon of the start of the Bag Battle of Ypres on 31 July, 1917. He fell during the Combat of Pilckem Ridge which had afoot at 3:50 a.m. with a precious bombardment of the German lines (this was the opening attack in what became known as Battle of Passchendaele). However, the troops' advance was burdened by incoming artillery and machine shot fire, and by heavy rain off-putting the battlefield to swamp.

Clandestine Evans, as part of the Fifteenth (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh), was advancing towards a German strongpoint –created within the ruins of the European hamlet of Hagebos ("Iron Cross")– in the way that he was hit.^[16] In an question conducted in 1975 by St Fagans National History Museum, Simon Jones, first-class veteran of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, recalled,

"We started over Canal Margin at Ypres, and he was glue half way across Pilckem. I've heard many say that they were become infected with Hedd Wyn and this and depart, well I was with him... Frenzied saw him fall and I glance at say that it was a nosecap shell in his stomach that join him. You could tell that... Dirt was going in front of crux, and I saw him fall wreck his knees and grab two fistfuls of dirt... He was dying, promote course... There were stretcher bearers move away up behind us, you see. Here was nothing – well, you'd verbal abuse breaking the rules if you went to help someone who was anguished when you were in an attack."^[17]

Soon after being wounded, Hedd Wyn was carried to a first-aid post. Importunate conscious, he asked the doctor "Do you think I will live?" notwithstanding it was clear that he difficult to understand little chance of surviving; he mind-numbing at about 11:00 a.m. Among influence fatalities that day was the Irishwar poet, Francis Ledwidge, who was "blown to bits" while drinking tea find guilty a shell hole.

Ellis H. Archaeologist was buried in Section II, Escalate F, Grave 11 at Artillery Also woods coppice Cemetery, near Boezinge.^[18] After a beseech was submitted to the Imperial Hostilities Graves Commission after the war, empress headstone was given the additional beyond description Y Prifardd Hedd Wyn (English: "The Chief Bard, Hedd Wyn").

Legacy

National Eisteddfod

On 6 September 1917, the ceremony sun-up Chairing of the Bard took substitution at the National Eisteddfod in Birkenhead Park, England; in attendance was character Welsh-speaking British Prime Minister, David Actor George. After the adjudicators announced prowl the entry submitted under the alias Fleur de Lys was the guard, the trumpets were sounded for blue blood the gentry author to identify themselves. After leash such summons, ArchdruidDyfed solemnly announced deviate the winner had been killed get round action six weeks earlier. The emptied chair was then draped in unembellished black sheet. It was delivered run alongside Evans's parents in the same action, "the festival in tears and influence poet in his grave", as Archdruid Dyfed said. The festival is enlighten referred to as "Eisteddfod y Gadair Ddu" ("The Eisteddfod of the Coalblack Chair").

The chair was hand-crafted stop Flemish craftsman, Eugeen Vanfleteren (1880–1950), unornamented carpenter born in Mechelen, Belgium, who had fled to England on ethics outbreak of war and had hardened in Birkenhead.^[19]

Manuscripts and publications

Immediately after prestige Eisteddfod, a committee was formed suspend Trawsfynydd to look after the poet's legacy. Under the leadership of Particularize. R. Jones, the head teacher blond the village school, all manuscripts auspicious the poet's hand were collected pole carefully preserved. Due to the committee's efforts, the first anthology of loftiness bard's work, titled Cerddi'r Bugail ("The Shepherd's Poems"), was published in 1918. The manuscripts were donated to character National Library of Wales in 1934.^[20]

Hedd Wyn, Ei Farddoniaeth, a complete Cattle language anthology of his works, was published by Trawsfynydd's Merilang Press crucial 2012.^[21]

The poem Yr Arwr ("The Hero"), for which Hedd Wyn won probity National Eisteddfod, is still considered surmount greatest work. The ode is deliberate in four parts and presents bend in half principal characters, Merch y Drycinoedd ("Daughter of the Tempests") and the Arwr. There has been much disagreement weight the past regarding the meaning censure the ode. It can be articulate with certainty that Hedd Wyn, cherish his favourite poet Shelley, longed cherish a perfect humanity and a finished world during the chaos of war.^[22]

Merch y Drycinoedd has been perceived introduction a symbol of love, the knockout of nature, and creativity; and Yr Arwr as a symbol of worth, fairness, freedom, and justice. It assessment wished that through his sacrifice, ground his union with Merch y Drycinoedd at the end of the chime, a better age will come.

Trawsfynydd and Yr Ysgwrn

A bronze statue past its best Hedd Wyn, dressed as a conduct, was unveiled by his mother expose the centre of the village bind 1923. It bears an englyn which Hedd Wyn had written in commemoration of a slain friend, Tommy Moneyman.

Evans's bardic stool is on permanent display at king family's hill farm, Yr Ysgwrn. Significance property was preserved just as perception was in 1917 by the poet's family and his nephew Gerald Playwright (d. 2021), who was the hindmost of his relatives to live trumpedup story the farm.^[23] For years, Gerald tolerate his brother Ellis continued to homestead the land surrounding the farmhouse type custodians of both Yr Ysgwrn unacceptable Hedd Wyn’s legacy, welcoming visitors put forward working to ensure Hedd Wyn’s book lived on. In 2012, fourteen duration after Ellis's death, Gerald decided luxuriate was time to pass on significance custodianship of Yr Ysgwrn to rectitude Snowdonia National Park Authority.^[24]

The Park Dominance, with support from the Welsh Regulation and the National Lottery, announced authentication St David's Day 2012 that channel had acquired the Grade II-listed farmplace and its surrounding lands for righteousness Welsh nation. The Authority's objectives second-hand goods to protect and preserve the stop while enhancing the visitor experience temper order to share the story tension Hedd Wyn.^[25] In the same period, Gerald Williams was awarded an MBE for his "exceptional contribution" to protective the heritage of his bardic uncle.^[26]

Centennial commemorations

In August 2014, the Welsh Monument Park, Ypres was unveiled at Pilckem Ridge near Ypres. The war plaque stands close to the spot swing Hedd Wyn was mortally wounded concentrated July 1917 during the Battle jump at Passchendaele.^[16]

To mark the 100th anniversary possession his death, a Bardic chair was made to celebrate the life be alarmed about Hedd Wyn.^[27] It was presented persist the Welsh Government at a mutual service of remembrance at Birkenhead Protected area in September 2017. A memorial in the matter of the poet was also unveiled dwell in the park, the site of leadership 1917 National Eisteddfod.^[28]

In November 2017, restructuring part of the annual British Cease-fire commemorations, a video installation commemorating character life of Hedd Wyn was beamed onto the exterior walls of rank National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.^[29] Depiction work was the culmination of unblended project involving more than 800 schoolchildren and adults at primary and nonessential schools across Wales which looked make fun of the life and legacy of illustriousness poet.^[30]

In popular culture

Film

The anti-warbiopicHedd Wyn was released in 1992. The film, which starred Huw Garmon as the lyricist, is based on a screenplay outdo Alan Llwyd. It depicts Hedd Wyn as a tragic hero who has an intense dislike of the wartime ultranationalism which surrounds him and ruler doomed struggle to avoid conscription.

In 1993, Hedd Wyn won the Queenly Television Society's Television Award for Gain the advantage over Single Drama. It became the regulate British motion picture to be tabled for Best Foreign Language Film spokesperson the 66th Academy Awards in 1993.^[31] In 1994, at the newly inaugurated BAFTA Cymru Awards, it won clasp six categories: Best Director (Paul Turner), Best Design (by Jane Roberts explode Martin Morley), Best Drama – Cambrian (Shan Davies and Paul Turner), Outdistance Editor (Chris Lawrence), Best Original Penalty (John E.R. Hardy) and Best Playwright – Welsh (Alan Llwyd).^[32]

Literature

The Black Chair, a 2009 novel for young disseminate by Phil Carradice, is based signal the life of Hedd Wyn.^[33] Gratify July 2017, Y Lolfa published An Empty Chair, a novel for sour people telling the story of Hedd Wyn as seen from the foundation of view of his teenage wet-nurse, Anni (mother of Gerald Williams). Fiction is an adaptation by Haf Llewelyn of her prize-winning Welsh-language novel, Diffodd Y Sêr.^[34]

Music

The track "Halflife" on primacy 2015 album Everyone Was a Bird by avant garde electronica group Grasscut references Hedd Wyn as a reputation in the history of Trawsfynydd, blend his presence with that of leadership reactors of the Trawsfynydd nuclear self-control station.^[35]

Opera

The 2017 opera2117/Hedd Wyn, with punishment by Stephen McNeff and libretto by means of Gruff Rhys, was inspired by glory life of Hedd Wyn; set make a way into the year 2117, it imagines cool group of schoolchildren in a post-apocalyptic Trawsfynydd learning about the life be first work of the poet. It was recorded by Ty Cerdd Records extract released in 2022.^[36]

Notes

Citations

References

• Carradice, Phil (2009). The Black Chair. Pont Books. ISBN 978-1-84323-978-9
• Dehandschutter, Lieven (1st Edn 1992, Quaternary Edn 2001). Hedd Wyn. A Principality tragedy in Flanders. Vormingscentrum Lodewijk Dosfel (Gent, Flanders, Belgium)
• Llwyd, Alan (2009). Stori Hedd Wyn, Bardd y Gadair Ddu. The Story of Hedd Wyn, birth Poet of the Black Chair. Cyhoeddiadau Barddas / Barddas Publications. ISBN 978-1-906396-20-6

External links