Difficulties of a Bridegroom. Collected Short Stories.

Author: Hughes, Ted

Published by Faber & Faber, 1995
US ed.: Picador, 1995

Revised versions were published in Selected Poems (1972)

Difficulties of a Bridegroom collects several short stories and a play, most of which first appeared in Wodwo (1967). Several of the stories are based on autobiographical events that took place in and around Mytholmroyd (e.g. "The Deadfall", "Sunday") and Mexborough (e.g. "The Deadfall" (parts of the beginning), "The Harvesting", "The Rain Horse").

Most of the stories and the radio play "The Wound" previously appeared in Wodwo) but the book also reprints a story previously published in a book for children, called Ghostly Haunts. Most of the other stories, however, are not suitable for children.

The introduction gives some insight into the development of the early stories and the play, shedding light on such publications as Wodwo, Gaudete and Cave Birds.

In contrast to what the title may suggest, this is not the complete body of short stories.

See also: Terry Gifford's essay "A Return to 'The Wound' ..." and Ted Hughes's Gaudete and Wodwo.

Contents:

• "The Deadfall" [prev. published in Ghostly Haunts, a children's story], 
• "O'Kelley's Angel",
• "Snow" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "Sunday" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "The Rain Horse" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "The Harvesting" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "The Wound" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "The Suitor" [prev. published in Wodwo],
• "The Head" [prev. published in "Bananas"].