According to traditional customs, the poet laureate's duty is to write poems to praise virtues, mourn and express condolences, and to write congratulatory messages for various major celebrations. So, who are the previous poet laureates of the United Kingdom?
Served as poet laureate successively:
Thomas Shadwell, 1689-1692;
Nahum Tate, 1692-1715;
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Nicholas Rowe, 1715-1718;
Lawrence Eusden, 1718-1730;
Colley Sieber, 1730-1757;
William Whitehead, 1757-1785;
Thomas Warton, 1785-1790;
Henry James Pye, 1790-1813 ;
Robert Southey, (Robert Southey) 1813-1843;
William Wordsworth, (William Wordsworth) 1843-1850;
Alfred Tennyson, 1850-1892 (after Tennyson's death, the poet laureate was not selected for 4 years);
Alfred Tennyson, 1896-1913 ;
Robert Bridges, 1913-1930;
John Masefield (1878-1967), poet laureate from 1930-1967;
Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972), poet laureate from 1968 to 1972;
John Betjeman (1906-1984), 1972- 1984 Poet Laureate;
Ted Hughes (1930-1998), 1984-1998 Poet Laureate;
Andrew Motion (1952- ), Poet Laureate from 1999 to 2009;
Carol Ann Duffy (Carol Ann Duffy, 1955- ), was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2009 for a ten-year term. Duffy is also Britain's first female poet laureate.
The meaning of the British Poet Laureate
The title "Royal Poet" has the meaning of the official poet laureate. He can receive salary and wine regularly, but he is also ridiculed, such as Jonson and Darwin. Venant, Eusden, Sieber, Pye, and even later Tennyson.
In fact, the title "laurel" originated in medieval universities. When a student mastered grammar, rhetoric, and poetry, the school would wear a laurel crown on him to show that he had obtained a degree. Later, this title was applied to people who had significant achievements in poetic creation, and became the standard way to praise Chaucer and Petrarch. Traditionally, the term poet laureate has been used loosely, with poets such as Gower, Lydgate, Skelton and Bernard Andreas, an Augustinian disciple. A mendicant who served as court poet and royal historian in the court of Henry VII. Dryden would also have this honor in the future. Spencer, Drayton and Daniel were all poets who participated in various forms of court activities and were officially recognized. Ben Jonson was enshrined in the palace, favored, good at writing eulogies, and considered himself an official poet laureate; he received two annuities and was deeply loved by the public. Davenant seems to have been made poet laureate by default under both Charles I and Charles II, but did not receive an official certificate. It was not until John Dryden was appointed the first Poet Laureate in 1668 and then Royal Historian in 1670 that this position finally received official recognition. The two positions were separated in 1692 and were no longer held by one person. The annual salary of the Poet Laureate was set at 100 pounds, which has not changed since.
Since Dryden resigned in 1688, the following poets have served as poet laureate: Thomas Shadwell, 1689-1692; Nahum Tate, 1692-1715; Nicholas Rowe, 1715-1718; Lawrence Eusden, 1718-1730; Colley Sieber, 1730-1757; William Whitehead, 1757-1785; Thomas Wharton, 1785-1790; Henry James Pye, 1790 —1813; Robert Southey, 1813-1843; William Wordsworth, 1770-1850; Alfred Tennyson, 1809-1892 (after Tennyson's death, no poet laureate was selected for 4 years); Alfred Austin, 1896-1913; Robert Bridges, 1913-1930; John Masefield, 1930-.
Many other poets tried in vain to become poet laureate, including Johnson's friend Richard Savage, known as the "self-nominated poet laureate"; William Mason, Leigh Hunter; and Lewis Morris, who The position was sought during the four years after Tennyson's death when the Poet Laureate was not selected. There were also poets who refused to accept the position, such as Gray, Scott, and Samuel Rogers who refused to succeed after Wordsworth's death.