Ted Hughes, the Goddess and 'An Alchemy'.

This article examines Ted Hughes's engagement with Shakespeare's work through the lens of alchemy, mythology, and occult philosophy, particularly as expressed in Hughes's poem "An Alchemy" and his book *Shakespeare and the Goddess of Complete Being*. Influenced by Robert Graves's *The White Goddess*, Hermetic Neoplatonism, and Carl Jung's psychology, Hughes interpreted Shakespeare's oeuvre as a complex alchemical process centered on the transformative power of the Goddess and divine love. The article analyzes how Hughes identified alchemical symbolism and mythic themes in Shakespeare's characters and plays, illustrating a spiritual purification process underlying the dramatic narratives. Hughes's work, though challenging and controversial among scholars, reflects his poetic sensibility and deep knowledge of Shakespeare, occult traditions, and mythic structures.