Dylan Thomas was born on October 27, 1914, in Swansea, Wales. He is considered one of the most important Welsh poets of the 20th century. His work is known for its lyrical and musical qualities, as well as its use of imagistic and surrealist elements.
In honor of what would have been Dylan Thomas’ 100th birthday, we’ve put together a list of 10 interesting facts about the poet and his work.
1. Dylan Thomas was born Dylan Marlais Thomas in Swansea, Wales, on October 27, 1914.
2. Thomas’ father, David John Thomas, was a teacher at the local grammar school; his mother, Florence Hannah Thomas (née Williams), was a seamstress.
3. Thomas had two sisters, Nancy and Pamela.
4. Thomas was educated at Swansea Grammar School, where he began writing poetry at the age of 16.
5. In 1931, Thomas left school and began working as a journalist for the South Wales Evening Post.
6. Thomas’ first published poem, “And Death Shall Have No Dominion,” appeared in the New English Weekly in 1933.
7. In 1934, Thomas moved to London, where he worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.
8. Thomas’ first book of poetry, Eighteen Poems, was published in 1934.
9. In 1937, Thomas married Caitlin Macnamara, with whom he had three children: Llewelyn, Colm, and Aeronwy.
10. Dylan Thomas died on November 9, 1953, in New York City. He was 39 years old.