In the post-world war, suggests Hughes, the scream has replaced the word of God, just as dwelling upon a past of striped trousers and idyllic holidays has replaced real human relations and conversation the dialogue of Nell and Hamm. (Hoffman, 1971, pp
The crow is a "nightmare" creation, a defiant voice in the wilderness against God. (Sagar, 1975) Hughes called the Crow cycle of poems complete in itself, in other words, although the image of Crow might resonate with pre-existing mythological structures, the poet did not wish to specifically write in conversation with these myths