Caroline Pollard (Derry-Londonderry

Research Sources

Muse: A person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.

Many believe Roberta Hewitt to be her husband John Hewitt’s muse. Closer examination of her diaries often suggests the opposite and we can see that she did not share his artistic view of Northern Ireland and his sense of regionalism. Hewitt himself writes:

“Roberta and I had our own places and interests; but she had frequently in our early days urged me to break away from Belfast, for she never had had the strong self-identification with its past and its future.” 29

Whilst Roberta was an intelligent woman whom many thought of as ahead of her time, it is also possible to see that she was capable of using her intelligence to ‘lead’ John through the arts world to ensure he used his artistic talents to maintain a high standard of living.

Throughout Roberta’s diaries, references are made to the money John earns. Some may argue that she is merely telling the reader of their everyday struggles but closer reading suggests something different as she documents the amount of money she spends and compares the differing ‘wages’ he earns. The reader can’t be faulted for coming to the conclusion that the high paid articles are more highly regarded than her husband’s artistic thoughts:

“Johnny has had his ‘Fame’ in the Bell & a poem in Irish Times in 1950 J had 15 poems published in papers & magazines J earned £21 for printed verse & about £24 from Radio. Old ‘Ulster Names’ has earned £16 last year & is to go on again another £8 – I was prompting J. to write more of these kinds of poems – J thinks it inferior verse.”30

Roberta continues by telling us she spent £18:8.6 on an expensive coat. In one diary entry we read about her disappointment of missing out on £100 “easy money” in a poetry competition because she believes her husband’s poem was not a winner because it was less of a“Festival Poem.”31

Roberta writes about how she sat with John while he wrote. At times the reader might feel that she is his muse and how they created together. But the opposite could be said when we read how she writes of arguing their different opinions until 1.30am and how:

29 A North Light (2013) 30 Roberta Hewitt's 1951-1974 Diary (D3838/4/2/2): p.534 31 Ibid: p.605

“J arrived up about 3am having rewritten the script and changed it considerably.”32

This clearly shows how she is capable of manipulating his train of thought. She also documents her frustrations of the whole writing process, hardly the thoughts of a supportive wife or indeed muse. She writes:

“I’m getting weary of writing going on & going nowhere except duty calls – we will become unsociable – J is a terrific worker I think but I hope his Ulster Poets have some value to somebody in the future.”33

Roberta has written that: “A diary does give a limited view of a person”. 34 With this in mind are we to take her entries at face value or to read beneath the surface to uncover a muse to a great poet or maybe a wife and housekeeper who wanted to better their standard of living by any means possible?