Skip to main content

Derek Walcott.

Derek Alton Walcott

Derek Walcott
Born Castries
Died Cap Estate
Citizenship Saint Lucia
Would Be 96 yr If Living

TL;DR

Derek Walcott won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992, the first West Indian to receive the honor. He wrote prolifically as a poet, playwright, and visual artist, producing works like Omeros and Dream on Monkey Mountain. He also directed films and taught at universities, and was born in Castries, Saint Lucia in 1930.

At a glance.

STATS

Derek Walcott by the numbers โ€” life, work, and family.

87 Years lived
52 Books
15 Awards
4 Marriages
1 Child

Family ties.

KIN ยท 6

The relatives of Derek Walcott โ€” parents, partners, children, and siblings.

SPOUSES
Norline Metivier Margaret Ruth Maillard Fay Moston Sigrid Nama
CHILDREN
Elizabeth Walcott Hackshaw
SIBLINGS
Roderick Walcott

Who was Derek Walcott?

BIOGRAPHY

Derek Walcott โ€” early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Derek Walcott was born on January 23, 1930, in Castries, Saint Lucia, alongside his twin brother Roderick, who also became a playwright. The family, of mixed African, Dutch, and English heritage, nurtured his early interest in literature and art. He published his first poem at 14 and his first poetry collection at 18. After university in Jamaica, he moved to Trinidad in 1953, working as a theater and art critic.

Career

Walcott’s breakthrough came with the play Dream on Monkey Mountain, which won the OBIE Award for Distinguished Playwriting in 1970. He also wrote the epic poem Omeros 1990, his masterpiece. In 1992 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He ventured into film, directing Haytian Earth 1984 and appearing in โ€ฆ And the Pursuit of Happiness 1986. He collaborated with Paul Simon on the Broadway musical The Capeman, earning a Tony nomination for Best Original Musical Score in 1998.

Personal life

Walcott married four times: to Fay Moston, Margaret Ruth Maillard, Norline Metivier, and Sigrid Nama. He had three children: Peter, Elizabeth, and Anna. His twin brother Roderick Walcott was also a playwright. He split his time between Saint Lucia, Trinidad, and the United States, teaching at Boston University.

Legacy

Walcott remains the only Nobel laureate in literature from the Caribbean. Scholars and readers worldwide study his works such as Omeros and Dream on Monkey Mountain for their exploration of postcolonial identity and Caribbean culture. He received numerous honors, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 1981 and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1988. He brought Caribbean poetry and drama to global prominence.

Bibliography.

BOOKS ยท 52

Derek Walcott's bibliography โ€” every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

  1. Cover for Omeros

    Omeros

    by Derek Walcott

  2. Cover for Prentice Hall Literature - Gold

    Prentice Hall Literature – Gold

    by Sumner Braunstein et al.

  3. Cover for The Arkansas Testament

    The Arkansas Testament

    by Derek Walcott

  4. Cover for The Prodigal

    The Prodigal

    by Derek Walcott

  5. Cover for Prentice Hall Literature - World Masterpieces

    Prentice Hall Literature – World Masterpieces

    by Burton Beers et al.

  6. Cover for Remembrance and Pantomime

    Remembrance and Pantomime

    by Derek Walcott

  7. Cover for What the Twilight Says

    What the Twilight Says

    by Derek Walcott

  8. Cover for The Bounty

    The Bounty

    by Derek Walcott

  9. Cover for The Poetry of Derek Walcott 1948-2013

    The Poetry of Derek Walcott 1948-2013

    by Derek Walcott

  10. Cover for The Star-apple Kingdom

    The Star-apple Kingdom

    by Derek Walcott

  11. Cover for Prentice Hall Literature

    Prentice Hall Literature

    by Kevin Feldman et al.

  12. Cover for Midsummer

    Midsummer

    by Derek Walcott

  13. Cover for Dream on Monkey Mountain and Other Plays

    Dream on Monkey Mountain and Other Plays

    by Derek Walcott

  14. Cover for White Egrets

    White Egrets

    by Derek Walcott

Awards & honors.

AWARDS ยท 15

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Derek Walcott โ€” Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

  • Nobel Prize in Literature
  • Guggenheim Fellowship
  • MacArthur Fellows Program
  • Officer of the Order of the British Empire
  • Cholmondeley Award
  • Kingโ€™s / Queenโ€™s Gold Medal for Poetry
  • PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
  • Musgrave Medal
  • Preis der Stadt Mรผnster fรผr Europรคische Poesie
  • Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
  • Honorary doctorate of the University of Alcala
  • Order of Merit
  • T. S. Eliot Prize
  • Heinemann Award
  • Star on Playwrights' Sidewalk

Did you know?

FACTS ยท 8

Little-known facts about Derek Walcott โ€” origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

  1. His biography and bibliography appear in Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, Vol. 130, pp. 419-430 Thomson Gale, 2005.

  2. Awarded the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first West Indian native to receive this award.

  3. Nominated for Broadway’s 1998 Tony Award as Best Original Musical Score for The Capeman, his lyrics with music by Paul Simon.

  4. He fathered three children: Peter, Elizabeth, and Anna.

  5. Awarded the 1970 OBIE Award for Distinguished Playwriting for The Dream on Monkey Mountain on off-Broadway in New York City.

  6. His play The Dream on Monkey Mountain at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California, was awarded the 1970 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Production.

  7. He attended the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, moved to Trinidad in 1953 where he was a theater and art critic, published his first poetry collection at 18, and was also an accomplished painter and playwright.

  8. He had a twin brother Roderick d.2000 who was also a playwright.

You wanted to know.

FAQ ยท 39

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Derek Walcott.