Robert Graves Biography

Robert Graves was a 20th century English poet and novelist best known for his war memoir ‘Good-Bye to All That’. He produced over 140 literary works during his lifetime, and was especially acclaimed for his memoirs and interpretations of the Greek myths. Several of his popular works have never been out of print. He was also a prominent translator of Classical Latin and Ancient Greek texts. Born into a middle-class family in England, he took up writing poetry when he was a student at Charterhouse School. He was outspoken and serious from a young age and displayed interest in intellectual pursuits. He served in the army during the World War I and gained a name for himself as a war poet. He was severely injured by a shell-fragment and also suffered from other health problems during the war. After the war he struggled to make a living, eventually establishing himself as a successful writer after a few years. Along with his intense and engaging memoirs, his historical novels also received much critical praise. He suffered several hardships in his life which made his later poetry increasingly poignant and touching. His sad love poems are counted among the finest poetry produced in the 20th century.