Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

Robert von Ranke Graves was born July 24th, 1895 in Wimbledon—near London. His earliest memories were of watching a parade honoring Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and sitting in the impressive personal library of his father while various relatives and local dignitaries participated in Shakespearean readings. Graves always considered himself a poet and writer, though sometimes indicated his profession as University Professor to avoid the social implications and complications of being a writer. He stood 6' 2" tall, weighed around 170 pounds, and had grey eyes and curly black hair. His nose was crooked due to a break and his face was not particularly symmetrical.

Graves offers a catalogue of his ancestral history, tracing one line back to 1267. His maternal pedigree includes many notable individuals, including the well-known historian Leopold von Ranke, Graves' great-uncle. Graves' mother, Amalie von Ranke, inherited a considerable...