Robert Graves 1895-1985
Born Robert von Ranke Graves in London, England, Graves became an English poet, novelist, classical scholar, and critic. Graves served as a British officer during World War I from 1914-1918, and was severely wounded in 1916 and in 1918. After an unhappy marriage and divorce in the 1920's, Graves made a move to the island of Majorca, Spain in 1929, accompanied by a certain American poet Laura Riding. After the onset of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Graves and Riding left Majorca for America, but in 1939 Riding left Graves and he returned to Majorca. From 1961-1966 he then returned to England and became the professor of poetry at the University of Oxford. Living out his final years back in Majorca, Graves died quietly in 1985.
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Writing Style
Graves writing style paralleled the different seasons in his life. Publishing his first collection of poetry during World War I, much of Graves' early writings reflected the horrors of trench warfare and the battles of the war. By 1929, Graves came to terms with his war experiences and his divorce, putting both behind him. Involved with Riding, Graves' writings became more terse, critical, and ironic. Through the 1930's, Graves' poetry became more of an emotional experience. As "Flying Crooked" was published in the 1930's, these life stages are reflected in his work. Though little is known about Graves' rationale for the piece, his ironic twist and his distancing from sad love poems become apparent in "Flying Crooked". |