Robert Graves

Patrick Quinn
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Robert Graves often claimed that true artists had to have a mixture of blood types coursing through themselves to allow inner tension to manifest itself in their art, literature, or music. Of course, Graves was not speaking of clinical blood types, but rather imaginary nationalistic blood lines. He would claim that he was the product of two exceedingly distinct and conflicting bloodlines. His father, Alfred Perceval Graves, was an inspector of schools and a minor Irish poet and balladeer whereas his British born mother, Amalie Elizabeth Ranke, was a member of a distinguished German family. The continual internal conflict between his practical and pragmatic German side and the lyrical and whimsical Irish side would be Graves’ explanation for the genesis of his creative work.

Robert Graves

2856 words

Citation: Quinn, Patrick. "Robert Graves". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 March 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5089, accessed 19 March 2024.]

5089 Robert Graves 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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