Written during the Second World War when Peake was in the Army (but given little to do),

Titus Groan

is the first of three books about the life of the eponymous hero, the following volumes being

Gormenghast

(1950) and

Titus Alone

(1959). An out-of-sequence novella, “Boy in Darkness”, was published in

Sometime, Never

(1953) alongside stories by John Wyndham and William Golding.

Although clearly set on Earth the sequence is situated in no identifiable time or place. Titus is the 77th Earl of Gormenghast, a castle community that ignores the existence of anything beyond its confines. The reader just has to take on faith the presence of fine wines and exotic food without agriculture or commerce, and of swords and clocks, even gunpowder, without workshops or craftsmen. Apart from observance

760 words

Citation: Winnington, G. Peter. "Titus Groan". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 May 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8371, accessed 29 March 2024.]

8371 Titus Groan 3 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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