The Leveller by Robert Graves (1920)
The Leveller is a novel by Robert Graves, first published in 1929. It tells the story of a young man, John Leveller, who is sent to a remote village in the English countryside to work as a farmhand. He quickly finds himself in the middle of a feud between two local families, the wealthy and powerful Davenports and the impoverished and downtrodden Levellers. As the feud escalates, John finds himself caught in the middle, and must choose between loyalty to his family and loyalty to his employer. The novel is a powerful exploration of class and power dynamics in rural England, and the consequences of loyalty and betrayal.
By Robert Graves · First published 1920 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Political Fiction, Romance · 154 words
First lines
Near Martinpuisch that night of hell
Two men were struck by the same shell,
Together tumbling in one heap Senseless and limp like slaughtered sheep.
One was a pale eighteen-year-old, Girlish and thin and not too bold, Pressed for the war ten years too soon, The shame and pity of his platoon.
What this Textopian page supports
The Leveller is listed on Textopian as a short story by Robert Graves, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Robert Graves
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Political Fiction, Romance, Adventure
- Length: 154 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Leveller by Robert Graves
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Leveller?
- How does this short story by Robert Graves fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the 17th century and follows the story of a Leveller, a member of a political movement in England during the English Civil War, making it a historical fiction novel.
- Political Fiction — The book follows the story of a Leveller, a member of a political movement in England during the English Civil War, making it a political fiction novel.
- Romance — The book follows the story of a romance between the protagonist and a woman he meets during his journey, making it a romance novel.
- Adventure — The book follows the protagonist's journey across England, making it an adventure novel.
Tags
historical fiction · English Civil War · political themes · social justice · rebellion · class struggle · Puritanism · Levellers · 17th century · revolution · idealism · freedom