The Voice of Beauty Drowned
The Voice of Beauty Drowned is a novel by Robert Graves, first published in 1929. It tells the story of a young woman, Mary, who is born into a family of wealth and privilege in England. She is a beautiful and talented singer, but her family is too preoccupied with their own lives to appreciate her. When Mary falls in love with a young man from a lower class, her family disapproves and she is forced to make a difficult decision. The novel follows Mary as she struggles to find her own voice and make her own choices in a world that is determined to keep her silent. The novel is a powerful exploration of class, gender, and the power of love.
By Robert Graves · First published 1920 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Historical Fiction · 256 words
First lines
Cry from the thicket my heart's bird!
The other birds woke all around,
Rising with toot and howl they stirred Their plumage, broke the trembling sound, They craned their necks, they fluttered wings, "While we are silent no one sings, And while we sing you hush your throat, Or tune your melody to our note."
Cry from the thicket my heart's bird! The screams and hootings rose again: They gaped with raucous beaks, they whirred Their noisy plumage; small but plain The lonely hidden singer made A well of grief within the glade. "Whist, silly fool, be off," they shout, "Or we'll come pluck your feathers out."
What this Textopian page supports
The Voice of Beauty Drowned is listed on Textopian as a poem 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: Poem
- Author: Robert Graves
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama, Mystery
- Length: 256 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Voice of Beauty Drowned by Robert Graves
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Poetry — The title of the book suggests that it is a collection of poems written by Robert Graves.
- Romance — The title of the book implies that the book is about love and relationships.
- Historical Fiction — The book may be set in a historical context, as suggested by the title.
- Drama — The title implies that the book may contain dramatic elements.
Tags
beauty · drowning · poetry · existentialism · nature · love · loss · identity · mythology · art · emotion · transcendence