by Robert Graves (1895-1985)
Published in 1934, 468 pages.
Ranked at #14 on Modern Library’s 100 Best English Language Novels of the 20th Century (1998).
Selected by TIME magazine as of the 100 best English language novels from 1923-present (2005).
Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction.
Synopsis
I, Claudius is the fictionalized autobiography of Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus born in 10 BC who ruled ancient Rome from 41-54 AD. Believed to be only a stuttering fool by his imperial family, Claudius is not deemed intelligent enough to participate in the running of the empire and is allowed to pursue his own interests at his leisure. Because he is believed to be such a dolt, Claudius is not recognized as a threat to his extremely ambitious and cutthroat family as they engage in various nefarious and murderous deeds in attempts to gain power, prestige and wealth. Claudius hides behind his idiot image and survives to record the political maneuverings of his family, specifically the crimes and misdeeds of his grandmother, Livia. Upon Caligula’s assassination in 41 AD, Claudius (very reluctantly) is proclaimed the new emperor by the military. At his very core, Claudius fervently believes in the ideals of the Roman Republic and struggles with his new role as monarch.
Appeal Factors
Frame/Setting -
Author Robert Graves, as an antiquities scholar and translator, provides a very rich description of ancient Rome which gives the reader a very real sense of place. The novel abounds with historical facts while seamlessly weaving these details into an engaging plot.
Story Line -
The novel follows the life of this character and his family over time. I, Claudius describes historical events beginning with the reign of Augustus Caesar and ending with Claudius’s ascension to the throne. In this way, I, Claudius can also be characterized as a family saga as it is also the story of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The story of Claudius’s actual reign as emperor is continued in a second novel, Claudius the God and his Wife Messalina, published in 1935.
Pacing -
As with most historical fiction novels, I, Claudius adopts a slower and more leisurely pace than other genres. The amount of historical detail found in this 468 page novel results in a more densely written story.
Classical Historical Fiction as recommended by NoveList
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
Shogun by James Clavell
Read-A-Likes:
Historical Fiction set in Ancient Rome as recommended by Goodreads
Emperor series by Conn Iggulden
Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran
Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough
Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
Non-Fiction:
Caesars’ Wives: Sex, Power, and Politics in the Roman Empire by Annelise Freisenbruch
Livia, Empress of Rome: A Biography by Matthew Dennison
A Scandalous History of the Roman Emperors by Anthony Blond
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