Robert W. Service

Robert W. Service

About Robert W. Service

Robert William Service was born on January 16, 1874 in Lancashire, England. At the age of five he went to live with his grandfather and aunts in Scotland until he was nine. His growing family was reunited at this time.

Robert William Service studied English Language and Literature at the University of Glasgow. Even though he was 4th out of a class of 200 students, he did not complete his degree because he had a strong disagreement with one of his professors that led to him leaving the university.

Service followed in his father's footsteps and spent time as a banker before deciding to leave for Canada in 1894 to become a cowboy. While in Canada, he spent time working as a farm hand for various people. He also worked in British Columbia's banks, where he eventually found a position where they paid for his food and lodging.

With the tales Service heard from the people of the Yukon, he was inspired to write "The Cremation of Sam McGee". He sent it to his father and asked him to get in touch with a publisher so he could give it to family and friends as a gift. To his surprise, the publisher offered him a check and publishing rights. "The Cremation of Sam McGee" is one of Service's most famous poems.

The Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 inspired Service to write a novel about it, which he titled The Trail of Ninety-Eight. He traveled along the Klondike River to visit all the towns where people were frantically searching for gold.

In 1913 Robert William Service married Germaine Bourgoin. The couple spent most of their life together in France, but they also took up residence in Hollywood, California. Germaine did not know her husband was rich until a year into their marriage. Even though he had a lot of money, Service dressed down on many occasions to spend time in lowly places. Those places and people gave him inspiration for his writing.

Robert William Service continued writing until his death. He passed away on September 11, 1958 from a heart attack.

Interesting Facts about Robert William Service

  1. He was the first of 10 children, seven boys and three girls.
  2. He did not like authority as a child.
  3. Service played on his school's rugby team.
  4. He challenged a college professor to a fight after a disagreement about a paper he wrote, but the challenge was declined. Service ended up leaving the college.
  5. When he decided to return to college, he failed his entrance exams in French and Algebra.
  6. Service was unable to serve during World War I because of a varicose vein.
  7. He volunteered for the Red Cross, but his motive was to experience the front line of war so he could write about it.
  8. Service's novel, The Trail of Ninety-Eight, was turned into a movie in 1928.
  9. He appeared in the movie The Spoilers in 1942.
  10. The cabin Robert William Service lived in from November 1909-June 1912 in the Yukon is a historical site that can be visited.
  11. Service wrote six novels, two memoirs, and 1,000 poems.

References

    Poems by Robert W. Service

  • The Spell Of The Yukon

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Narrative Poems

    I wanted the gold, and I sought it;
    I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
    Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
    I hurled my youth into a grave.

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 1
    • Shares 1561
    • Favorited 11
    • Votes 165
    • Rating 4.21
    • Poem of the Day
    Featured Shared Story

    I am officially in love with this poet. He can tell a great story but still make it a rhyming poem with perfect rhyme. I am hooked!!

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (1)

  • The Cremation Of Sam McGee

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Narrative Poems

    There are strange things done in the midnight sun
    By the men who moil for gold;
    The Arctic trails have their secret tales
    That would make your blood run cold;

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 4
    • Shares 1195
    • Favorited 12
    • Votes 216
    • Rating 4.26
    • Poem of the Day
    Featured Shared Story

    I love this poem! I have been looking for something for my project, and this poem just spoke to me. It has plenty of events, emotions and feeling for me to be able to fashion a short story...

    Read complete story

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (4)

  • A Hero

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Sad Poems

    Three times I had the lust to kill,
    To clutch a throat so young and fair,
    And squeeze with all my might until
    No breath of being lingered there.

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 4
    • Shares 2193
    • Favorited 38
    • Votes 713
    • Rating 4.34
    Featured Shared Story

    Very well written but a very disturbing situation. Powerful and powerfully sad.

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (4)



Back to Top