Summary of Bohumil Hrabal’s I Served the King of England: A Full Interpretation (Unabridged‪)‬

This is a summary of Bohumil Hrabal’s I Served the King of England: A Full Interpretation

I Served the King of England is one of the greatest works of the Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal. The book takes us on a journey following the life of Ditie, a waiter who waits tables in different hotel restaurants. It takes us through seven different hotels where Ditie has worked, and at the same time tells the story of the Czech Republic.


This interpretation is divided into two parts. The first part is the family history of Ditie, our main character. It tells the story of a waiter who ignorantly wanders through the gaps in human relationships and obtains money, women, and status. The second part is about the impact of history, and how insignificant individual human lives really are.