Christopher Brennan was born in Sydney in 1870, the son of Irish migrants, and seemed to be bound for the priesthood until he abandoned his vocation and entered the University of Sydney. At University Brennan read deeply in the classics and philosophy, graduating with first-class honours in 1891. He travelled to Berlin to study in 1892-94, where he had a love affair with his landlady's daughter, Anna Elisabeth Werth. They were married in Sydney in 1897, but the marriage was strained by 1907 after the birth of four children and the arrival of Brennan's mother-in-law. Brennan turned to the cafe society of Sydney where he became a formidable presence with his incomparable intellect and wit. Brennan also became one of Australia's best-known poets. Brennan was offered an academic appointment at the University of Sydney in 1909 and was appointed associate professor in German and comparative literature in 1920. In 1925, Brennan's divorce led to his dismissal by the University Senate. His health declined and he died in 1932.