Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit
Encyclopedia
"Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit" is a short story
by P. G. Wodehouse
. It was first published in the December 1927 edition of Strand Magazine
and in the 24 December 1927 edition of Liberty, and saw its first book publication in Very Good, Jeeves
in 1930.
receives an invitation to spend Christmas at Skeldings Hall, home of Bobbie Wickham
and Lady Wickham. He informs his valet
Jeeves
of these plans, which are different from Bertie's original plans to go to Monte Carlo
. Jeeves conceals his disappointment at the change in plans. Aunt Agatha
telephones Bertie to inform him that Sir Roderick Glossop
will also be at Skeldings, and she wishes Bertie to make a good impression on Sir Roderick. (Bertie had previously been engaged to Sir Roderick's daughter Honoria Glossop
.)
On 23 December, Bertie and Jeeves drive to Skeldings Hall, where he is greeted cordially by Bobbie Wickham, Lady Wickham, and Sir Roderick Glossop.
On the morning of 24 December, Bertie reveals to Jeeves the three reasons that induced him to come to Skeldings. First, Bertie notes that there is not much yule-tide spirit in Monte Carlo, to which Jeeves replies "Does one desire the yule-tide spirit?" Second, Bertie is intent on getting revenge on Tuppy Glossop
, who is also visiting Skeldings, for tricking Bertie into falling into the swimming-bath at the Drones Club
, an incident that is mentioned in several other Jeeves stories. Finally, Bertie reveals that he is in love with Bobbie Wickham. Jeeves gives his opinion that Bobbie is frivolous and lacking in seriousness, and has a vivid shade of red hair
, which he considers dangerous.
That evening, Bertie tells Jeeves that Bobbie Wickham has suggested an excellent way to revenge himself on Tuppy by sneaking into Tuppy's bedroom at night and puncturing Tuppy's hot-water bottle with a darning needle attached to a stick. Jeeves advises against this plan, but Bertie insists on Jeeves acquiring a stick with a darning needle attached. Jeeves informs Bertie that Tuppy is staying in the Moat Room.
At 2:30 in the morning, Bertie goes to the Moat Room with the stick and needle. In the darkened room, he successfully punctures the hot-water bottle. But, when the door slams and wakes the person sleeping there, Bertie realizes that it is Sir Roderick Glossop, not Tuppy Glossop. Bertie tries to escape from the room, but his dressing gown catches on the door, and Sir Roderick catches him. Bertie explains that he was looking for Tuppy, and Sir Roderick tells Bertie that he had told Jeeves that he had switched rooms with Tuppy. Bertie is outraged that Jeeves knew that Sir Roderick was in the Moat Room and let Bertie go there anyway. Sir Roderick discovers the punctured hot-water bottle and is furious with Bertie. He goes to Bertie's room to spend the rest of the night, leaving his room to Bertie. Bertie spends the night in an armchair.
On Christmas morning, Bertie is awakened by Jeeves. "Merry Christmas, sir," says Jeeves. Bertie is angry with Jeeves for not letting Bertie know that Tuppy and Sir Roderick changed rooms. Jeeves replies that he was trying to help Bertie. Aunt Agatha had been scheming to get Sir Roderick to think more favorably of Bertie, so that Sir Roderick would allow Bertie to marry Honoria. Bertie is aghast at the possibility, and thanks Jeeves for his help.
Then Bertie wonders if Sir Roderick might simply forgive him, since it is Christmas. Jeeves replies that it is unlikely, because while Sir Roderick was spending the night in Bertie's room, someone came in and punctured his hot-water bottle. Bertie is mystified about who could have done this, but Jeeves reports that Tuppy did it. Bertie is astonished that Tuppy had the same idea that Bobbie Wickham had. However, Jeeves explains that Bobbie Wickham suggested the same thing to Tuppy as she did to Bertie. Bertie shudders to think that he might have been in love with Bobbie. "Love is dead," he tells Jeeves.
To avoid unpleasantness, Jeeves advises Bertie to leave the house and travel to Monte Carlo. Bertie points out that Jeeves cancelled the reservations to Monte Carlo. Jeeves confesses that he never did cancel the reservations after all. The story ends with them planning to go to Monte Carlo as they originally intended.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
. It was first published in the December 1927 edition of Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
and in the 24 December 1927 edition of Liberty, and saw its first book publication in Very Good, Jeeves
Very Good, Jeeves
Very Good, Jeeves is a collection of eleven short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, all featuring Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. It was first published in the United States on 20 June 1930 by Doubleday, Doran, New York, and in the United Kingdom on 4 July 1930 by Herbert Jenkins, London...
in 1930.
Plot summary
On 16 December, Bertie WoosterBertie Wooster
Bertram Wilberforce "Bertie" Wooster is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves novels of British author P. G. Wodehouse. An English gentleman, one of the "idle rich" and a member of the Drones Club, he appears alongside his valet, Jeeves, whose genius manages to extricate Bertie or one of...
receives an invitation to spend Christmas at Skeldings Hall, home of Bobbie Wickham
Bobbie Wickham
Roberta "Bobbie" Wickham is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves and Mr Mulliner stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a troublesome redheaded girl, enamoured of practical jokes which often result in general pandemonium.-Overview:...
and Lady Wickham. He informs his valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
Jeeves
Jeeves
Reginald Jeeves is a fictional character in the short stories and novels of P. G. Wodehouse, being the valet of Bertie Wooster . Created in 1915, Jeeves would continue to appear in Wodehouse's works until his final, completed, novel Aunts Aren't Gentlemen in 1974, making him Wodehouse's most famous...
of these plans, which are different from Bertie's original plans to go to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
. Jeeves conceals his disappointment at the change in plans. Aunt Agatha
Aunt Agatha
Agatha Gregson, née Wooster, later Lady Worplesdon, is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being best known as Aunt Agatha, Bertie Wooster's least favourite aunt, and a counterpoint to her sister, Bertie's Aunt Dahlia...
telephones Bertie to inform him that Sir Roderick Glossop
Roderick Glossop
Sir Roderick Glossop is a recurring fictional character in the comic novels of P. G. Wodehouse.Sometimes referred to as "the noted nerve specialist" or "the loony doctor", he is the most famous practitioner of psychiatry in Wodehouse's works, appearing in several Wooster-Jeeves stories and one...
will also be at Skeldings, and she wishes Bertie to make a good impression on Sir Roderick. (Bertie had previously been engaged to Sir Roderick's daughter Honoria Glossop
Honoria Glossop
Honoria Glossop is a particularly formidable female from the Jeeves stories by P. G. Wodehouse. She is of a rather muscular, sporty temperament, and as such remains unattached...
.)
On 23 December, Bertie and Jeeves drive to Skeldings Hall, where he is greeted cordially by Bobbie Wickham, Lady Wickham, and Sir Roderick Glossop.
On the morning of 24 December, Bertie reveals to Jeeves the three reasons that induced him to come to Skeldings. First, Bertie notes that there is not much yule-tide spirit in Monte Carlo, to which Jeeves replies "Does one desire the yule-tide spirit?" Second, Bertie is intent on getting revenge on Tuppy Glossop
Tuppy Glossop
Hildebrand "Tuppy" Glossop is a fictional character appearing in some of P. G. Wodehouse Jeeves books. He is a member of the Drones Club and a good friend of Bertie Wooster. In Right Ho, Jeeves, we learn that Tuppy is of Scottish origin.-Relationships:...
, who is also visiting Skeldings, for tricking Bertie into falling into the swimming-bath at the Drones Club
Drones Club
The Drones Club is a recurring fictional location in the stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a gentlemen's club in London. Many of his Jeeves and Blandings Castle stories feature the club or its members....
, an incident that is mentioned in several other Jeeves stories. Finally, Bertie reveals that he is in love with Bobbie Wickham. Jeeves gives his opinion that Bobbie is frivolous and lacking in seriousness, and has a vivid shade of red hair
Red hair
Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations...
, which he considers dangerous.
That evening, Bertie tells Jeeves that Bobbie Wickham has suggested an excellent way to revenge himself on Tuppy by sneaking into Tuppy's bedroom at night and puncturing Tuppy's hot-water bottle with a darning needle attached to a stick. Jeeves advises against this plan, but Bertie insists on Jeeves acquiring a stick with a darning needle attached. Jeeves informs Bertie that Tuppy is staying in the Moat Room.
At 2:30 in the morning, Bertie goes to the Moat Room with the stick and needle. In the darkened room, he successfully punctures the hot-water bottle. But, when the door slams and wakes the person sleeping there, Bertie realizes that it is Sir Roderick Glossop, not Tuppy Glossop. Bertie tries to escape from the room, but his dressing gown catches on the door, and Sir Roderick catches him. Bertie explains that he was looking for Tuppy, and Sir Roderick tells Bertie that he had told Jeeves that he had switched rooms with Tuppy. Bertie is outraged that Jeeves knew that Sir Roderick was in the Moat Room and let Bertie go there anyway. Sir Roderick discovers the punctured hot-water bottle and is furious with Bertie. He goes to Bertie's room to spend the rest of the night, leaving his room to Bertie. Bertie spends the night in an armchair.
On Christmas morning, Bertie is awakened by Jeeves. "Merry Christmas, sir," says Jeeves. Bertie is angry with Jeeves for not letting Bertie know that Tuppy and Sir Roderick changed rooms. Jeeves replies that he was trying to help Bertie. Aunt Agatha had been scheming to get Sir Roderick to think more favorably of Bertie, so that Sir Roderick would allow Bertie to marry Honoria. Bertie is aghast at the possibility, and thanks Jeeves for his help.
Then Bertie wonders if Sir Roderick might simply forgive him, since it is Christmas. Jeeves replies that it is unlikely, because while Sir Roderick was spending the night in Bertie's room, someone came in and punctured his hot-water bottle. Bertie is mystified about who could have done this, but Jeeves reports that Tuppy did it. Bertie is astonished that Tuppy had the same idea that Bobbie Wickham had. However, Jeeves explains that Bobbie Wickham suggested the same thing to Tuppy as she did to Bertie. Bertie shudders to think that he might have been in love with Bobbie. "Love is dead," he tells Jeeves.
To avoid unpleasantness, Jeeves advises Bertie to leave the house and travel to Monte Carlo. Bertie points out that Jeeves cancelled the reservations to Monte Carlo. Jeeves confesses that he never did cancel the reservations after all. The story ends with them planning to go to Monte Carlo as they originally intended.
Literary and Biblical Allusions
Wodehouse invariably has Bertie Wooster using – or misusing – many literary and Biblical allusions. In this short story, Bertie makes these references:- ‘‘“As Shakespeare says, if you’re going to do a thing you might just as well pop right at it and get it over”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly”’’ in MacbethMacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, Act I, scene vii, by William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
.
- ‘‘“Makes him realize that life is stern and life is earnest”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“Life is real! Life is earnest!”’’ in A Psalm of LifeA psalm of life"A Psalm of Life" is a poem written by American writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.-Composition and publication history:Longfellow wrote the poem shortly after completing lectures on German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and was heavily inspired by him...
, by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
.
- ‘‘“Honoria … had a laugh like waves breaking on a stern and rock-bound coast”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“The breaking waves dashed high On a stern and rock-bound coast”’’ in The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningElizabeth Barrett BrowningElizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
.
- ‘‘“It seemed to me that even at Christmas-time, with all the peace on earth and goodwill towards men that there is knocking about at that season, a reunion with this bloke was likely to be tough going”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”’’ in LukeGospel of LukeThe Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
2:14.
- ‘‘“my view was that it practically amounted to the lion lying down with the lamb”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them”’’ in IsaiahIsaiahIsaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
11:6.
- ‘‘“And now that there has been a change of programme the iron has entered into your soul”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“The iron entered into his soul”’’ in PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
105:18 in the PsalterPsalterA psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
.
- ‘‘“a fellow with light hair and a Cheshire-cat grin”‘‘: refers to the fictional cat in Alice's Adventures in WonderlandAlice's Adventures in WonderlandAlice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
by Lewis CarrollLewis CarrollCharles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
.
- ‘‘“I have it in for that man of wrath”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“A man of wrath stirs up strife, and a man given to anger causes much transgression”’’ in ProverbsBook of ProverbsThe Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
29:22.
- ‘‘“And then I found that this fiend in human shape had looped it back against the rail”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“Oh! that fiend in human shape, next to her, knew human--female--nature well”’’ in The Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
by Baroness Emmuska Orczy.
- ‘‘“bringing myself out wreathed in blushes”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“Dimly gleaming Dian's horn Sinketh westward faintly fair, Soon will haste the opal morn Wreathed in blushes debonair”’’ in Serenades by Samuel Minturn Peck.
- ‘‘“she was suggesting the ripest, fruitiest, brainiest scheme for bringing young Tuppy’s grey hairs in sorrow to the grave”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave”’’ in Genesis 42:38.
- ‘‘“one would occasionally heave a jug of water over another bloke during the night-watches”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches”’’ in PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
63:6.
- ‘‘“I shook off the mists of sleep”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“A glorious voice sounds through the night, And chides the darkness into light: The mists of sleep are driv'n afar, And Christ shines forth the Morning Star”’’ in the traditional hymn A Glorious Voice Sounds Through The Night.
- ‘‘“It was only by summoning up all the old bull-dog courage of the Woosters”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“Now, England, now thy bull-dog courage show”’’ in The Battle of Fontenoy: a historical poem, by W. J. Corbet
- ‘‘“the last Trump”‘‘: refers to ‘‘“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”’’ in First Corinthians 15:52.
- ‘‘“had let me rush upon my doom”‘‘: perhaps refers to ‘‘“O then like those, who clench their nerves to rush Upon their dissolution”’’ in Love And DutyLove and DutyLove and Duty is a 1931 silent film from China directed by Bu Wancang and starring Ruan Lingyu and Jin Yan.-Production history:Based on a novel by a Polish expatriate, S...
by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
External links
- Characters in Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit
- Overview of Very Good, Jeeves and the stories it includes
- Encyclopedia Jeevesiana