What Ho Jeeves!

Are you a P.G Wodehouse fan? I adore the quintessential English language, it tickles me immensely, how words were formed, their roots and original meanings, how language develops over the years and comes in waves of fashionable slang.

P.G Wodehouse.

Reading one of P.G Wodehouse's classic novels about gentleman Bertie Wooster and his gentleman's gentleman valet, the reliable Jeeves, makes me howl with laughter at a life past that I feel sure I once inhabited. The way that Wodehouse weaves the English language is too delightful to just read, one really needs to watch Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie take a stab at the characters as well. They're a positive wheeze!
Wodehouse, known as Plum by his close family and friends, but born as Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, was born in Guildford, England in 1881. A chap from a bygone era who was a master at prose and the English language. A lot of his early life is reflected in the tales of Jeeves and Wooster, and I'll leave it to you to ponder whether it's a lot more of the Wooster than Jeeves or visa versa.

His characters names and settings are familiar areas around where we live, such as Lord Emsworth who has a penchant for pigs. In fact when I come to think of it most of his character's have a peculiar attachment to 'things' of varying kinds - Gussie Fink-Nottle has his newts, Bertie's uncle and his antique silver and there's something warming in his eccentric characters names with the likes of  Tuppy Glossop, Pongo Twistleton, Offy Prosser, Bingo Little, Watkyn Bassett and Galahad Threepwood dancing about the pages one can't help but smile whilst reading them.
I love the turn of phrase and precise language Jeeves uses when he quotes such utterings as, "Precisely so Sir, but Mrs Snap refuses to consider such a venture while Sir Roderick's daughter remains unmarried. In a colourful turn of phrase she stated that specific and scarcely to be anticipated  meteorological conditions would have to take place in the infernal region before she would share a home with Miss Honoria"...... Priceless!

The draw of his good natured characters is their mental silliness and willingness to get themselves into sticky situations, none more so than the lovable Bertie Wooster, who is always rescued by his loyal man Jeeves. Wodehouse created Jeeves as a character in 1915 and he has become the stereotypical  English valet or Butler type, even spawning an 'Ask Jeeves' Internet search engine.

The Infallible Jeeves.

Most of the plots are instigated by interfering female characters who seem to want to mould Wooster in some Mothering way, be they young and pretty, chap's sisters or his whole gaggle of aged aunts - Wooster is plagued by the women in his life whilst remaining determinedly single.

The loveable Bertie Wooster. 

I read the books because I love the era and feel surprisingly at home inside Wodehouse's pages. They're comforting as if I've missed the people and the bustle of a life gone by. One of the best things about Jeeves and Wooster though is watching the famous Fry and Laurie adaptations. The dry humour, the cars, the decor , the homes and furnishings and oh my the clothes, hats and shoes. It is delicious period eye candy to feast upon.

Lady Glossop.

    I wish I could step through the screen and land amongst them in a period frou frou of chiffon and lace.  Where hats were worn to match gloves and outfits were solely designed for afternoon tea and Tiffins.