Exploring the legacy and experiences of P. G. Wodehouse, half a century following his passing away
P.G. Wodehouse: A Prolific Wordsmith and Master of Humour
Born in Guildford, Surrey in 1881, P.G. Wodehouse was a literary giant whose influence on the English language is still felt today. However, his parents resided in Hong Kong at the time, where his father worked, and Wodehouse was born early while his mother was visiting. After a brief spell in Hong Kong, he was returned to England at the age of two, and hardly saw his parents until he was 15.
Wodehouse's career spanned various genres, but he is best known for his comedic novels featuring characters like Jeeves and Wooster, and Lord Emsworth. However, it is not widely known that he often resorted to adapting or buying other's plots for his works outside of these series. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) cites Wodehouse multiple times as the inventor or first recorded user of a phrase or for particular use of a word, such as the figurative use of "raspberry" meaning a polite dismissal or teasing sound.
Wodehouse's writing style was unique. He wrote to a friend, "There are two ways of writing novels. One is mine, making the thing a sort of musical comedy without music, and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going right deep down into life and not caring a damn. In writing a novel, I always imagine I am writing for a cast of actors." This approach resulted in a series of well-loved and humorous works.
Despite his success, Wodehouse faced adversity. During World War II, when France was captured by the Germans, he was sent to an internment camp. While there, he gave well-received talks to his fellow internees. After his release from the internment camp, Wodehouse's works were banned by libraries and the BBC due to a vituperative, dishonest campaign against him.
Wodehouse's career was not without its accolades. Bernard Levin referred to him as "one of the finest and purest writers of English prose". In 1975, he was given a knighthood in the New Year's Honours.
Rudyard Kipling considered Lord Emsworth and the Girl Friend "one of the most perfect short stories". Evelyn Waugh said "one has to regard a man as a Master who can produce on average three uniquely brilliant and entirely original similes to every page".
Tragically, Wodehouse died on Valentine's Day 50 years ago, aged 93. The Wodehouses lived in America and England, and faced double taxation on all their earnings. Despite these challenges, Wodehouse's influence on literature and language continues to be felt today.
[1] Oxford English Dictionary, Online, Oxford University Press, 2021. https://www.oed.com/
During his prolific career, P.G. Wodehouse penned numerous comedic works, often resorting to buying or adapting plots for his novels outside of popular series like those featuring Jeeves and Wooster, and Lord Emsworth. His writings were a source of entertainment, making them akin to a "sort of musical comedy without music" as he once described them.
The inventor or first recorded user of many phrases, Wodehouse's impact on the English language remains substantial even today, as evidenced by the Oxford English Dictionary's citations of hisUsage.
