Extricating Young Gussie
Encyclopedia
"Extricating Young Gussie" is a short story
by British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
, being the first appearance of two of his most popular characters, the ingenious valet Jeeves
and his master Bertie Wooster
. It was first published in the U.S.
in the 15 September 1915 issue of The Saturday Evening Post
, and in the UK
in the January 1916 edition of the Strand Magazine
. It was included in the collection The Man with Two Left Feet
(1917).
extraordinaire Jeeves
(whose role in this debut story is very small) and his master Bertie Wooster
(whose surname is not actually mentioned). Bertie's imperious Aunt Agatha
also appears.
The first meeting of Jeeves and Bertie would be chronicled one year later, in the November 1916 short story "Jeeves Takes Charge
".
drags Bertie out of bed "in the small hours [around] half past eleven". She is most distressed that her nephew, and Bertie's cousin Gussie Mannering-Phipps "has lost his head over a creature", a chorus-girl in New York
that he may marry, so she demands that Bertie head over there and stop him.
Arriving at Gussie's New York hotel, Bertie is surprised to find no sign of his cousin. Out in the bustling street he runs into Gussie, now going by the name of "George Wilson", who is about to appear on the music-hall stage in order to please his girl's ex-pro father. Bertie, worried by this, telegraphs his Aunt Julia for help.
After some rehearsals, Gussie's first show rolls round, and Bertie finds himself sat next to a very pretty girl. Gussie has stage-fright and starts badly, but halfway through his second song the girl beside Bertie joins in, bucking Gussie up and getting a big round from the audience. It turns out she is the girl Gussie loves.
Aunt Julia arrives, and Bertie takes her to see Gussie and his girl in their respective shows. They then pay a call on the girl's father, Mr Joe Danby, who turns out to have known and loved Julia in her music-hall days. Julia tells him her son has inherited her talent; he demands she stay with him where she belongs.
Meeting Gussie soon after, Bertie hears Julia and Danby are to be married, as are Gussie and Danby's daughter. Receiving a telegram from Aunt Agatha asking if she should come and help, Bertie puts her off, and resolves to avoid England for some time, "about ten years."
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 British comic writer 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...
, being the first appearance of two of his most popular characters, the ingenious valet 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...
and his master Bertie Wooster
Bertie 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...
. It was first published in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 15 September 1915 issue of The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, and in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the January 1916 edition of the 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...
. It was included in the collection The Man with Two Left Feet
The Man With Two Left Feet
The Man With Two Left Feet, and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on March 8, 1917 by Methuen & Co., London, and in the United States in 1933 by A.L. Burt and Co., New York...
(1917).
Overview
"Extricating Young Gussie" features the first appearance of some of Wodehouse's most popular and enduring characters - valetValet
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...
extraordinaire 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...
(whose role in this debut story is very small) and his master Bertie Wooster
Bertie 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...
(whose surname is not actually mentioned). Bertie's imperious 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...
also appears.
The first meeting of Jeeves and Bertie would be chronicled one year later, in the November 1916 short story "Jeeves Takes Charge
Jeeves Takes Charge
"Jeeves Takes Charge" is a short story written by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United States in The Saturday Evening Post on November 18, 1916, and in the United Kingdom in the April 1923 edition of Strand Magazine. Its first book publication was in Carry on, Jeeves in 1925...
".
Plot summary
Aunt AgathaAunt 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...
drags Bertie out of bed "in the small hours [around] half past eleven". She is most distressed that her nephew, and Bertie's cousin Gussie Mannering-Phipps "has lost his head over a creature", a chorus-girl in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
that he may marry, so she demands that Bertie head over there and stop him.
Arriving at Gussie's New York hotel, Bertie is surprised to find no sign of his cousin. Out in the bustling street he runs into Gussie, now going by the name of "George Wilson", who is about to appear on the music-hall stage in order to please his girl's ex-pro father. Bertie, worried by this, telegraphs his Aunt Julia for help.
After some rehearsals, Gussie's first show rolls round, and Bertie finds himself sat next to a very pretty girl. Gussie has stage-fright and starts badly, but halfway through his second song the girl beside Bertie joins in, bucking Gussie up and getting a big round from the audience. It turns out she is the girl Gussie loves.
Aunt Julia arrives, and Bertie takes her to see Gussie and his girl in their respective shows. They then pay a call on the girl's father, Mr Joe Danby, who turns out to have known and loved Julia in her music-hall days. Julia tells him her son has inherited her talent; he demands she stay with him where she belongs.
Meeting Gussie soon after, Bertie hears Julia and Danby are to be married, as are Gussie and Danby's daughter. Receiving a telegram from Aunt Agatha asking if she should come and help, Bertie puts her off, and resolves to avoid England for some time, "about ten years."
See also
- List of short stories featuring Jeeves, by publication date
- List of short stories and novels featuring Jeeves, by collected edition