Tuesday, 19 October 2010

The Swoop. By P.G. Wodehouse

The Swoop! or How Clarence saved England.

P.G. Wodehouse

First published 1909

Project Gutenberg Ebook #7050

    Another early Wodehouse. Another farcical tale of how England was invaded by 9 foreign nations simultaneously (including Germans, Russians, Chinese, Arabs, Moors....). Comical, but severely reinforcing sterotypes, i.e. stereotypes of the early 1900s, presumably. Clarence is a Boy Scout who saves England by inducing a jealous quarrel between the Russian leader and the German leader, both of whom become performers on the music hall stage after completing  the conquest, and together driving off the other invaders. It seems PGW was also taking a swipe at the entertainment industry of that time.   


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