By Barbara Miller Beem Reginald Jeeves is the ultimate gentleman’s gentleman. For 100 years (give or take a year) he has been a man of few, albeit carefully, chosen words. This product of P.G. Wodehouses’ fertile imagination debuted in his own book in 1919 titled My Man Jeeves, although he appeared briefly in a short story a few years prior to that. He is best known as the gentleman’s gentleman to Bertram Wilberforce Wooster. As to how the esteemed character came about, even Wodehouse was somewhat mystified. He reminisced in the introduction to the 1967 omnibus, The World of Jeeves, “Softly and undramatically, Jeeves first entered my little world. Characteristically, he did not thrust himself forward. On that occasion, he spoke just two lines. The first was: ’Mrs. Gregson to see you, sir.’ The second: ’Very good, sir, which suit will you wear?’” Those rather unremarkable utterings appeared in a short story (Extricating Young Gussie), first published in America in 1915 in The Saturday Evening Post, and then in the United Kingdom in the January 1916 issue of The Strand Magazine; it was later included in The Man with Two Left Feet, a 1917 collection of short stories. “I still blush to think of the off-hand way I treated him at our first encounter,” confessed the prolific 20th-century author, who was born Pelham Grenville Wodehouse in 1881. But it was not until the 1919 publication of My Man Jeeves that the indispensable manservant and Bertie were literarily linked. Dialogue in this initial collection went something like this: “’What ho!’ I [Bertie] said. ’What ho!’ said Motty. ’What ho! What ho!’ ’What ho! What ho! What ho!’ After that it seemed rather difficult to go on with the conversation.” Well, you get the idea: This either leaves a reader cold or in hysterics, hungering to read more. For the latter, those who willingly suspend reality and transport themselves back into the insular world of post-World War I England, they are well rewarded. Thanks to subsequent offerings (35 short stories and 11 novels in all), fans of Bertie and Jeeves are treated to ridiculously complicated plots, memorable recurring characters, and sublimely comical dialogue. In pairing two completely different characters, Wodehouse skillfully intertwines their parallel worlds. Whereas Bertie is susceptible to the latest dance hall song, or the flirtatious encouragement from yet another young woman on the hunt for a beau, Jeeves’ personal life is not so transparent. Clues to his past are sparse. Himself privately educated, Jeeves proves himself indispensable to Bertie, with his job description expanding by the day. He is certainly more than a butler (although no one answers a door and decides better which guests should be permitted entrance or not than he). Similarly, he is more than a valet (even when he initially ignores Jeeves’ counsel on attire, Bertie never fails to ultimately rescind). And Jeeves is definitely not Bertie’s personal chef (although he always knows what Bertie needs to eat and when). Although Bertie is something of a goof, he is considered by a string of young women to be marriageable; indeed, he often finds himself betrothed, sometimes to the same woman multiple times, and often with entanglements overlapping. Jeeves, on the other hand, is tightlipped about his own romantic interests. Using his experience in avoiding involvements, he expertly helps to ensure Bertie’s bachelorhood. After all, he fully understands that when a wife enters a household through the front door, the valet immediately exits out the back door. Jeeves’ adeptness in the ways of women is not restricted to young ladies, but rather, extends to the handling of aunts. Many subplots involve Bertie’s attempts to deal with the overbearing female siblings of his parents. Fortunately for Bertie, Jeeves has personal experience with his own aunties, one of whom, interestingly enough, has read every romance novel written by one of Bertie’s aunts. And then there is the matter of the Drones Club, notable for snoozing older gentlemen and outrageous behavior on the part of its younger members, including Bertie. Although Jeeves is not eligible to join, he is a member of the Junior Ganymede Club on Curzon Street, where membership is restricted to gentleman’s personal gentlemen (and a few footmen, chauffeurs, and butlers). Whereas food fights and other rowdy activities are an everyday occurrence at the Drones (where members’ challenge to snatch the cap of a bobby and get away with it is a badge of honor), Jeeves’ club is somewhat more serious; most significantly, members have access to a book that contains notes on prospective employers. Working for Bertie had its advantages, though, as serving the privileged young man afforded Jeeves the opportunity to enjoy travel to local country homes, as well as stays in America. Preparing for these trips, Jeeves never failed to make certain that Bertie’s wardrobe was properly packed and, even more importantly, impeccably pressed and ready for him to mingle with the upper crust society in which he circulated. And when it came to overindulging in alcoholic beverages, no one could equal Jeeves in his preparation of an antidote. Collecting Wodehouse Some people, it turns out, still read and collect books, and anything written by P.G. Wodehouse is quickly scooped up, according to Kevin Ransom. “Wodehouse is incredibly popular,” he asserted. “And bizarrely enough, he is popular with both men and women. Age is not a huge factor,” he continued, “anywhere from 40 on up.” The bookseller, based in Amherst, N.Y., explained that he deals in first editions. “Condition is critical,” he said. The presence of a dustjacket is considered to be a “plus,” but they are “especially hard to find.” Ransom noted that people have always sought out Wodehouse to read, not just place on a shelf, hence ensuing wear and tear issues. But for aficionados, the “holy grail” is a signed copy; “In 41 years, I’ve only seen a couple of those.” Additionally, Wodehouse fans avidly collect reading copies, he continued. These readers are “not fussy;” instead, they concentrate on seeking all of the titles. Not surprisingly, early titles are the most difficult to find, not only because of their age, but because, until an author becomes more familiar to the public, the volume of printed copies is not great. Ransom said that paperback editions of Wodehouse’s writings sell as well, which is not the case with most other authors. “If I go to a library sale, I don’t buy paperbacks by Hemingway and Fitzgerald, but I do Wodehouse.” Additionally, biographies of Wodehouse and criticisms of his works are also eagerly sought. Fans of Wodehouse want “everything by him and everything about him.” In the end, the bookseller concluded, the enigmatic Jeeves holds the honor as Wodehouse’s most well-known character. |