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H.H. (Hector Hugh) Munro (1870-1916), better known by his pen name '''Saki''', was a British writer of over 100 short stories, three novels (''The Unbearable Bassington'', ''When William Came'', and ''The Westminster Alice''), and three plays (''The Death-Trap |
'''H.H. (Hector Hugh) Munro''' (1870-1916), better known by his pen name '''Saki''', was a British writer of over 100 short stories, three novels (''[[The Unbearable Bassington]]'', ''[[When William Came]]'', and ''[[The Westminster Alice]]''), and three plays (''[[The Death-Trap]]'', ''[[Karl-Ludwig's Window]]'', and ''[[The Watched Pot]]''). Full of [[Deadpan Snarker|sarcasm]], wit, and [[Black Comedy]], the influence of [[Oscar Wilde]] shows through in his work—and he, in turn, is a major influence on writers like [[P. G. Wodehouse]] and [[Dorothy Parker]]. |
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His work has entered the public domain, so a little searching will make all his stories available. |
His work has entered the public domain, so a little searching will make all his stories available. |
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Not to be confused with [[w:Sake|Japanese rice wine]]. |
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=== This author's works include examples of: === |
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{{creatortropes}} |
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* [[Adults Are Useless]]: "The Lumber-Room", "The Storyteller". |
* [[Adults Are Useless]]: "The Lumber-Room", "The Storyteller". |
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* [[Alternate History]]: ''When William Came'' speculates on life in London after the Germans win World War I ("William" is Kaiser Wilhelm II). |
* [[Alternate History]]: ''When William Came'' speculates on life in London after the Germans win World War I ("William" is Kaiser Wilhelm II). |
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* [[Grande Dame]]: Plenty. |
* [[Grande Dame]]: Plenty. |
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* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: Subverted horribly in "The Easter-Egg". |
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: Subverted horribly in "The Easter-Egg". |
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* [[If It Tastes Bad It Must Be Good for You]]: "Filboid Studge, or the Mouse That Helped" |
* [[If It Tastes Bad, It Must Be Good for You]]: "Filboid Studge, or the Mouse That Helped" |
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* [[It Will Never Catch On]]: "Cousin Teresa". |
* [[It Will Never Catch On]]: "Cousin Teresa". |
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* [[Kids Are Cruel]]: Quite a few, most notably in "The Strategist" and "The Penance" (as [[Disproportionate Retribution]]). |
* [[Kids Are Cruel]]: Quite a few, most notably in "The Strategist" and "The Penance" (as [[Disproportionate Retribution]]). |
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* [[Kindhearted Cat Lover]]: Saki may well have been one in life, given the affectionate depictions of them in various stories. |
* [[Kindhearted Cat Lover]]: Saki may well have been one in life, given the affectionate depictions of them in various stories. |
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* [[Lost Him in |
* [[Lost Him in a Card Game]]: "The Stake". |
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* [[Mister Muffykins]]: The eponymous "Louis", with a twist. {{spoiler|Louis is ''dead'' and his owner uses her pretended affection for him and his alleged needs to get her way.}} |
* [[Mister Muffykins]]: The eponymous "Louis", with a twist. {{spoiler|Louis is ''dead'' and his owner uses her pretended affection for him and his alleged needs to get her way.}} |
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* [[My Beloved Smother]]: Several, though the most unpleasant example (in "Sredni Vashtar") is the protagonist's adult cousin and appointed guardian. |
* [[My Beloved Smother]]: Several, though the most unpleasant example (in "Sredni Vashtar") is the protagonist's adult cousin and appointed guardian. |
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* [[Uncatty Resemblance]]: Taken to an extreme in "The Remoulding of Groby Lington." |
* [[Uncatty Resemblance]]: Taken to an extreme in "The Remoulding of Groby Lington." |
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* [[Upper Class Wit]]: Oh my yes. |
* [[Upper Class Wit]]: Oh my yes. |
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** [[ |
** [[Upper Class Twit]]: Some of these too. |
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* [[World War I]]: The short story collection ''The Square Egg'' (published posthumously) were written during his service on the Western Front. Saki himself was killed in action in Beaumont-Hamel (probably during the Battle of the Somme). |
* [[World War I]]: The short story collection ''The Square Egg'' (published posthumously) were written during his service on the Western Front. Saki himself was killed in action in Beaumont-Hamel (probably during the Battle of the Somme). |
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* [[You Can Keep Her]]: "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh"-- to the point that the kidnappers demand ransom by ''threatening to return her.'' |
* [[You Can Keep Her]]: "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh"-- to the point that the kidnappers demand ransom by ''threatening to return her.'' |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Authors]] |
[[Category:Authors]] |
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[[Category:Creator]] |
Latest revision as of 06:39, 10 March 2021
H.H. (Hector Hugh) Munro (1870-1916), better known by his pen name Saki, was a British writer of over 100 short stories, three novels (The Unbearable Bassington, When William Came, and The Westminster Alice), and three plays (The Death-Trap, Karl-Ludwig's Window, and The Watched Pot). Full of sarcasm, wit, and Black Comedy, the influence of Oscar Wilde shows through in his work—and he, in turn, is a major influence on writers like P. G. Wodehouse and Dorothy Parker.
His work has entered the public domain, so a little searching will make all his stories available.
Not to be confused with Japanese rice wine.
Saki (author) provides examples of the following tropes:
- Adults Are Useless: "The Lumber-Room", "The Storyteller".
- Alternate History: When William Came speculates on life in London after the Germans win World War I ("William" is Kaiser Wilhelm II).
- Ambiguously Gay: Most of Saki's young male leads, particularly Clovis Sangrail and Reginald [last name never given].
- Baleful Polymorph: "Ministers of Grace." It has overtones of Grand Theft Me, as politician's minds are put in animal bodies and angels take their place.
- Blackmail: Several stories, including "Mrs. Packeltide's Tiger" and "The Treasure Ship".
- Cats Are Superior: "The Achievement of the Cat".
- Deadpan Snarker: In spades.
- Ear Worm (in-universe): "Cousin Theresa", "The Secret Sin of Septimus Brope"
- The Edwardian Era
- Fractured Fairy Tale: A nice one in "The Storyteller".
- Grande Dame: Plenty.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Subverted horribly in "The Easter-Egg".
- If It Tastes Bad, It Must Be Good for You: "Filboid Studge, or the Mouse That Helped"
- It Will Never Catch On: "Cousin Teresa".
- Kids Are Cruel: Quite a few, most notably in "The Strategist" and "The Penance" (as Disproportionate Retribution).
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: Saki may well have been one in life, given the affectionate depictions of them in various stories.
- Lost Him in a Card Game: "The Stake".
- Mister Muffykins: The eponymous "Louis", with a twist. Louis is dead and his owner uses her pretended affection for him and his alleged needs to get her way.
- My Beloved Smother: Several, though the most unpleasant example (in "Sredni Vashtar") is the protagonist's adult cousin and appointed guardian.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: "Gabriel-Ernest".
- Reincarnation: "Laura".
- Royal Brat: The eponymous "Hyacinth", and Victor in "Morlvera".
- Stylistic Suck: "Reginald's Rubiyat", "The Recessional".
- Take That: The Westminster Alice is an Alice in Wonderland parody that takes potshots at the prominent politicans of the time.
- Talking Animal: The eponymous housecat "Tobermory". Hilarity Ensues when it turns out Tobermory thinks Keeping Secrets Sucks and says so in no uncertain terms.
- Values Dissonance: Anti-Semitism is treated as a joke in stories like "The Unrest-Cure" and "A Touch of Realism", and several stories (in particular "Hermann the Irascible-- A Story of the Great Weep") play up the idea that women's suffrage was just too ridiculous a concept to be taken seriously.
- Uncatty Resemblance: Taken to an extreme in "The Remoulding of Groby Lington."
- Upper Class Wit: Oh my yes.
- Upper Class Twit: Some of these too.
- World War I: The short story collection The Square Egg (published posthumously) were written during his service on the Western Front. Saki himself was killed in action in Beaumont-Hamel (probably during the Battle of the Somme).
- You Can Keep Her: "The Disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh"-- to the point that the kidnappers demand ransom by threatening to return her.