by P.G. Wodehouse

Overview

Published in 1934, “Right Ho, Jeeves” is considered one of P.G. Wodehouse’s finest novels and a masterpiece of comic fiction. It’s the second full-length novel featuring Bertie Wooster and his supremely capable valet Jeeves, following their adventures as they navigate the romantic entanglements and social complications of the English upper class in the 1930s.

Main Characters

Bertie Wooster - The well-meaning but dim-witted narrator, a wealthy young bachelor who invariably makes situations worse despite his good intentions.

Jeeves - Bertie’s brilliant valet, whose intelligence, discretion, and problem-solving abilities are legendary. He speaks in formal, measured tones and seems to anticipate every crisis.

Gussie Fink-Nottle - Bertie’s old school friend, a shy, newt-obsessed naturalist who is hopelessly in love with Madeline Bassett.

Madeline Bassett - A romantic, dreamy young woman who believes “the stars are God’s daisy chain” and other sentimental notions. She’s convinced Bertie is in love with her.

Angela Travers - Bertie’s cousin, engaged to Tuppy Glossop but currently feuding with him over a trivial matter.

Tuppy Glossop - Bertie’s friend, engaged to Angela but too proud to apologize for their quarrel.

Aunt Dahlia - Bertie’s favorite aunt, who owns a country house called Brinkley Court and publishes a women’s magazine called “Milady’s Boudoir.”

Anatole - Aunt Dahlia’s temperamental French chef, whose cooking is so extraordinary that people will endure almost anything to dine at Brinkley Court.

Plot Summary

The Setup

The story begins when Bertie returns from Cannes to find that Jeeves has been lending his services to Gussie Fink-Nottle in Bertie’s absence. Gussie is desperately in love with Madeline Bassett but is too nervous to propose. Jeeves has been coaching him, but Bertie, feeling his authority undermined, decides to handle the situation himself and dismisses Jeeves from the case.

Bertie’s plan is characteristically simple: he’ll go to Brinkley Court, where both Gussie and Madeline are staying, and give Gussie a boost of confidence. Meanwhile, he also intends to reconcile his cousin Angela with Tuppy Glossop, who are engaged but currently not speaking due to a silly argument.

The Complications Multiply

Bertie’s intervention immediately makes everything worse. His attempt to boost Gussie’s confidence by spiking his orange juice with alcohol before a prize-giving ceremony where Gussie must give a speech backfires spectacularly. Instead of making Gussie confident enough to propose to Madeline, it makes him drunk and belligerent.

The prize-giving ceremony becomes a disaster when the intoxicated Gussie delivers an insulting speech to the local schoolchildren and their parents, offending everyone present. Rather than winning Madeline’s heart, this catastrophe makes her realize she doesn’t love Gussie after all.

In the chaos that follows, Madeline decides she’s actually in love with Bertie, much to his horror. Bertie finds himself unofficially engaged to a woman he considers one of the silliest people alive, while Gussie blames him for ruining his chances with her.

Further Disasters

Bertie’s attempts to fix the Angela-Tuppy situation also go awry. His plan involves making Tuppy jealous by having Angela pretend to be interested in Gussie, but this only creates more confusion and hurt feelings. Angela and Tuppy’s engagement appears to be permanently broken, and both blame Bertie for interfering.

Meanwhile, Aunt Dahlia faces her own crisis. Her magazine is in financial trouble, and she needs money from her husband. She’s been trying to butter him up by ensuring he enjoys Anatole’s magnificent cooking, but the various romantic disasters threaten to disrupt the household and potentially drive the temperamental chef away.

The situation reaches its nadir when Gussie, in despair over losing Madeline, threatens to leave Brinkley Court. This would upset the delicate social balance Aunt Dahlia has been trying to maintain for her business purposes.

Jeeves to the Rescue

As disaster piles upon disaster, Bertie finally swallows his pride and asks Jeeves for help. Jeeves, who has been quietly observing the chaos, steps in with his usual efficiency and brilliance.

Through a series of subtle manipulations and perfectly timed interventions, Jeeves orchestrates a complete reversal of fortunes. He arranges for Gussie to perform a heroic rescue (saving Tuppy from a fire that may or may not have been entirely accidental), which restores both his confidence and Madeline’s admiration for him.

Jeeves also manages to reconcile Angela and Tuppy by creating a situation where Tuppy can play the hero and Angela can realize how much she cares for him. The engagement is restored, and both parties are happier than before.

Most importantly for Bertie, Jeeves finds a way to extricate him from his unwanted engagement to Madeline without offending her or making Bertie appear ungentlemanly.

Themes and Style

Class and Social Comedy - Wodehouse gently satirizes the English upper class, portraying them as fundamentally decent but often absurdly preoccupied with trivial matters. The characters’ problems are exclusively romantic and social, never economic or truly serious.

The Master-Servant Relationship - The dynamic between Bertie and Jeeves inverts traditional class relationships. While Bertie has the social position and wealth, Jeeves has all the real power through his intelligence and competence. Yet their relationship is built on mutual respect and genuine affection.

The Folly of Pride - Many of the complications arise from characters being too proud to admit their mistakes or ask for help. Bertie’s refusal to let Jeeves handle the situation from the beginning creates most of the novel’s chaos.

Precision of Language - Wodehouse’s prose is renowned for its precision and musicality. Every sentence is crafted for maximum comic effect, with perfectly chosen words and impeccable timing.

Literary Achievement

“Right Ho, Jeeves” represents Wodehouse at his peak, demonstrating his mastery of farce construction. The plot is as precisely engineered as a Swiss watch, with every element contributing to both the comedy and the resolution. The novel showcases Wodehouse’s ability to create sustained comic chaos while maintaining strict logical consistency within his fictional world.

The book also perfects the Bertie-Jeeves dynamic that would define their relationship throughout the series. Bertie’s first-person narration allows readers to experience his confusion and panic directly, while Jeeves remains an enigmatic figure whose methods are often mysterious until the final revelation.

Conclusion

The novel ends with all romantic entanglements properly sorted, social harmony restored at Brinkley Court, and Bertie’s faith in Jeeves completely renewed. Bertie acknowledges that he should never have doubted his valet’s superior judgment, and Jeeves modestly accepts the praise while already, no doubt, anticipating the next crisis that will require his intervention.

“Right Ho, Jeeves” stands as a perfect example of Wodehouse’s genius for transforming the mundane social difficulties of the privileged classes into elaborate comic masterpieces that reveal both the absurdity and the essential humanity of his characters.

Buy this book
Buy this book on Amazon.