ashokbhatia

Some Transferred Epithets from P G Wodehouse

Read Full Post »

It is in his unique use of English that Plum’s genius hits us most fiercely, albeit pleasurably. Whether he uses words to describe a character or a setting, or to narrate the goofy goings on, or to simply make us laugh and unstiffen our upper lips, he simply excels. It is not for nothing that many of us consider him to be the Master Wordsmith of our times. 

One of the devices he uses frequently is that of a Transferred Epithet. Consider this quote from Right Ho, Jeeves:

‘…twiddling a thoughtful steering wheel’

This is how Neil Midkiff of Madame Eulalie fame explains the concept of the transferred epithet in greater detail:

An excellent example of one of Wodehouse’s favourite literary devices, the transferred epithet, in which a descriptive word or phrase is moved from its expected grammatical position to another part of the sentence, and perhaps even converted to another part of speech. Here one would expect Bertie to twiddle the steering wheel thoughtfully (adverb); part of the charm of the usage is that he modestly appears to avoid attributing this quality to himself and instead applies it as an adjective to an inanimate object.

The formal name in Greek for this rhetorical device is hypallage, but most Wodehouse commentators follow Robert A. Hall Jr. (“The Transferred Epithet in P. G. Wodehouse,” Linguistic Inquiry v.4, no.1 [Winter 1973], 92–94) in using the English phrase. Bertie prongs a moody forkful of eggs and b. in “Jeeves and the Impending Doom” in Very Good, Jeeves. Several Wodehouse characters smoke meditative cigarettes; one of my favourite examples is the opening of Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit in which Bertie sits in the bathtub, “soaping a meditative foot.”

Raghunath Kandella, a fan of Plum’s, has gone to great lengths to compile a set of transferred epithets. He has been kind enough to permit me to share this unique collection of his here:

Blandings Castle and Elsewhere

• …after a thoughtful sip of his hot Scotch and lemon
• Lady Constance…threw a futile cushion
• The authors had wielded a plausible pen

Summer Lightning

• In the Billiard Room, Hugo was practicing pensive cannons
• Beach raised a respectful eyebrow
• Galahad raked the hall with a conspiratorial monocle
• He was prodding the bunk with a dubious forefinger
• He blew a reserved smoke ring
• The Hon. Galahad turned to watch the procession with a surprised monocle
• Waggling a reproachful gun at his late employee

Galahad at Blandings

• Col. Wedge offered him a hospitable cucumber sandwich

Uncle Fred in Springtime

• Pongo (Twistleton) lit a reverent cigarette
• Lord Ickenham ate a thoughtful cheese straw

Full Moon

• ….causing him to prod her in the small of her back with an austere umbrella
• ….having followed his retreating form with a perplexed monocle

Heavy Weather

• The butler’s message found Sir Gregory enjoying a restful cigarette
• Monty waved a pacific hand

Sunset at Blandings

• It was with a gloomy fork that he pronged the kippered herring on his plate

Leave it to Psmith

• Psmith, enjoying a meditative cigarette…

Jeeves in the Offing

• His eyes widened, and an astonished piece of toast fell from his grasp
• She….ate a moody piece of crumpet

Very Good, Jeeves

• He uncovered fragrant eggs and bacon, and I pronged a moody forkful

Much Obliged, Jeeves

• I waved an impatient cigarette holder
• He proceeded to prod Jeeves in the lower ribs with an uncouth forefinger

Carry on, Jeeves

• After I sucked down a thoughtful cup of tea
• I was leaning back in the chair smoking a peaceful cigarette

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

• ….blowing a despondent smoke ring
• I took an astonished sip of coffee
• I drained my glass and lit a depressed gasper

Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit

• As I sat in the bathtub, soaping a meditative foot and singing….
• I lit a nonchalant cigarette, calm and collected to the eyebrows
• I was enjoying a reflective smoke
• She took a reserved mouthful of kipper
• He (Tom Travers) waved a concerned cigar
• She accepted the rebuke with a moody nod
• ….digging a bewildered fork into a sausage

Right Ho, Jeeves

• Someone had opened a tentative window or two
• She flushed again and took a rather strained forkful of sausage
• I wandered out into the garden, smoking a tortured gasper

The Code of the Woosters

• She massaged the dog’s spine with a pensive foot
• I lighted a feverish cigarette

The Mating Season

• I lit a thoughtful cigarette
• I whooshed out a remorseful puff of smoke
• ….splitting a sociable milk and biscuit
• He (Jeeves) was having a meditative beer
• I lit a rather pleased cigarette
• I had provided him with a hospitable whiskey
• I swallowed a sombre chunk toast and marmalade
• I whooshed a remorseful puff of smoke
• Splitting a sociable milk and biscuit at the interval

Joy in the Morning

• ‘Right ho’, I said, and took a meditative departure
• I balanced a thoughtful lump of sugar on the teaspoon

Young Men in Spats

• Lighting a carefree cigarette, he embarked upon the narrative

The Girl in Blue

• …. practising moody cannons

Mulliner Nights

• He sipped a moody spoonful of soup

Big Money

• Smoking a friendly cigarette with his next door neighbour
• Up and down, smoking an agitated cigarette, paced Godfrey
• He’s an actor and ….I hope….to fling a hearty egg at him

The Small Bachelor

• How would it be if we…..thrashed the whole thing out quietly over a thoughtful steak or something
• He sipped a moody spoonful or two of soup
• ….smoking a thoughtful cigarette
• …he set about the soup with a willing spoon

Money in the Bank

• He threw a moody banana skin at the loudest of the sparrows

Uncle Dynamite

• Smoking a sombre pipe

Ice in the Bedroom

• Leila York blew a meditative smoke ring
• She swallowed it with a moody gulp

Plum Pie

• I started to pick at a dejected fried egg

Hot Water

• Mr. George threw a resentful champagne cork at a passing couple

Piccadilly Jim

• He placed a noiseless sovereign on the table

Spring Fever

• He approached the safe and prodded it with an experimental forefinger

Clicking of Cuthbert

• The sage cast a meditative eye upon the infant

Eggs, Beans and Crupmets

• Bingo, chewing a thoughtful lip, stood pondering…
• Ukridge had fifteen bob for lunch and general expenses, and a thoughtful ten bob to do bit of betting with

Quick Service

• Chibnall blew an airy smoke ring
• Seated himself after dishing out a moody portion of scrambled eggs

Service with a Smile

• ….pointing a reverent finger…
• he slipped a remorseful five-pound note into the other’s hand

It is well known that Plum deployed figures of speech extensively. He regaled us with not only similies (Bicky rocked, like a jelly in a high wind) and metaphors (Ice formed on the butler’s upper slopes), but also with Transferred Epithets.

Note:

I am grateful to Raghunath Kendella and R M Singha for their contribution towards this collection, and to Neil Midkiff (https://www.madameulalie.org/index.html) for his comments.

Read Full Post »