Oh my. Bertie is Agatha's Jeeves! *boggle* It's becoming quite a psychedelic circle here: Jeeves is Bertie's Jeeves, Bertie is Agatha Jeeves, and Agatha is the Jeeves that's failed to mold Bertie. (Perhaps she should enter retirement and leave it to the next generation.)
This is true. Jeeves doesn't get irked, does he? But, if pressed with repeated failure despite best efforts, what would he be driven to? (I just read a charming story where he decides to confess his feelings to Bertie, but event after event keeps getting in his way. He was getting quite frazzled by the end.) Perhaps his remaining calm and Agatha becoming irate in these crises has to do with class. As you say, Jeeves can't afford to be bothered, while Agatha can.
Class never entirely faded out of Wodehouse's stories, or still exists in the world? That is very interesting to think about (the former). I do think class division is still quite pervasive, though it crops up in different ways as the years roll on. Americans are definitely tuned out from our own class system though (utterly blind to it half the time), it's rather mind-boggling, and that just really is the fascinating part about studying various other systems… (The British class system has always fascinated me. And now I sort of want Bertie to visit his sister in India, because there's a whole other world that would probably boggle him.)
…and I have rambled for nearly two pages. I am going to stop now and hope LJ doesn't say this is too big. lol LJ politely told me I was far, far too chatty here. I promise I'll be briefer next time. *facepalm*
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Date: 2012-12-01 05:02 am (UTC)This is true. Jeeves doesn't get irked, does he? But, if pressed with repeated failure despite best efforts, what would he be driven to? (I just read a charming story where he decides to confess his feelings to Bertie, but event after event keeps getting in his way. He was getting quite frazzled by the end.) Perhaps his remaining calm and Agatha becoming irate in these crises has to do with class. As you say, Jeeves can't afford to be bothered, while Agatha can.
Class never entirely faded out of Wodehouse's stories, or still exists in the world? That is very interesting to think about (the former). I do think class division is still quite pervasive, though it crops up in different ways as the years roll on. Americans are definitely tuned out from our own class system though (utterly blind to it half the time), it's rather mind-boggling, and that just really is the fascinating part about studying various other systems… (The British class system has always fascinated me. And now I sort of want Bertie to visit his sister in India, because there's a whole other world that would probably boggle him.)
…and I have rambled for nearly two pages.
I am going to stop now and hope LJ doesn't say this is too big. lolLJ politely told me I was far, far too chatty here. I promise I'll be briefer next time. *facepalm*