A House-Boat on the Styx and The Pursuit of the House-Boat by John Kendrick Bangs
"A House-Boat on the Styx" and its sequel, "The Pursuit of the House-Boat," are comedic stories written by John Kendrick Bangs that explore the afterlife through the lens of notable historical and literary figures. Set on a whimsical houseboat that serves as a gentleman's social club for various famous ghosts, the narratives highlight the humorous escapades that ensue as characters from different eras and stories interact with one another. Central to the plot is Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, who reluctantly becomes the janitor of the houseboat, allowing for a unique blend of personalities, including Shakespeare and Bacon, to engage in spirited debates.
The story takes an intriguing turn when female spirits, including Elizabeth I and Ophelia, seek entry to the club, leading to the planning of a "Ladies Day" event, while some are excluded due to their notorious reputations. However, the houseboat is hijacked by the pirate Captain Kidd, prompting a series of comedic rescue attempts, including the involvement of Sherlock Holmes. Ultimately, the narratives culminate in a satisfying resolution where the women gain full membership, illustrating themes of camaraderie and the blending of male and female worlds in the afterlife. These tales offer a lighthearted exploration of historical and literary themes within a fantastical context.
A House-Boat on the Styx and The Pursuit of the House-Boat
First published:A House-Boat on the Styx: Being Some Account of the Divers Doings of the Associated Shades (1896) and The Pursuit of the House-Boat (1897)
Type of work: Novels
Type of plot: Fantasy—mythological
Time of work: 1895
Locale: Hades
The Plot
A House-Boat on the Styx proved to be so popular that John Kendrick Bangs quickly wrote a sequel, The Pursuit of the House-Boat. The stories concern the adventures and misadventures of the ghosts of a number of notable men and women from history, the Bible, and literature. The actions of all the characters center on a houseboat that accommodates an exclusive social club. Many people desire to become members, even going as far as stealing the boat to gain membership. The search for and recovery of the boat that follow its disappearance provide a series of hilarious and entertaining escapades that end happily.
The Associated Shades of Hades-on-Styx have acquired a houseboat in which to lodge their gentlemens social club. This fact upsets Charon, the ferryman, who transports the souls of the departed to the underworld. He is mollified somewhat when he is offered the position of janitor by the House Committee, which includes Sir Walter Raleigh, Confucius, Cassius, Demosthenes, and Sir William Blackstone. Charon accepts the position and thus comes into contact with an assortment of heroes and villains from every epoch as well as diverse characters from fiction.
Because he is in constant attendance, Charon is witness to a number of interesting events, not the least being a spirited discussion between William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon over the question of the authorship of the formers works. The one problem that seems to disturb the tranquillity of this otherworldly refuge for men is the desire of a host of female spirits to see the interior of the houseboat. To accommodate feminine curiosity, the members of the club decide to host a Ladies Day, but only after a spirited debate. Only Lucretia Borgia and Delilah are denied invitations, the former because of her reputation with poisons and the latter at the request of Samson.
As plans are advanced for this event, most of the members spend their time in conversation, playing billiards, and hosting a Story-Tellers Night when male shades who are not members are invited to enjoy the facilities of the houseboat. Poets and playwrights, promoters and politicians, and sculptors and scoundrels mingle in happy confusion while members and guests provide entertainment that ranges from the sublime to the boring.
Not willing to wait for Ladies Day, Elizabeth I, Ophelia, and Xanthippe decide to invade the male preserve one autumn afternoon when the houseboat is empty of members. Encountering the billiard room attendant, they discover that most of the men are attending a boxing match between Goliath and Samson. This suits their purposes. They overcome the protests of the servant and begin their tour of the vessel. Impressed by what they find, the three summon other female shades to join them. After some discussion, the women of Hades decide to appropriate the houseboat for their own use.
Their triumph is short-lived, because they soon discover that the houseboat is being towed from its moorings by a crew of ruffians under the command of Captain Kidd. This act of piracy is Kidds revenge for being rejected for membership in the club. The chance to kidnap the leading women of Hades adds to his satisfaction. When the membership returns to the place where their floating clubhouse lay at anchor, they discover their twin loss. Only Socrates seems undisturbed by this double act of piracy. At this point, A House-Boat on the Styx ends.
Captain Kidd quickly learns that a cargo of determined women is not the rich prize he originally thought. While the corsair captain tries to find a solution to his problem, the Associated Shades find help from an unexpected source, Sherlock Holmes, fresh from his encounter with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls.
While the rescue party is busy chartering a ghost ship, the Gehenna, the women proceed to take matters into their own hands. After convincing the pirates that there are no provisions aboard the houseboat, the women persuade Kidd and his crew to go in search of food. While the buccaneers are so occupied, the women seize the houseboat and sail away with it.
Holmes and his fellows now give pursuit, only to have the Gehenna accidentally rammed by the houseboat. The women save their would-be rescuers, and all ends well. The Associated Shades admit their mistake and offer the women of Hades the right of full membership, which they graciously accept.