Beasts and Super-Beasts by Saki
"Beasts and Super-Beasts" is a collection of short stories by the British author Saki, known for his sharp wit and dark humor. Published as his final collection during his lifetime, it is regarded by some critics as among his best work, showcasing his signature style of ironic and surprising endings. The collection features Clovis Sangrail, a character reminiscent of Saki's earlier creation, Reginald, and includes tales that delve into themes of childhood, the supernatural, and the complexities of human nature.
The stories range from eerie and fantastical to absurd, reflecting a modernist sensibility that resonates with contemporary readers more than with those of Saki's time. Notable tales include "The Story-Teller," where a bachelor uses storytelling to control unruly children, and "The Blind Spot," which critiques moral ambiguity in the culinary world. This collection not only highlights Saki's narrative prowess but also captures the darker aspects of life and society, foreshadowing the tumultuous events of the 20th century, such as World War I and the Great Depression. Overall, "Beasts and Super-Beasts" represents a significant contribution to early 20th-century literature, blending humor with a profound understanding of human folly.
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Beasts and Super-Beasts by Saki
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1914
Type of work: Short stories
The Work
Beasts and Super-Beasts was the last collection of Saki’s short fiction published in his lifetime. According to some critics, it is his best. It contains the most representative of his later short stories. The book includes the stories for which Saki is now remembered. A number of the stories feature Clovis Sangrail, Saki’s later version of Reginald. There are also a number of ghost or fantasy tales that provide an eerie, unworldly atmosphere. There are some tales that explore the demoniac side of childhood. Most of these short stories have ironic, surprise endings.
The witty commentary that Saki uses to such effect in his earlier short fiction is still present, but the stories in Beasts and Super-Beasts rely more on plot than do his earlier efforts. They also establish Saki’s reputation for writing about the dark side of human nature. Twenty-first century readers will probably be less shocked by these tales than the prewar audience for which they were written because the stories’ bleakness has become a staple of modern writing. It is to Saki’s credit that he pioneered such a modernist vision. The stories seem less dated than some of his other ones.
In “The Story-Teller,” a confirmed bachelor quiets some unruly children in a railway compartment by telling them a story. The story is about a little girl who wins medals for her goodness and is eaten by a wolf. She tries to escape the wolf by hiding in some bushes, but her medals clank, giving away her hiding place. There are also stories that border on the absurd. For example, in “The Stalled Ox,” an artist who paints portraits of livestock is called to remove an ox from a neighbor’s drawing room. Instead, he paints the beast and creates a sensation at the Royal Academy of Art with his picture, “Ox in a Morning-Room, Late Autumn.” “The Dreamer” is about a distracted young man who looks so much like a retail clerk that he is able to sell things to customers in shops that he visits with his aunt. He pockets the money he receives for the goods. A gourmand in “The Blind Spot” covers up a killing committed by his cook because, although the cook may be a murderer, he is a great cook.
The absurdity and somberness of Saki’s last stories reveal the modernist tendencies of his writing. The horrors of World War I and the worldwide Depression that followed, not to mention the terrors that the Nazis inflicted on Saki’s country, perhaps have better provided his later audiences with a more appropriate worldview for appreciating Saki’s work.
Bibliography
Byrne, Sandie. “Saki.” In British Writers. Supplement VI, edited by Jay Parini. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2001.
Cavaliero, Glen. The Alchemy of Laughter: Comedy in English Fiction. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
Gillen, Charles H. H. H. Munro (Saki). Boston: Twayne, 1969.
Langguth, A. J. Saki: A Life of Hector Hugh Munro. 1981. Reprint. Los Angeles: Figueroa Press, 2003.
Mais, Stuart P. B. “The Humour of Saki.” In Books and Their Writers. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1920.
Milne, A. A. “Introducing Saki.” In By Way of Introduction. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1929.
Morley, Christopher. “Saki.” In Internal Revenue. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1933.
Spears, George James. The Satire of Saki. New York: Exposition Press, 1963.