The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy

"The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy"
Author P. G. Wodehouse
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series Jeeves
Genre(s) Comedy
Publisher The Strand Magazine
Media type Print (Magazine)
Publication date April 1926
Preceded by "Jeeves and the Impending Doom"
Followed by "Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit"

"The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in The Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom in April 1926, and in Liberty in the United States that same month. The story was also included as the second story in the 1930 collection Very Good, Jeeves.[1]

In the story, Bertie tries to help his friend, Oliver "Sippy" Sipperley, an editor of a light society magazine who is intimidated by his old school head master into publishing boring essays. Sippy is also in love with the poet Gwendolen Moon but is afraid to confess his feelings.

Plot

Bertie bought a large china vase with crimson dragons and various animals on it for his flat. Jeeves disapproves of it. Bertie goes to see his friend Oliver "Sippy" Sipperley at the office of The Mayfair Gazette, where Sippy is now editor. Sippy is afraid to confess his love to the poet Gwendolen Moon. He believes he is spiritually inferior to her because, one year prior, he spent thirty days in jail for punching a policeman on Boat Race night. An authoritative man arrives, and he tells Sippy that he has brought another article for Sippy's paper. Sippy meekly obeys him. The man leaves, and Sippy, agitated, tells Bertie that the man is Waterbury, head master of Sippy's old school. Sippy was intimidated by Waterbury as a child, so he is still too afraid of him to reject his articles, even though they are dull and not appropriate for Sippy's light society paper.

"Well, then, my firm conviction is that the scales will fall from Mr. Sipperley's eyes when he sees this Waterbury, this old head master, stagger into his office covered from head to foot with flour."
"Flour, sir?"
"Flour, Jeeves."
"But why should he pursue such a course, sir?"
"Because he won't be able to help it. The stuff will be balanced on top of the door, and the force of gravity will do the rest."

— Bertie tells Jeeves his plan[2]

Bertie tells Jeeves that Sippy has an inferiority complex and feels subordinate to Waterbury. Jeeves will try to think of a way to help Sippy. However, Bertie comes up with a solution of his own: he will prepare a bag of flour over the door to Sippy's office to fall on Waterbury. The image of Waterbury covered in flour will embolden Sippy to stand up to him and also confess his feelings to Gwendolen. Jeeves suggests that it would be better for Sippy to first win Gwendolen's affection by faking an injury and calling out for her, then proposing to her. If she agrees, Sippy will have the courage to be firm with Waterbury. Bertie has doubts about this plan and tells Jeeves to buy a pound and a half of flour.

Bertie sets up the flour over the public door to Sippy's office. However, Waterbury boldly enters through Sippy's private office. Later, Sippy arrives, singing about love, and turns away Waterbury. Defeated, Waterbury leaves. Sippy tells Bertie he is engaged to Gwendolen, and he rushes off to see her.

Bertie meets Jeeves in the street. Jeeves explains he had telephoned Sippy to come to Bertie's flat, and had also called Gwendolen, telling her that Sippy had an accident. She was moved and came to see Sippy. As she was already in love with him, both shortly confessed and became engaged. To make the story of an accident credible, Jeeves had knocked out Sippy with a golf club. When Sippy came to, Jeeves told him that Bertie's new vase had fallen on him. Therefore, Jeeves had to smash the vase. This upsets Bertie, but before he can say anything, Jeeves points out that Bertie is missing his hat. Having left it in Sippy's office, Bertie goes to fetch it. He forgets to use the private door, and gets covered with flour. He decides not to help any more friends with inferiority complexes.

Publication history

The story was illustrated by Charles Crombie in the Strand and by Wallace Morgan in Liberty.[3]

Adaptations

The story was adapted for an episode of The World of Wooster. The episode, titled "Jeeves and the Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy", was the sixth episode of the first series. It was originally broadcast in the UK on 4 July 1965.[4] It featured Ian Carmichael as Bertie Wooster, Dennis Price as Jeeves, Philip Gilbert as Sippy, and Kynaston Reeves as Mr. Waterbury.[5]

This story was not adapted into any Jeeves and Wooster episode.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Cawthorne (2013), p. 71.
  2. ↑ Wodehouse (2008) [1930], chapter 2, p. 52.
  3. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 150, E36.4, and p. 185, E133.124.
  4. ↑ Taves, Brian (2006). P. G. Wodehouse and Hollywood: Screenwriting, Satires and Adaptations. McFarland & Company. p. 177. ISBN 978-0786422883.
  5. ↑ "P. G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster". BBC Genome. BBC. 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
Sources
  • Cawthorne, Nigel (2013). A Brief Guide to Jeeves and Wooster. London: Constable & Robinson. ISBN 978-1-78033-824-8.
  • McIlvaine, Eileen; Sherby, Louise S.; Heineman, James H. (1990). P. G. Wodehouse: A Comprehensive Bibliography and Checklist. New York: James H. Heineman Inc. ISBN 978-0-87008-125-5.
  • Wodehouse, P. G. (2008) [1930]. Very Good, Jeeves (Reprinted ed.). London: Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0099513728.
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