After reading and re-reading the Grand Old Man’s twenty something books over the past two weeks, I feel justified in making exaggarated comments (just like the author himself) on the portrayal of women in his novels. Reading Wodehouse, it feels like men are the “weaker sex” and women the bossy ones.

All his plots has a villain in the form of a dominating mother/sister/wife, with a weak son/brother/husband unable to pose any kind of resistance to her. Then there are the fiends who create trouble for the protagonists, but very amiable young gentlemen/women who just create trouble and also become one of the main reasons for the “they lived happily ever after” ending to the story.

Opps, I am digressing. The main point is women. There are atleast three kinds of women in all wodehouse stories:

• Dominating Slayer of Good Men
• First Class Snob
• High Spirited Heroine

The last of the three is who generally becomes the partner of the Hero. There are other sidey females, but falling more or less into one of the three categories.

The reason why I think this is important is, Wodehouse writings, for all their exaggarations, must have reflected some parts of the World Before. And, I am sure you all would have already found women you know who can fit into the three categories described (or just watch the tamizh serials to find tailor made examples to suit the first two categories). And from what I can see around me, its the women who seem to have a tight hold on the men and who seem to fight over men (MIL and DIL fight). And is there anyone who is thinking about Gender Equality?

P.S. Wodehouse says women can’t write without a “P.S” and though it is true in my case, I hate being stereotyped. Anyways, this is to say MIL stands for “Mother In Law” and DIL follows the same pattern.