MIRACLE MERCHANT BY MUNRO

Dr. Hareshwar Roy

H. H. Munro has always been better known as 'Saki.' He is recognized as a reputed short story writer. In this context he is compared with O Henry and Maupassant. He is a well-known British humorist and satirist. As a creative writer he discovered his genius in his short stories. The Miracle Merchant is a very successful dramatization of his popular short story named The Hen.

The present one act play has a very suitable title. Here one of the characters of the play devises the miracle. He is Louis Courset. He prepares a plot to compel Jane to leave Mrs. Beau whistle's house. Thus the title suits to the major theme of the play.

The Miracle Merchant is full of irony and humour. Here the playwright has presented three major characters. They are Mrs. Beau whistle, Louis Courset and Jane Martlet. Mrs. Beau whistle is an elderly lady. She leads a luxurious life. She is unwilling to pamper her nephew, Louis. He is a witty young man. He always asks her for money. But she is not ready for that. Jane Martlet is a guest in the house of Mrs. Beau whistle. She is her niece.



Louis comes to know that Dora is coming to live with Mrs. Beau whistle. He gets an opportunity to cheat money from her aunt. He tells her about their quarrel of hen to her. He says that they are sworn enemies of each other. They can't live under the same roof. To avoid this situation Mrs. Beau whistle requests Louis to devise some miracle. In return she would give him twenty pounds. Louis starts his action. He sows the seeds of fear in Jane's mind. For his conspiracy he uses Sturridge. He is the servant of Mrs. Beau whistle. Jane becomes an easy victim of his trick. In panic she leaves the house of Mrs. Beau whistle. But in the meantime Mrs. Beau whistle informs that Dora is not coming on the fixed date. The drama ends here.

Thus this is a beautiful one-act play. It is full of humour and irony. Here great ingenuity has been displayed in turning a trifle into a drama of human ironies and imperfections. The characters like Louis and Jane have their limitations. Saki's gift of wit and humour enlivens the irony of human action. 


Reactions: Location: India Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India
Dr. Roy obtained his master degree in English from P.U.Patna, Bihar & Ph.D. from A.P.S. University Rewa, M. P. Currently he is working as Professor of English at Govt.P.G. College Satna, M. P. He is the author of the following books: (1) Diasporic Articulation in the Novels of M.G. Vassanji (2) A Study of M.G. Vassanji 's Novels (3) Varieties of Indianity in the Works of M.G. Vassanji & Rohinton Mistry (4)Diaspora & Indian Diaspora: A Brief Study (5) Short Notes of English Literature - I (6) Short Notes of English Literature - II (7) हमार पहचान ह भोजपुरी - भोजपुरी कविता संकलन (8) हमरा प्यार हो गइल - भोजपुरी गज़ल संकलन

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