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| Full Moon
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Main page / Bibliography / Full Moon
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First published in US: May 22 1947 by Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York
First published in UK: October 17 1947 by Herbert Jenkins, London
 Russian translations
The moon lights up the path of true love at Blandings.
Freddie Threepwood's old pal Blister is all set to marry his precious dream rabbit Prudence,
a young cousin of Freddie's. But just before the wedding Prudence is shipped off to Blandings
by her disapproving mother. Freddie, Blister and their friend Tipton Plimsol follow. To effect
a reconciliation with Prudence, Blister, who has the soul if not skill of an artist, poses as
a painter of pigs, commissioned by Lord Emsworth to do a portrait of his beloved Empress. Tipton,
meanwhile, has fallen in love with Veronica, another cousin of Freddie's. Needless to say,
affairs of the heart never run smoothly at Blandings.
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Click for enlarge book cover
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Characters
Clarence, 9th Earl of Emsworth — His troublesome sisters include Julia,
Constance, Dora and Hermione
Lady Hermione Wedge — Lord Emsworth's short, fat and
dumpy-looking sister who has been married for 24 years
Veronica Wedge — Lady Hermione's beautiful but dumb 23 year old daughter
once engaged to Freddie, in love with Tipton
Colonel Egbert Wedge — Lady Hermione's husband and Lord
Emsworth's brother-in-law
Empress of Blandings — Twice in successive years the winner in
the Fat Pigs Class at the Shropshire Agricultural Show
Hon. Freddie Threepwood — Lord Emsworth's younger son who is Vice President
of Donaldson's Dog Joy and is married to Aggie
Prudence Garland — Dora's slim, short daughter who loves Blister
(Gaily) Hon. Galahad Threepwood — 57 year old celebrity of English sporting life
Tipton Plimsoll — Young rich American in love with Veronica.
Inherited Tipton's Stores from his late uncle Chet Tipton,
who was Gally's friend.
Dora Garland — Lord Emsworth's tall and stately sister who is
the widow of Sir Everard, K.C.B.
(Blister) William Galahad Lister — Gally's godson, an artist, who
paints the Empress's portrait under the name of Landseer.
Freddie's friend in love with Prudence.
Edward Jimpson Murgatroyd — Tipton's doctor in Harley Street
McAllister — Scottish head gardener at Blandings
Beach — Butler at Blandings
Edwin Pott — Lord Emsworth's pigman who has no roof to his mouth
Charles and Thomas — Footmen at Blandings
Bagshott (*)
Bellamy (*)
Sir George Biffen (*)
Fruity Biffin (*)
Col. Bodger (*)
'Erbert (*)
Angus McAllister (*)
Sir Abercrombie Fitch (*)
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 Synopsis
Two new Emsworth nieces need help towards the altar. Veronica, daughter of
Lord Emsworth's cook-like sister Lady Hermione Wedge, is the dumbest and
most beautiful of the tribe, and she, and her parents, long for a rich
suitor. (All three are staying at the castle.)
American Tipton Plimsoll, friend of Freddie Threepwood, could fill that
bill. Prudence, small, pretty daughter of another sister, Lady Dora Garland
in London, is caught trying to elope with big, ugly Bill Lister, a rather
bad artist and a godson of Galahad. Prue is sent to the castle to cool off.
Lord Emsworth is trying to find an artist to paint the Empress's portrait
for the gallery. Thanks to Galahad, Bill Lister infiltrates the castle
three times, in three guises: Messmore Breamworthy, an artist (Lord
Emsworth sacks him as soon as he sees his rough for the Empress's
portrait), an under-gardener (McAllister has been bribed to silence) and
Landseer, another artist. The portrait is never done, but, largely as a
result of the Empress being shoved in her bedroom, Veronica and Tipton are
paired off successfully. And, under threat that his son Freddie's marriage
will come unstuck and he, Lord Emsworth, will be stuck with Freddie
haunting the castle again, Lord Emsworth gives the green light and a cheque
for £5,000 to Prue and Bill to get married and take over The Mulberry Tree
pub near Oxford.
This novel is too episodic for comfort, and unevenly paced. In patches
Gally, its real hero, acts and talks more like Lord Ickenham than himself.
'Spreading sweetness and light' is Lord Ickenham's specific role, but at
the end of Chapter 7, part 3 here, Wodehouse, seeming to forget, applies
these words to Gally. It strikes an odd note.
NB 'Sweetness and light' is a phrase from Matthew Arnold, who was related
by marriage to the Wodehouse family.
Source: Richard Usborne. Plum Sauce. A P G Wodehouse Companion.
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