Philip's Safety Razor by E.F. Benson
Philip's Safety Razor by E.F. Benson is a short story that was first published in 1905. It tells the tale of Philip, who has been given a safety razor as a gift from his friend. However, he soon discovers that the razor is not safe at all and begins to experience strange and unsettling events after using it. The story explores themes such as fear, paranoia, and the dangers of technology.
By E.F. Benson · Genre: Fiction, Comedy, Satire · 6,304 words
First lines
Up to the time of Philip's obsession there cannot have been in all the world a happier couple than he and his wife. As everybody knows, the ecstasy of life has its home in the imagination, and Philip and Phœbe Partington lived almost exclusively in those realms which were illumined by the light that never was on sea or land. I do not absolutely affirm that sea and land would have been the better for that light; all that I insist on was that the Partington effulgence certainly never was there. It was a remunerative light also, and out of the proceeds they bought a quantity of false Elizabethan furniture and a motor-car. A spin in the motor-car after the ecstatic labour of the morning cleared Phœbe's head, and they dined together in an Elizabethan room with rushes on the floor. That cleared Phœbe's head, too, for nothing in the world could be remoter from the setting of her imaginative life than anything Elizabethan.
What this Textopian page supports
Philip's Safety Razor is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.F. Benson, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: E.F. Benson
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Comedy, Satire
- Length: 6,304 words
- Structure: 1 section, 105 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Philip's Safety Razor by E.F. Benson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Philip's Safety Razor?
- How does this short story by E.F. Benson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Fiction — E.F. Benson's works, including 'Philip's Safety Razor', are generally considered as fiction novels due to the imaginative, and non-factual content.
- Comedy — The book contains comic scenes and humorous dialogue, suggesting a comedic genre.
- Satire — Benson is known for using satire in his narratives as a tool for social commentary, which can be seen in 'Philip's Safety Razor'
Tags
humor · satire · social commentary · British literature · early 20th century · character study · quirky · irony · domestic life · relationships · class differences · absurdity