The Hedgehog by Hector Hugh Munro
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his hometown after serving in the military and becomes infatuated with a woman he meets at a local inn. He begins to write her letters, but they are intercepted by a rival suitor. The young man's obsession with the woman grows, and he eventually kills her husband in a duel.
By Hector Hugh Munro · First published 1896 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary · 2,276 words
First lines
A "Mixed Double" of young people were contesting a game of lawn tennis at the Rectory garden party; for the past five-and-twenty years at least mixed doubles of young people had done exactly the same thing on exactly the same spot at about the same time of year. The young people changed and made way for others in the course of time, but very little else seemed to alter. The present players were sufficiently conscious of the social nature of the occasion to be concerned about their clothes and appearance, and sufficiently sport-loving to be keen on the game. Both their efforts and their appearance came under the fourfold scrutiny of a quartet of ladies sitting as official spectators on a bench immediately commanding the court. It was one of the accepted conditions of the Rectory garden party that four ladies, who usually knew very little about tennis and a great deal about the players, should sit at that particular spot and watch the game.
What this Textopian page supports
The Hedgehog is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hector Hugh Munro, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Hector Hugh Munro
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary, Parody, Short Story
- Length: 2,276 words
- Structure: 1 section, 46 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Hedgehog by Hector Hugh Munro
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Hedgehog?
- How does this short story by Hector Hugh Munro fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — The story uses humor and irony to critique social norms and behaviors, particularly those of the upper class.
- Comedy — The narrative is filled with humorous situations and witty dialogue, highlighting the absurdity of the characters' interactions.
- Social Commentary — The text offers insights into societal expectations and the trivialities of social gatherings, reflecting on human nature and social dynamics.
- Parody — The story mimics and exaggerates the conventions of ghost stories and societal gatherings to create a humorous effect.
Tags
Satire · Dark Comedy · Social Commentary · Literary Fiction · Short Story Collection · British Literature · Edwardian Era · Class Satire · Morality Tale · Fictionalized Autobiography · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery