The Phantom Luncheon
A young man invites a woman to lunch at a fashionable restaurant, but she declines, citing her engagement to be married. He then invites another woman, who accepts and they have an affair. The story explores the themes of love, desire, and social class.
By Hector Hugh Munro · First published 1909 · Genre: Comedy, Satire, Short Story · 1,814 words
First lines
"The Smithly-Dubbs are in Town," said Sir James. "I wish you would show them some attention. Ask them to lunch with you at the Ritz or somewhere."
"From the little I've seen of the Smithly-Dubbs I don't thing I want to cultivate their acquaintance," said Lady Drakmanton.
What this Textopian page supports
The Phantom Luncheon is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hector Hugh Munro, dated 1909 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: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Satire, Short Story, Social Commentary
- Length: 1,814 words
- Structure: 1 section, 40 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Phantom Luncheon by Hector Hugh Munro
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Phantom Luncheon?
- How does this short story by Hector Hugh Munro fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Comedy — The story is centered around a humorous and ironic situation involving mistaken identity and social faux pas.
- Satire — The narrative satirizes social norms and the superficiality of social obligations and political alliances.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative focusing on a single incident, typical of the short story format.
- Social Commentary — The plot provides commentary on societal expectations and the absurdity of social climbing and political networking.
Tags
Satire · Dark Humor · Social Commentary · Absurdism · Short Story · Literary Fiction · British Literature · Edwardian Era · Class Satire · Upper Class · Snobbery · Decadence