The Marry Month of May by O. Henry
A young woman's life is turned upside down when she discovers her husband has been leading a double life and has abandoned her for another woman. She sets out to win him back, but ultimately finds herself in a precarious situation.
By O. Henry · First published 1907 · Genre: Comedy, Romance, Satire · 2,511 words
First lines
Prithee, smite the poet in the eye when he would sing to you praises of the month of May. It is a month presided over by the spirits of mischief and madness. Pixies and flibbertigibbets haunt the budding woods: Puck and his train of midgets are busy in town and country.
In May nature holds up at us a chiding finger, bidding us remember that we are not gods, but overconceited members of her own great family. She reminds us that we are brothers to the chowder-doomed clam and the donkey; lineal scions of the pansy and the chimpanzee, and but cousins-german to the cooing doves, the quacking ducks and the housemaids and policemen in the parks.
What this Textopian page supports
The Marry Month of May is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: O. Henry
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, Satire, Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 2,511 words
- Structure: 1 section, 64 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Marry Month of May by O. Henry
- 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 Marry Month of May?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Her Failing by O. Henry
- Coming To Him by O. Henry
- Hearts And Crosses by O. Henry
- A Houston Romance by O. Henry
- The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant
- Spring by O. Henry
Genres
- Comedy — The narrative employs humor and wit to explore themes of love and relationships, particularly through the absurdity of the characters' situations.
- Romance — The story centers around romantic entanglements and the unexpected nature of love, particularly in the context of the month of May.
- Satire — It critiques societal norms and the folly of human behavior, particularly regarding love and marriage.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that explores human experiences and emotions.
Tags
Romance · Short Story · Tragic Love · Fate · Irony · Poverty · Struggle · Sacrifice · Love Triangle · Social Class · Marriage · Deception