The Doorless Wolf by Oliver Herford
"The Doorless Wolf" by Oliver Herford is a satirical poem that explores themes of wealth, social status, and human nature. The narrative begins with a newly rich man encountering a hungry, destitute wolf in the woods. The wolf, who once sat outside the man's single door when he was poor, pleads for help, lamenting that he has been forgotten now that the man has many doors. The rich man, jingling his money, sees an opportunity to use the wolf to his advantage. He proposes that the wolf sit by his front door each day to create the illusion of poverty, thus deterring beggars and solicitors. The wolf agrees, and the poem concludes with the narrator's observation that wealth often leads to stinginess. The poem critiques the selfishness and hypocrisy that can accompany newfound wealth, highlighting how prosperity can change one's values and relationships.
By Oliver Herford · Genre: Satirical Poetry, Fable, Social Satire · 395 words
First lines
I saw, one day, when times were very good, A newly rich man walking in a wood, Who chanced to meet, all hungry, lean, and sore, The wolf that used to sit outside his door.
Forlorn he was, and piteous his plaint. "Help me! " he howled. "With hunger I am faint.
What this Textopian page supports
The Doorless Wolf is listed on Textopian as a poem by Oliver Herford, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Oliver Herford
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Satirical Poetry, Fable, Social Satire, Moral Tale, Allegory
- Length: 395 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Doorless Wolf by Oliver Herford
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Doorless Wolf?
- How does this poem by Oliver Herford fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satirical Poetry first become important in the reading?
Genres
- Satirical Poetry — The poem uses wit and irony to criticize the selfishness and false modesty produced by wealth.
- Fable — Its brief narrative, speaking wolf, symbolic characters, and explicitly stated moral give it the structure of a modern fable.
- Social Satire — The newly wealthy man's scheme mocks affluent people who evade charity and conceal their prosperity to avoid social obligations.
- Moral Tale — The closing maxim, 'Thus affluence makes niggards of us all,' directly presents the poem's ethical lesson about greed.
Tags
children's literature · poetry · nonsense verse · humor · fantasy · animal characters · imaginative · whimsical · literary nonsense · short poems · illustrated book · Edwardian literature