WHAT U WANT U WILL GET HERE........                   THREE MEN IN A BOAT

Introduction

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome was first published in 1889. It is the fictional story of three London friends and a dog taking a leisurely boat trip up the River Thames, from Kingston-upon-Thames to Oxford. It is narrated by ‘J.’, whose companions are George, William Samuel Harris and the dog, Montmorency.

It is a deceptively simple story: three friends take a boating holiday on the River Thames. At first sight this does not seem a likely plot for a classic work of comedy, and the fact that it was written in the late Victorian period and was an instant bestseller seems even harder to believe

summary 

During a sociable evening in J.’s room, the three men convince themselves that they each have various illnesses. Their collective diagnosis is overwork, and they prescribe themselves a fortnight’s holiday. A stay in the country and a sea voyage are both ruled out, and they settle instead on a boating trip, travelling on the Thames by day and camping out in the hired boat at night.

They set out the following Saturday. George must work in the City in the morning, and so arranges to join them later that day. The other two, accompanied by the dog and a mountain of luggage, get a cab to Waterloo station, but are unable to find the correct train to Kingston. Eventually they bribe the driver of another train to take them there instead, one of the many humorous set-pieces that make the book more than a straightforward travelogue. George completes the trio at Weybridge, with a dubious-looking parcel tucked under his arm, which turns out to be a banjo and instruction book.

. setting

Three Men in a Boat takes place at the end of the 19th century, mostly on the River Thames.

The Thames rises in Gloucestershire, and flows eastwards in various twists and turns to the Thames Estuary and the North Sea – 215 miles in all, the longest river in England.

River Thames map - Credit: ChrisO

The source of the Thames is at Kemble, and the river then passes through Oxford, Reading, Maidenhead, Windsor, Staines, Kingston and London. From Teddington Lock (pictured in google map) onwards, the river is tidal.

The river journey in Three Men in a Boat starts just above Teddington Lock, at Kingston-upon-Thames, and they call at or pass by various towns and landmarks, as well as venturing through several of the locks that control the non-tidal river upstream of Teddington. They continue as far as Oxford, a journey of about 91 miles – almost half the length of the Thames.

Guide to the River Thames

Waterloo Station

by royadkins  

Although most of the book takes place on the river, the expeditions begins in central London with a train journey from Waterloo station to Kingston-upon-Thames.

Waterloo station was opened in 1848. It was intended to be a through station, with a line into the City of London. Over the next few decades, more buildings and platforms were added haphazardly, so that by the time of Three Men in a Boat, it was the butt of jokes and was considered to be the most perplexing railway station in London – so much so that from 1900 the whole lot was pulled down and a new station constructed (which itself was badly damaged in World War 2).

Style

As we know after reading this story it is a funny story.  The writing style is very modern sounding, considering when it was written.

Opinion and recommendation

I think it’s a good and really humorous story. At some points we cannot stop ourselves from laughing. It is, according to me, an excellent work done by the respected writer Jerome K. Jerome. It is full of comedy especially at points of Montmorency’s entries. I like the story and would prefer anyone who asks me about the book that he/she read the book thoroughly. This is comedy in its most accurate  form. In the first page no sense of humor is displayed, but as you move further you would blast with your laughs.

Up to me this book is not bad to read. We should obviously laugh and therefore we should read it.