Irony In The Interlopers By Saki
The feud over the narrow, sickly strip of land “stolen” away from the Znaeym family had lasted for decades. Tensions had grown, and now, standing on the edge of the unusually restless trees, Ulrich felt that he could finally do something. Georg Znaeym was trespassing in that forest, and he would get him at last. In “The Interlopers”, the author, Saki, uses irony to support the theme that no matter how much power a person has, nature can always win in the end.
In the beginning of the story, Ulrich has a sense of power. He is nobility, a “von” Gradwitz (428), and owns acres of forest lands “well stocked with game” animals for Ulrich and his family to hunt (428) though adding medley of animals to the forest is offsetting nature’s balance. Ulrich is also in search of Georg Znaeym, a “petty landowner” from whom his family “took” a portion of land years before (428). He feels that he can kill Georg tonight for hunting on “his” land (430). Both men feel ownership towards the forest, like it is theirs to do whatever they want …show more content…
As the two men lie, trapped in a cage of branches, Ulrich sees shadowy figures in the distance. However, they turn out to be a pack of wolves living in the forest, come to eat them (434). The plentiful game Ulrich added to the forest is probably what attracted them to the area in the first place. In a way, he has ordered his own death. Though Ulrich and Georg each once thought that they owned the forest, they control the forest, they hunt the animals, now the sides have completely reversed. Nature here has the power, and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
The irony in “The Interlopers” helps show that nature always has the most power. Today, we can relate to Ulrich and Georg in that while people may be occupied with their own plans, feuds, dreams, nature is always there, and nature is strong. We need to realize that our cities, houses, and roads are the interlopers
In the beginning of the story, Ulrich has a sense of power. He is nobility, a “von” Gradwitz (428), and owns acres of forest lands “well stocked with game” animals for Ulrich and his family to hunt (428) though adding medley of animals to the forest is offsetting nature’s balance. Ulrich is also in search of Georg Znaeym, a “petty landowner” from whom his family “took” a portion of land years before (428). He feels that he can kill Georg tonight for hunting on “his” land (430). Both men feel ownership towards the forest, like it is theirs to do whatever they want …show more content…
As the two men lie, trapped in a cage of branches, Ulrich sees shadowy figures in the distance. However, they turn out to be a pack of wolves living in the forest, come to eat them (434). The plentiful game Ulrich added to the forest is probably what attracted them to the area in the first place. In a way, he has ordered his own death. Though Ulrich and Georg each once thought that they owned the forest, they control the forest, they hunt the animals, now the sides have completely reversed. Nature here has the power, and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
The irony in “The Interlopers” helps show that nature always has the most power. Today, we can relate to Ulrich and Georg in that while people may be occupied with their own plans, feuds, dreams, nature is always there, and nature is strong. We need to realize that our cities, houses, and roads are the interlopers