The Wondersmith (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Fitz-James O’Brien
- First Published: 1859
- Type of Plot: Gothic
- Time of Work: The early nineteenth century
- Setting: New York City
- Principal Characters: Herr Hippe, Zonela, Solon, Madame Filomel
- Genres: Short fiction, Gothic fiction
- Subjects: Revenge, Cruelty, Materialism, Gypsies, Demoniac possession, Toys
- Locales: New York, NY
The Story
Fitz-James O’Brien's short story “The Wondersmith” is divided into seven sections. The first, entitled “Golosh Street and Its People,” establishes the location and dark tone for the tale. The first-person, anonymous narrator is a strong presence in this section, describing the dirty street. The “eccentric mercantile settlement” contains a bird-shop with rare birds, a second-hand book-stall, a shop owned by a Frenchman who makes and sells artificial eyes, Madame Filomel, a fortune-teller, and the shop of Herr Hippe, the Wondersmith.
In section 2,...
[The entire page is 2193 words long]
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