Saki The Interlopers Analysis

The story “The Interlopers” written by Saki is also connected with Nietzsche’s philosophy on Apollo and Dionysus, which are central themes within his first major work, The Birth of Tragedy. I am going to argue that the Apollonian and Dionysian philosophy can describe not only humans and that someone can go from Dionysus to Apollo with just a few words. I am going to argue this despite the fact that in general this philosophy is applied on human beings, yet relating it with “The Interlopers”. Saki’s story “The Interlopers” teaches us a good lesson to remember, which from my point of view is: Don’t spend your life seeking revenge, stop before it is too late. In the story the narrator talks about two bloodlines that for a very long time now, starting as a neighbor feud and growing into a personal one there have been constant hatred towards two …show more content…
They both own a certain parts of land on the forest of the Karpathians, and exactly because of those lands they see the other as an enemy who stole his share. There are two sides of Apollo and two sides of Dionysus in this story. First the narrator explains a little about this “well stocked with game” forest and its calm and peaceful state. This nature can be described as the first side of Apollo in the story. Regardless of the fact it is being ruled and used by others as they please, it is maintaining its own calm and reasonable state. On the other hand the first side of the Dionysus in the story is perceived clearly by the two main characters Ulrich and Georg. Their Dionysian state is not their festive side but their wish to kill one another. Constantly wishing ill on the other and waiting for the opportunity to eliminate their enemy. The narrator shows us another understanding or attitude of them towards each other - “As boys they had thirst for one another’s blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other”. (Saki, paragraph