Editing Bertie Wooster (section)

==Personal characteristics==
===Age and appearance===

Bertie is approximately 24 years old when he first meets Jeeves in "[[Jeeves Takes Charge]]", first published in 1916.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 1. Bertie recounts a story in which he was fifteen years old, and later mentions that this story occurred nine years before, meaning that he is approximately 24 years old in "Jeeves Takes Charge".</ref> His age is not stated in any other story. In the reference work ''Wodehouse in Woostershire'' by Wodehouse scholars Geoffrey Jaggard and Tony Ring, it is speculated that Bertie's age ranges from approximately 24 to 29 over the course of the stories.<ref>Ring & Jaggard (1999), pp. 124–126.</ref> [[Nigel Cawthorne]], author of ''A Brief Guide to Jeeves and Wooster'', also suggested that Bertie is approximately 29 at the end of the saga.<ref>Cawthorne (2013), p. 160.</ref>

Tall and slim, Bertie is elegantly dressed, largely because of Jeeves, who tends to talk Bertie out of the more flamboyant articles of clothing that Bertie sometimes favours.<ref>Cawthorne (2013), p. 159.</ref> He has blue eyes.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1934], ''Thank You, Jeeves'', chapter 21, p. 256. Chuffy references Bertie's "big blue eyes".</ref> Normally clean-shaven, he grows a moustache in two different stories, and ultimately loses the moustache, as Jeeves does not think a moustache suits Bertie.<ref name=garrison219/> It seems that he has an innocent-looking appearance; when Bertie wants to wear an alpine hat in ''[[Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves]]'', he states, "I was prepared to concede that it would have been more suitable for rural wear, but against this had to be set the fact that it unquestionably lent a ''diablerie'' to my appearance, and mine is an appearance that needs all the ''diablerie'' it can get."<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1963], ''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 15.</ref> Bertie has an expressive face that Jeeves can read easily.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 10, p. 271. Jeeves narrates: "Mr. Wooster's is not one of those inscrutable faces which it is impossible to read. On the contrary, it is a limpid pool in which is mirrored each passing emotion. I could read it now like a book".</ref>

In illustrations, Bertie Wooster has frequently been depicted wearing a [[monocle]]. However, this is probably merely a stereotypical depiction of an upper-class gentleman, as Bertie does not seem to wear a monocle in the original stories. The only evidence of Bertie wearing a monocle occurs in "[[The Spot of Art]]", when Bertie sees a portrait of himself, wearing a monocle, in a poster advertising soup. Bertie is revolted by the image, which gives him a look of "bestial greed". The monocle seems to exaggerate this expression, and Bertie makes fun of how large the monocle looks, calling it "about six inches in circumference".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 6, pp. 158–159.</ref> Bertie is never described as wearing a monocle elsewhere. It is unlikely that Bertie would wear a monocle that would not be mentioned, since the glasses of other characters, particularly Bertie's friend [[Gussie Fink-Nottle]], are well-described, and another prominent Wodehouse character, [[Psmith]], has a distinctive monocle that is mentioned many times.<ref>Ring & Jaggard (1999), pp. 289–290.</ref>

===Personality===

Bertie is pleasant and amiable, according to Jeeves.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], The Inimitable Jeeves, chapter 5, p. 55.</ref> A well-intentioned and honorable young gentleman, he has a strong moral code and prides himself on helping his friends.<ref>Usborne (2003), pp. 57 and 70.</ref> Unlike his [[Aunt Agatha]], he is not snobbish to servants and is not bothered when one of his pals wants to marry someone from a different social class. He gladly spends time with a variety of people, including rich aristocrats and poor artists.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 2, pp. 39–40.</ref>

Tending to be unworldly and naive, Bertie is tricked by con artists in "[[Aunt Agatha Takes the Count]]" and "[[Jeeves and the Greasy Bird]]", though Jeeves could have warned him earlier on during the former occasion and he was driven by desperation in the latter circumstances; in ''[[Aunts Aren't Gentlemen]]'', he realises he is being tricked by a man named Graham, but is unable to avoid paying Graham anyway. He is not interested in global affairs or politics, and advises Jeeves to miss as many political debates as possible in order to live a happy and prosperous life.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1971], ''Much Obliged, Jeeves'', chapter 15, p. 176.</ref> Usually modest about his intelligence, Bertie states, "I know perfectly well that I've got, roughly speaking, half the amount of brain a normal bloke ought to possess",<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 7, p. 184.</ref> though he occasionally wants to prove his intelligence, for example in "[[Scoring off Jeeves]]". He comes up with well-intentioned if ill-advised or unfortunately botched schemes, such as when he decides to kiss Pauline Stoker to spur his friend Chuffy to propose to her in ''[[Thank You, Jeeves]]''.

Sometimes, Bertie acts diffidently, giving in to the whims of his formidable aunts or fiancées, but there are also times when Bertie displays a strong will, for example when he attempts to defy Jeeves's wishes on clothing, and when he resolves to confront Aunt Agatha at the end of ''[[The Mating Season (novel)|The Mating Season]]''. Nonetheless, Bertie lacks what Jeeves calls "Presence" and has difficulty presenting himself with authority in front of an audience.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'' chapter 10, pp. 267–268.</ref> On two occasions, Bertie mentions reluctantly playing a part in an amateur theatrical production at a country house, once when roped into playing a butler,<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 6, pp. 66–68. Bertie recounts that, years ago, he had been roped in to play the part of a butler in amateur theatricals at a country-house party.</ref><ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1949], ''The Mating Season'', chapter 17, p. 166. Bertie mentions the unpleasant feeling you get when you get roped into playing "Bulstrode, a butler" in amateur theatricals and you forget your lines.</ref> and another time when compelled to play King Edward III at his [[Aunt Agatha]]'s house; for Bertie, both times were a trying ordeal.

By no means an ambitious man, Bertie seeks neither a prestigious job nor a socially advantageous marriage; it is implied throughout the series that his inheritance means he need not pursue either course. In his own words, Bertie is the sort of person who is "content just to exist beautifully".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1974], ''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'', chapter 1, p. 14.</ref> He likes living a leisurely, quiet life and appreciates small things in his day, such as the [[oolong tea]] (which he sometimes calls [[Bohea]]) that Jeeves brings to him every morning.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 1, chapter 9, p. 92, and chapter 10, p. 111. Bertie also refers to his tea as "oolong" or "Bohea" in ''Very Good, Jeeves'' chapter 3, ''Right Ho, Jeeves'' chapter 4, and ''Joy in the Morning'' chapter 5. Bertie never refers to his tea as anything other than "oolong" or "Bohea".</ref>

===Hobbies===

Bertie participates in a number of physical activities. He likes swimming under ordinary circumstances; he is less fond of it when he falls into water unexpectedly while dressed in regular attire, which occurs multiple times in the stories. He plays tennis with [[Bingo Little]] in "[[Jeeves and the Impending Doom]]". Bertie also plays golf in the same story.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 22.</ref> His golf handicap is 16, and he plays in the Drones Club golf tournament every year.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 7, p. 163.</ref> At Oxford, he obtained a [[Blue (university sport)|blue]] for [[Rackets (sport)|rackets]] playing with his friend Harold "Beefy" Anstruther, and briefly went in for rowing under the coaching of [[Stilton Cheesewright]].<ref>Ring & Jaggard (1999), pp. 287–288.</ref> Later, he rows a boat that Jeeves is steering in "Jeeves and the Impending Doom". Bertie plays [[Squash (sport)|squash]] and was runner-up one year in the [[Drones Club]] Annual Squash Handicap.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1930], ''Very Good, Jeeves'', chapter 3, p. 69.</ref> There is no doubt in his mind that he will win the Drones Club [[darts]] competition in ''[[Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit]]''. Claiming that he can "out-Fred the nimblest [[Fred Astaire|Astaire]]" Bertie enjoys dancing and likes fancy dress balls.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1947], ''Joy in the Morning'', chapter 5, p. 46. Bertie states that "as a dancer I out-Fred the nimblest Astaire, and fancy dress binges have always been my dish".</ref>

Capable of reading sheet music, Bertie has a light baritone voice and sings often, most prominently in "[[Jeeves and the Song of Songs]]".<ref>Ring & Jaggard (1999), p. 287.</ref> He keeps a piano in his flat,<ref>Wodehouse (1968) [1966], ''Plum Pie'', "Jeeves and the Greasy Bird", p. 42.</ref> and once played "[[Happy Days Are Here Again]]" with one finger on the piano at [[Totleigh Towers]] when there was no other method of self-expression available.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1938], ''The Code of the Woosters'', chapter 10, p. 210. Relieved after Madeline Bassett leaves the room to retrieve Gussie's notebook, Bertie says, "She hurried out, and I sat down at the piano and began to play 'Happy Days Are Here Again' with one finger. It was the only method of self-expression that seemed to present itself."</ref> In ''[[Thank You, Jeeves]]'', he attempts to play the banjolele, apparently with little success despite his enthusiasm. In an early story, Bertie claims that "bar a weekly wrestle with the '[[The Sporting Times|Pink 'Un]]' and an occasional dip into the [[Form (horse racing)|form book]] I'm not much of a lad for reading",<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 17, p. 236.</ref> yet Bertie is frequently in the middle of reading a mystery or crime novel in later stories. He states that he is never happier than when curled up with the latest [[Agatha Christie]],<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1974], ''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'', chapter 8, p. 83.</ref> and regularly references literary characters in mystery and crime fiction, including Christie's [[Hercule Poirot]] and others such as [[Sherlock Holmes]], [[A. J. Raffles]], and [[Nero Wolfe]].