The Open Window Video Summary

Visit us at to read the full video transcript and our study guide for this classic short story, which includes a full list of characters, themes, and much more. H.H. Munro, who wrote under the pen name “Saki,” authored “The Open Window” in 1911, during the Edwardian period in England. The “Open Window” takes place in an English country home and tells of a young girl outsmarting her adult counterparts with her clever storytelling. In this story, as in many, Saki subverts the traditional setting of the Edwardian sitting room with macabre imagery and a surprise ending. When the story opens, Framton Nuttel, a single man, has moved to a country town to cure his nervous condition. His sister has arranged for him to meet several of her acquaintances to prevent him from becoming lonely. On an October day, he pays a visit to Mrs. Sappleton, but she is not immediately available to greet him. Instead, Mr. Nuttel is entertained by her 15-year-ol