Setting

Set in the early 1920s, “The Most Dangerous Game” unfolds primarily on a remote island in the Caribbean. This era was marked by the popularity of big-game hunting safaris among wealthy Americans, providing a contextual backdrop for the story's premise.

The story begins with the protagonist, Sanger Rainsford, aboard a yacht in the Caribbean Sea. After falling overboard, he finds himself on what appears to be an abandoned island. This tropical setting, with its lush jungles and treacherous terrain, becomes the stage for the deadly game that ensues.

The island, owned by the antagonist General Zaroff, is deliberately situated in a remote location, far from shipping lanes. Its isolation is crucial to the plot, allowing Zaroff to conduct his sinister hunting activities without interference. The dense jungle, rocky cliffs, and hidden dangers of the island's landscape play a significant role in the cat-and-mouse chase that forms the core of the story.

Characters

• Sanger Rainsford: The protagonist, a skilled big-game hunter from New York City. He falls off a yacht and becomes stranded on Ship-Trap Island. Rainsford is intelligent, resourceful, and determined to survive. He becomes the unwilling prey in General Zaroff's twisted hunting game.

• General Zaroff: The antagonist, a Cossack aristocrat and skilled hunter. Zaroff owns Ship-Trap Island and has created a sinister game where he hunts humans for sport. He is cultured, intelligent, and completely amoral, viewing his “game” as the ultimate hunting challenge.

• Ivan: Zaroff's imposing deaf-mute servant. He assists Zaroff in his hunts and other tasks on the island.

• Whitney: Rainsford's hunting companion at the beginning of the story. He disappears after their brief conversation about Ship-Trap Island.

Quick facts

• “The Most Dangerous Game” was first published in Collier's Weekly in 1924.

• It won the prestigious O. Henry Award for short fiction in 1924.

• Richard Connell was inspired to write the story after big-game hunting safaris became popular in the 1920s.

• The main character, Sanger Rainsford, is named after a real-life big-game hunter.

• The island in the story is fictionally located in the Caribbean Sea.

• The antagonist, General Zaroff, is a Russian Cossack who fled his country after the Russian Revolution.

• The story's title has a double meaning, referring both to hunting humans and to the “game” Rainsford must play to survive.

• The story has been adapted into multiple films, TV episodes, and even video games.

• The 1932 film version, which closely follows Connell's original and stars Joel McCrea and Leslie Banks, helped cement the story's place in popular culture.

• The story entered the public domain in the United States in 2020.

• “The Most Dangerous Game” is considered one of the most popular and frequently anthologized short stories in English.

About the Author

Richard Edward Connell, Jr. (1893-1949) was an American author, journalist, and screenwriter. During his writing career in the 1920s and 1930s, he produced numerous short stories and novels. He is best known for his short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” which has become a classic of the thriller genre.

Connell's work frequently appeared in popular magazines of his era, including the Saturday Evening Post and Collier's Weekly. His short stories were particularly well-received, earning him a reputation as one of the most skilled American short story writers of his time. He later transitioned to writing for film. His contributions to cinema were recognized in 1942 with an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Story for the film Meet John Doe. Today, Connell is remembered primarily for “The Most Dangerous Game,” which continues to be widely read and adapted for new audiences.