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100 Years of Poirot: Why the Agatha Christie appeal is eternal

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Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
Deepanwita Gita NiyogiJun 12, 2020 | 13:40

100 Years of Poirot: Why the Agatha Christie appeal is eternal

Agatha Christie's first published book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles introducing detective Hercule Poirot, was released exactly 100 years ago in 1920.

It is exactly 100 years since Agatha Christie introduced Hercule Poirot to the world through The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Unlike the quintessentially British Sherlock Holmes, Poirot sets foot in England as a Belgian refugee, and in the course of his career as a private detective, becomes a celebrated figure in London.

At the other end of the spectrum is Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster who lives in the village of St Mary Mead, and is occasionally highly thought of by even the Scotland Yard.

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The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in October 1920. Over the years till her death in 1976, Christie produced some 80 novels and numerous plays as well as short stories. Her captivating characters and neat plots full of twists and turns continue to mesmerise her readers even today. Christie’s works have sold over two billion copies worldwide and the queen of crime has been surpassed only by the Bible and Shakespeare in popularity.

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It is exactly 100 years since Agatha Christie introduced Hercule Poirot to the world through The Mysterious Affair at Styles. (Photo: agathachristie.com)

As an avid fan, I have tried to find answers to Christie’s everlasting popularity and why many of her books are read over and over again. Is it only because of her mastery over the plot (Cards on the Table, And Then There Were None, or, say, the brilliant Murder on the Orient Express) or the tender love stories in some of them (The Sittaford Mystery and The Man in the Brown Suit)? In the end in all her books, the several loose strings are neatly tied up much to the satisfaction of readers. However, Christie is much more than just a terrific crime writer. Her books hold the light to an England we left behind years ago, and yet we revisit again and again when we take up a Christie in our hands today.

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A changing English society hit hard by the ravages of the two world wars is what comes across most poignantly in Christie’s works, much like Thomas Hardy, who also faithfully depicted a changing rural landscape in his novels, due to the Industrial Revolution. Christie teaches us much more about the after-effects of war than any history book ever can. A changing social order, shortage of servants, increased burden of taxation, breaking up of old family ties, mistaken identities, impersonations and the struggles of the gentry in keeping their old orders intact create a sense of infinite sadness, misgivings and distrust in the modern way of life. Many of Christie’s characters reminisce about the bygone days, express shock over the current state of affairs in the country, and try to come to terms with the new order.

And in this new way of life, there is also the new woman, like Poirot’s secretary Miss Lemon, who works hard to earn her living. She is the epitome of efficiency, confidence and prudence. But the modern woman also faces a fair share of criticism in her stride towards independence. Her scarlet mouth and varnished nails are often frowned upon by the older generation. A perfect example, who I can think of here, is the character Kay in Towards Zero.

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Agatha Christie’s books hold the light to an England we left behind years ago, and yet we revisit whenever we take up one of her books in our hands. (Photo: Reuters)

In all her books there are constant commentaries, often through conversations between characters, on the differences between the old and the new, between the Occident and the Orient, and between the gentry and the lower classes. There are interesting insights on love, adultery, sex, India, stockings and even the lipstick. So, in reading Christie, one does not read only a perfect plot and a remarkable whodunnit, but is also offered glimpses of a bygone era.

And this is what makes Christie so loved even today. Both Poirot and Marple are much more humane compared to the average detective who solves crimes with single-minded ruthlessness. The former snoops, tells a pack of lies and listens at doors (Dumb Witness), assists lovers and treats his friend, Arthur Hastings, with indulgence and humour. Poirot guards his moustache against the harsh wind with his muffler, employs order, method and the little grey cells to solve crimes and is a dandy to the core. Miss Marple loves her knitting, indulges in village gossip, is proud of her nephew Raymond West and has a deep understanding of human nature. It is much the same everywhere, is what she constantly points out.

So, when you take up a Christie the next time, forget it is crime fiction. Read it for traces of humour, a great sense of writing style, beautiful love stories and the little jewels that sparkle here and there to enliven your day.

Last updated: July 06, 2020 | 14:29
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