Women of Clapham and London

In "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook," the first episode of the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot, writer Clive Exton portrays women in a curious manner. Take for example, Mrs. Todd. She travels all the way from Clapham to visit his flat in London, then insults Poirot by suggesting that he may not be as intelligent as the papers claim.

It's only after the words have left her mouth that Mrs. Todd realizes he might possibly take offense at her suggestion. And this, from a woman who dresses well, the wife of a respected banker, and seemingly a woman accustomed to moving in society circles.

Nevertheless, Hercule Poirot is gracious. When Mrs. Todd insists so strenuously that a good cook is essential to her quality of life, Poirot agrees to investigate the disappearance of her cook, Eliza Dunn. After all, it means so much to her!

Or consider Annie, Mrs. Todd's parlormaid. She fervently believes that Eliza Dunn was kidnapped by white slavers. Annie has no evidence to back this up, but since Eliza Dunn was afraid of them, the parlormaid believes the white slavers must have taken Ms. Dunn away to a foreign country. Even when Poirot points out that Eliza Dunn later sent a letter, requesting her personal effects be sent to her new address, the parlormaid doesn't change her mind. "Well, wherever she is, she'd want her things," Annie insists.

While Poirot is questioning Annie, Mrs. Todd listens at the door. Afterward, she wants to know what Annie said about her. She believes that servants always badmouth their employers, and fears that Annie may have said something untrue or derogatory about her.

After Mr. Todd comes home, he talks his wife out of finding the missing cook. So after that, Mrs. Todd won't give Poirot the time of day. She seems insensible to the reality that Poirot's kindness in agreeing to investigate her missing cook has lessened Poirot's stature with the police. She's angry with him at the slightest inconvenience his investigation causes her. And this, from a woman who insisted that the missing cook was essential to her quality of life!

Or consider Eliza Dunn. On her day off work, she meets a stranger on the street. She accompanies him to a cafe, where he tells her that he's an attorney, and she's entitled to receive an inheritance. But under the terms of the will (of a supposed ancestor Miss Dunn has never heard of), she can't be employed anywhere, and must take possession of a cottage in Keswick immediately. So Eliza Dunn writes a letter of resignation to her employer, and the stranger puts her on a train that evening. Thus, she embarks on a three hundred mile journey to a place she's never been before, without checking out the facts of this man's story in any way.

Compared with these women, Poirot's secretary, Miss Lemon, seems to have a good head on her shoulders. She keeps his files in order, knows how to get the best out of the necessary tradespeople and suppliers, and manages his bank account better than Poirot himself. Yet, Miss Lemon, this model of efficiency, is never seen as a fully rounded person. While supremely competent in business matters, she has no social life. As best I can remember, over the course of the series, a man only courts her once. Sadly, the man turns out to be a criminal who is using her. 

In "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook," Hercule Poirot tries to search for Eliza Dunn using a direct approach. He dictates an advertisement which Ms. Dunn will be inclined to answer, and entrusts Miss Lemon to place it in all the relevant newspapers. Then he tells his efficient, capable secretary, "Run along," as an adult would speak to a child.

While Clive Exton's portrayal of women in this episode may seem extreme, it's reminiscent of statements Agatha Christie made about the role of women in her autobiography. In her era, women only worked until they married. After marriage, a woman in society largely relied on her servants to run the household and raise her children. With nothing to do, she became reliant on others, and fearful of anything that might rock her world.

Perhaps this explains the determination that drove Agatha Christie to make a career as a working author. Perhaps it explains her strange disappearance after her first husband's affair, and his intent to end their marriage. Perhaps it explains why her books quickly became popular, and have never gone out of fashion.

Or perhaps I'm making too much of little details "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook." It was the first story the production team adapted, after all. And as we all know, there's far more to Agatha Christie, and Hercule Poirot, than just one story.

Dragon Dave