Hastings in the Houses of Parliament

Recently, I read I Will Repay by Baroness Emma Orczy, the sequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel. Although written second, this eventually became the sixth novel in her series of books about Sir Percy Blakeney, a British nobleman who saves the French aristocracy from the guillotine. I like how Orczy took the time later to illumine earlier periods of Sir Percy's life, and I look forward to reading those prequels. I also like how her novels, or at least the two I've read thus far, illumine the French revolution for me. I don't remember studying this period in any depth in school History classes, whether in elementary, high school, or even in my college years. Any American readers out there feel as though their teachers covered the French Revolution well? Or have I just grown forgetful in my, um, mature years?

While reading I noticed some intriguing similarities between Orczy's second novel and the characters and situations Agatha Christie used in her second novel, The Murder on the Links. As Christie set her novel in France, perhaps this was intentional on her part. Likewise, when I read Orczy's first novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel, I spotted similarities with Christie's debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I wrote about these in a couple posts, perhaps most extensively in "Agatha Christie: Inspiration for Hercule Poirot." (See link below). 

Similarities can always be drawn between stories, especially stories written about a particular country or topic. But one similarity is especially worthy of note. For his early adventures, including The Murder on the Links, Agatha Christie partnered Hercule Poirot with his friend Hastings. Ex-Army officer Captain Arthur Hastings had strong links with the British aristocracy, and worked for a Member of Parliament. Plus, he was an all-around good guy, and fun to have around.

In Baroness Emma Orczy's novels, and especially in I Will Repay, Sir Percy Blakeney helps whisk French nobility from the murderous mobs with stalwart companions who join The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. One prominently mentioned in I Will Repay is Lord Edward Hastings. Although I don't know him so well, I'm sure he's also a really good guy, and equally fun to have around.

Later in her series, John Hastings (Edward's cousin) would also join the League. I look forward to reading about that.

In 2011, on our first visit to London, my wife and I visited the Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament. The Prime Minister (or P.M.), and the Members of Parliament (or M.P.s), meet in the House of Commons. That's the green upholstered room in the Palace of Westminster, where these elected officials discuss, argue, and vote on governmental issues. By the time we were allowed admittance, the meeting in the House of Commons had adjourned for the night, so we could not see that section of the Palace. But we were allowed admission to the House of Lords. This other wing of the Palace, in which Lords appointed by the monarch, or their successors, meet to discuss the same or similar issues as those of the M.P.s, is upholstered in red. So, in Christie's world, Hastings works for an M.P., elected by the people, who helps run the government of Britain in the green House of Commons. In Orczy's world, Hastings helps run the government in the red House of Lords. Both authors envisioned an important, trustworthy, and fun-loving man named Hastings working in the Palace of Westminster, on the affairs of the nation, on behalf of the British people. An interesting similarity, don't you think?

Of course, as I mentioned in "Agatha Christie's Exclusive Club," Christie and Orczy were both members of The Detection Club, an exclusive writers' club in England. But that would come later for Agatha Christie. When she published The Murder on the Links, she was just an up-and-coming writer, inspired by the efforts of her literary heroes. Might Baroness Emma Orczy have been a hero of Christie's? It'd be nice to pop into Doctor Who's TARDIS, travel back in time, and chat with her about that. After all, it was a Doctor Who TV story, the First Doctor era six-part episode "The Reign of Terror," that got me interested in Baroness Emma Orczy, and reading her books about the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Dragon Dave

Related Poirot Posts:
Agatha Christie: Inspiration for Hercule Poirot
Agatha Christie's Exclusive Club

Hercule Poirot Doesn't Swear

One factor in how a story ages is the words with which it is written. I don't mean the language itself, such as English or French, but the idioms and words that fail to pass the test of time. As a native Belgian, Hercule Poirot often salts his English with a word or phrase of French. Sometimes the editor of an edition of Christie's novels will translate that into English for the reader. Most often not. Either way, Poirot makes his point perfectly clear in English, and uses words that today's readers readily understand. Thus, knowing (or looking up) the French remarks merely enhances an already pleasurable reading experience. 

In comparing Christie's writing with that of her contemporary, Baroness Emma Orczy, one thing I found interesting was the number of words I stumbled over in the latter's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. Many times these were French words in use during that country's revolution, such as Ci-Devant, which meant "former," and was commonly associated with the aristocrats the revolutionaries killed, arrested, or otherwise stripped of land, title, and power. But other words also tripped me up, and these were English words, not French. Many of these were swear words.

Although spoken in English, these words and phrases communicated nothing to me. Here's one for you: Odd's fish. Say it with feeling: "Odd's fish!" Feel better? Good, because I've got a few more to consider: "Zooks" and "Zounds." I especially like these last two, because they start with "Z", one of the most underutilized letters in the English alphabet. These three words and phrases, along with equally mystifying others, are readily and repeatedly expounded by the Scarlet Pimpernel and his associates. "Odd's Fish!" "Zooks!" "Zounds!" It's a fair bet you haven't heard anyone using words and phrases like that recently.

These swear words are abbreviations, or short-hand for invoking the name of the Divine. Thus, when someone snapped "Odd's Fish!" what he really meant was "God's Fish!" Zooks and Zounds are even more evocative. Zooks is short for Gadzooks, which apparently meant God's Hooks, or the nails used to impale Jesus to the cross. Zounds was short for wounds, or more specifically God's Wounds, such as those Christ received from the nails driven into him on the cross. Such abbreviations are called minced oaths, in which a blasphemous or taboo term is replaced by one less objectionable. Still, everyone then knew what the speaker was referring to.

Beginning authors often salt their characters' dialogue with swear words. It's an easy way to reveal a character's anger, sadness, or disgust. As an author matures, he or she may find more sophisticated ways of revealing emotions and turmoil without resorting to such crassness. This takes work and skill, as it involves the author striving to widen his readership to entertaining without offending his readers. To me this seems a worthy, and perhaps even noble, goal.

I have no idea how Baroness Emma Orczy portrayed herself in the media. By all accounts The Scarlet Pimpernel caused a sensation in the early 20th Century. Yet I'm sure we can agree that, a hundred years later, that novel, and those that followed in the series, are not read as often, or as widely, and certainly are not loved and taught and adapted and discussed as much as those of Agatha Christie. What strikes me as even more notable is that Baroness Emma Orczy was a deposed aristocrat. Given her upbringing, I have to wonder: did she swear in public like her characters?

Unlike Orczy's character Sir Percy Blakeney, Hercule Poirot is a humble Belgian policeman. Whereas Blakeney was born to power, Poirot must earn his place in society. While Blakeney hangs out with the English aristocracy, including the British royal family, Poirot must impress them with his conduct, as well as his little grey cells. So it makes sense that, while Poirot often flaunts expectations by his conclusions and actions, he doesn't flaunt others' expectations of proper conduct by using words and phrases that others may find offensive. Not even in Agatha Christie's first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Perhaps that's part of the secret to Hercule Poirot's enduring popularity, and an example of the wisdom contained in Agatha Christie's little grey cells.

Agatha Christie's Exclusive Club

My research into links between Agatha Christie and her literary predecessor, Baroness Emma Orczy, uncovered one indisputable fact. The two writers knew each other and conversed with each other, as they belonged to the same writers' club. This was called the Detection Club, or the London Detection Club, formed in 1928, a decade after The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published. In 1930, when the members formalized their group, Agatha Christie and Baroness Emma Orczy were listed as charter members, along with other luminaries of the mystery genre, including G. K. Chesterton (The Father Brown Mysteries), Dorothy L. Sayers (the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries), and A. A. Milne (Hey, Winnie-the-Pooh stories are mysteries too, right?) 

Thereafter, the members would admit additional authors into their ranks, but only those whose work set them apart from their fellows. Some members whose works I have read, who have since been received as members of this exclusive club, include P. D. James (The Children of Men) and John Le Carre (The Spy Who Came In From The Cold). Other authors, whose novels and TV adaptations have become important to me, are Reginald Hill (the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries), Colin Dexter (the Inspector Morse mysteries, which also formed the basis for today's Inspector Lewis TV series), and Jonathan Gash (writer of the Lovejoy mysteries, upon which the too-short TV series starring Ian McShane was based). 

The Detection Club is still around today, with an interactive website that is regularly maintained and updated. There you can find a list of past members, references to important golden age British mystery authors, writer biographies, and even essays on how to write detective stories. There's a lot to read and discover there, if you're so inclined. I've included the direct link to their Agatha Christie page below. From there, you can explore further on your own. So if you find it of value, and learn something you'd like to share with me, feel free to leave a comment below. Personally, I can't help wondering what Agatha Christie and Baroness Emma Orczy might have spoken about, perhaps seated in two comfortable chairs, and enjoying a cup of hot tea and chocolate biscuits. Or what she might have talked to G. K. Chesterton about. 

Who knows, maybe she even shared her thoughts on Winnie-the-Pooh with A. A. Milne. If so, I'm betting she put a spoonful of honey into her tea. As a mark of respect, if you know what I mean, mon ami.

Related Internet Links
Agatha Christie's Page

Agatha Christie: Inspiration For Hercule Poirot

In the TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Hercule Poirot lectures a group of fellow Belgian refugees on English horticulture: specifically, the Scarlet Pimpernel. As this scene doesn't appear in the novel, this got me wondering if screenwriter Clive Exton saw any similarities between the two fictional characters. When Agatha Christie invented Hercule Poirot for his first novel, writer Baroness Emma Orczy's own creation, The Scarlet Pimpernel (SP), was flying high in the British public mindset. Her play of the same name had caused a sensation, which led her to write a novelization, and then a series of bestselling novels on her famous hero. In time, Agatha Christie's character of Hercule Poirot would overtake Orczy's creation, but I couldn't help but wonder, given his popularity at the time, if Christie's creation of Poirot might have been in any way inspired by that of Orczy.

While reading Baroness Emma Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel, I noticed the two novels share some intriguing similarities. Both occur during wartime, with SP set during the French Revolution, and Styles set during World War I. Both concern the fate of refugees, with SP rescuing the French aristocracy, and Mrs. Emily Inglethorp arranging for the housing of Belgian refugees in her village. Both are largely written from the point of view of someone who initially underestimates the hero: in Styles, the narrator is Hastings, who sees Poirot as intelligent, but can't help but feeling he'd make a better detective. In The Scarlet Pimpernel, Marguerite sees her husband as simple-minded, and wonders how she could have been so stupid to have married him. This is because both protagonists hide their intelligence like a cloak, and wish others to underestimate them. 

The third act of both novels concern a dramatic rescue. In The Scarlet Pimpernel, Marguerite sails across a storm-tossed sea to France, where she attempts to warn SP that a trap has been set for him, while he is attempting to rescue more of the French aristocracy. In Styles, Hercule Poirot races against time, taking a cab from London down to Styles Court, to search for the vital clue that would save an innocent man from a courtroom prosecutor's utterly-convincing arguments. In both cases, the fate the protagonists eventually save the innocent from is death: in SP, by the guillotine. In Styles, the hangman's noose.

Both heroes are particular about their appearance. In Styles, when Captain Hastings races to Poirot's home to tell him of Emily Inglethorp's murder, Poirot urges Hastings to calm down, to recount the important incidents of the last few days, while he dresses and combs his mustache. He then straightens Hasting's tie, and remarks on his friend's disheveled appearance, before he will allow his friend to accompany him back to Styles Court. This is hardly an aberration for Poirot, as he is always impeccably dressed, with his smart suits, hats, and walking stick, which makes him stand out in the TV series. In The Scarlet Pimpernel, SP's alter ego Sir Percy Blakeney is also renowned for his impeccable dress sense. In fact, he leads the London fashion scene, wearing new styles of clothing that others in society take note of, and begin wearing as a result. Both men form a focal point at parties, their unique appearance and magnetic personalities enhancing the appeal of any social do. Hercule Poirot may not toss out the verbal witticisms like Percy, but those who speak with him find his dialogue no less memorable.

I've no doubt that more similarities could be drawn between the two characters and novels, and if you've spotted any that I've overlooked, I'd love to hear from you. I'm also curious what you think of my analysis. Based on the similarities I've listed above, do you think Agatha Christie, at least in part, base Hercule Poirot on this other popular fictional hero? Or are all these attributes simply elements that make for an interesting character and a popular series of novels?

Hercules Poirot & the Scarlet Pimpernel Part 2

In the TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, soldiers charge through the trees, dive onto the ground, and aim at faraway targets with their rifles. Then someone shouts, "Hold your fire," and an elegantly attired foot alights on the fallen leaves beside one soldier. As he looks on, the feet mince past him, and the tip of a walking stick points to a particular plant. 

Then a cultured voice lectures, "Another example of the English bucolic beliefs." After stating the Latin name of the plant, which he translates into common English as the Scarlet Pimpernel, he says, "It is believed that when this flower is opened it is a sign of a prolonged spell of fine weather." The camera travels up to Hercule Poirot's face, and he smiles regretfully. "It is seldom open in this country."

As I said in Part 1, this scene does not appear in the novel. It therefore begs the question why Clive Exton, who dramatized it for TV, inserted it. Is it simply about Poirot instructing his fellow Belgian refugees that, as "guests in this country," they must learn the English language, beliefs, and culture, so that they can gain "the confidence of the natives?" Is it intended to demonstrate how Poirot often looks silly to other, as he blithely galavants through a muddy forest, in his formal clothes and delicate shoes, totally oblivious to the war games and the gunfire going on around him?

Or did Exton write it to introduce Poirot into the story far earlier than in Christie's novel?

What do you think?

Hercule Poirot & the Scarlet Pimpernel Part 1

In the TV adaptation of The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie, we first meet Hercule Poirot in the woods. This seems an odd place for him, as he later professes to dislike the countryside, where all of nature is sprawling about in a disordered fashion. Stranger yet, he walks past a man in an Army uniform sprawled on the ground, staring down his rifle at a faraway target. Yet Poirot ignores the soldier, and points out a scarlet pimpernel on the ground.

A moment later, we see he is lecturing to his fellow Belgians, who are refugees now living in England. When one of the group speaks to another in Belgian, he insists that the man speak in English. They are guests in this country, he reminds them, so they must learn to live like the English do. This scene is a creation of the production team, not present in the novel. To me, it seems an odd insertion into Christie's story, and prompts a number of questions, such as:

1) Why would Poirot be oblivious to Army exercises?
2) Why would Poirot insist that his friends speak English?
3) Why would Poirot point out a particular flower, when he's not interested in nature?

Intriguing questions no, Mon'ami?