The Life And Novels Of Agatha Christie English Literature Essay

One of the things England is famous for are its detective novels; and who could be even more famous than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dame Agatha Christie with their well-known crime-solving detectives Sherlock Holmes, Miss Jane Marple, and

Hercule Poirot?

1. the detectives

a) Describe and embody the three above mentioned fictional characters by giving as many details as possible in regard to outward appearance, self-esteem and self-presentation, as well as habits and personality.

b) Juxtapose the ways and methods of the detective work of the protagonists when solving crimes, over and above along with the detectives’ right-hand men. [1] 

Wherever I go, I am surprised about the interest that prevails at Agatha Christie. This interest is not only reflected in the sales of the books and in the audience of cinema, which is based on her templates, but this interest is also on a personal level. People want to know more about her books, how and why she wrote them, what a person Agatha was, how she conceived her characters- in other answer- where the legend began.

In my work I want to give you an overview of the ”Queen of Crime”. I would try also to explain Agatha Christie’s life and their works closer.

2. Agatha Christie

2.1. Agatha Christie’s life

Agatha Christie is one of the writers with the highest sales around the globe. Worldwide, the sales of their books amounts to over two billion copies only Shakespeare and the Bible-excel her. Agatha Christie wrote in her lifetime 68 crime novels, 19 plays and over 100 short stories, which have been translated into 44 languages. In addition, she wrote three books of poetry, six romance novels (under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott) and two non-fictions. In addition, she wrote three books of poetry, six romance novels (under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott) and two non fictions. [2] 

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Agatha Christie had her own views about why her work was so popular and how she finished it to write so many popular tags. She placed a high value on their privacy, and gave only few interviews during her lifetime. Also in her published autobiography “My good old time“ (1978) she wrote relatively little about her privacy. She said that the successful formula would be in a happy childhood in which you can let your imagination free running. [3] 

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in the county of Devon. It was the third child of Alvah Frederick Miller, a prosperous American and Clarissa Margaret Boehmer, the niece of his stepmother. The two married in 1878 and then lived permanently in England. On Sep 15, 1890 Agatha May Clarissa Miller was born in the “Ashfield“ house.

She was younger than her brother Monty and her sister Madge, who have already visited the boarding school. So the little Agatha grew alone at home up. Her mother brought her reading and mathematics she learned by her father. In 1906 she was sent to a boarding school in Paris, where she trained her voice and found her love for the piano. Although she had much talent and even thought about a career as a concert pianist, these interests were soon in the background. [4] 

The biggest disaster in Agatha Christie’s youth occurred in 1901 when her beloved father died and the financial situation was no longer good. Agatha’s mother hire the “Ashfield“, while Agatha and she went on trips. The young Agatha received several marriage proposals, but they seemed to be waiting for Mr. Right. In 1913 she met at a party Captain Archibald Christie. They married eighteen months later in the day before Christmas Evening in 1914, and two days later, Captain Christie went to war. For two years, Agatha worked as a volunteer nurse at a local hospital. Then she was transferred to the hospital pharmacy, where she acquired knowledge of drugs and poisons. After the war, Christie moved to London, and Archibald got a job at the bank. Agatha Christie’s only child, Rosalind was born in 1919. As early as 1916 Agatha wrote a detective novel to while away the evenings, but only in 1920, she found the missing link in the chain of a publisher. Then she went to the letter and would write a book a year. [5] 

To their marriage, it was unfortunately less favourable. In1926 Archibald Christie announced that he wanted a divorce; he had fallen in love with one another. Agatha was shocked completely. On December 3, 1926, she disappeared and changed only ten days later. During these ten days they made headlines in the newspapers. In the area where they found her abandoned car, an intensive search took place. When she found the medical opinion was to amnesia. The writer never spoke publicly about her disappear. [6] 

1928 Christie were divorced, and Agatha travelled to the Middle East, where she met the archaeologist Max Mallowan. He was fourteen years younger than she. They married in September 1930 and lived long forty-six years in a loving partnership. Agatha rushed live with enthusiasm in their new and published under the name of Agatha Christie Mallowan non-fiction book about her life at archaeological sites. [7] 

Agatha Christie’s daughter Rosalind married to the beginning of World War II. Her husband died in war and in 1949 she married Anthony Hick. [8] 

After the Second World War, Agatha Christie’s continues her work with novels, she celebrated at the same time increasing success with her plays. In 1952in London the West End production of ”Three Blind Mice” was extremely successful, which played to this day without interruption. ”Witness for the prosecution” came the following year on the stage and was filmed in 1957 with equal success. [9] 

Agatha Christie and Max Mallowan received for their respective performances numerous recognition.

In 1956 Agatha Christie raised to the Commander of the British Empire. In 1961 Max Mallowan was bestowed with the same honour. In 1968 he was knighted and was from then Sir Max Mallowan. In 1971 Agatha Christie was raised to Dame of the British Empire. [10] 

On 12 January 1976 Agatha Christie died after it was not good with her health been Her husband wrote in the ”epilogue” by Mallowan’s Memoirs ”that she died peacefully and smoothly”. [11] 

3. Novels:

By the way, the solutions of the criminal acts will not be betrayed, so the fun only really starts here………………………

3.1. Death on the Nile:

Abb.3. Promotional poster for the film

”Death on the Nile”

Characters:

Hercule Poitot…………………………………………………a detective

Linnet Doyle………………………………………………….. a newly married woman

Simon Doyle…………………………………………………. her husband

Jaqueline de Bellfort (Jakie)……………………………….. Simon’s ex-fiancée

Summary:

The beautiful woman Linnet Doyle marries Simon Doyle, who is the ex-fiancé of her friend Jaqueline de Bellfort. Simon and Linnet spend their honeymoon in Egypt. Jackie follows them even during their holidays. She surprises them and she wants to addle them their time. Linnet calls Hercule for help to resolve this situation. Even when the young couple is on the Karnak, Jackie is there to get on their nerves, but Linnet notices something else: Jaqueline calls all the guests her enemies. One evening then Linnet is sleeping, Jaqueline shoots at Simon’s leg. Anyhow he asks the guest to watch Jackie, because she can do something to herself. In the morning Linnet is found dead in a cabin, somebody has killed her. But it cannot be Jaqueline, because at this moment a nurse watched her. Hercule begins with the investigation, but it is not easy because many guest hate Linnet. Two days later they find Linnet’s housemaid dead. When an author wants to tell Hercule something, she dies two hours later. In the end Hercule finds the solution. [12] 

Background:

The book was published under the title Death on the Nile in 1937 in London and 1938 in New York. The Author edited it in 1946 for the stage. The piece celebrated premiere under the title Murder on the Nile on March 19, 1946 in the London Ambassadors theatre. It was renamed for the American market in Hidden Horizon and premiered on September 19, 1946 at the Plymouth Theatre in New York. In 1978 the novel was filmed with Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. [13] 

3.2. Murder on the Orient Express:

Characters:

Hercule Poirot……………………………………………… a detective

Cassetti……………………………………………………..a hated American, who kidnapped and killed Armstrong’s child

Summary:

During the trip from Istanbul to Paris the Orient Express (a train) remains stuck in the snow somewhere in the Balkans, far from people. The next morning, the Americans found Ratchett stabbed in his compartment and for the Accompanying world famous belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the hunt begins to find the murderer. Poirot has a lot of suspects to be examined closely, from the newly married American couple to the Hungarian diplomat. It turns out that the victim is the corrected Cassetti, who has kidnapped and murdered Armstrong’s daughter.

All 13 persons on the train have watertight alibis. But of course, Poirot is on the solution of the case. He finds out that all had previously worked at the Armstrongs or relatives were with them. At the end of the book all the guests gathered in the dining room. Poirot knows who the killers were or. Poirot had two theories. The first was that an unknown person from outside the train Cassetti murdered. Poirot knows that is not

true. He told them their second theory. The correct theory. [14] 

Abb.4. Promotional poster for the film ”Murder on the Orient Express”, 1974

Background:

Based on elicit factual events from the years 1929 and 1932. The book was published in 1934 under the title Murder on the Orient Express in London under the title Murder in the Calais Cache in New York. 1974 filmed with a pure star cast. The role of Hercule Poirot played Albert Finney. [15] 

3.3. Bertram’s hotel:

Characters:

Miss Marple……………………………………………………….. a detectiv

Inspector Davy……………………………………………………. a inspector

Abb.5. Joan Hickson as Miss

Marple

Summary:

Miss Marple spends a few days in London, and what is offered here to be better than to stay for this time of Bertram’s Hotel.

Here it has to be even more the feeling in the old London, at the time of Edward the 7th. Unobtrusive modernization offers the guests peace and comfort, and the guests themselves seem to be all righteous and honourable.

Everything goes on as usual, until one day, when Father Penny disappears without a trace. Many indications for a murder, but this can really be? For most of the guests and hotel employees, it is ruled out, only Miss Marple has a different opinion.

And although they were actually on vacation, it begins to carefully investigate, and encounters because of their skilful action she finds some strange events:

Some people do not seem to be what they claim, and some guests appear in strange times on strange places. Even Scotland Yard, represented by Chief Inspector Davy, mingles after the disappearance of a canon in the events, and Davy is a valuable ally in Miss Marple, without her he would not have solved the case. [16] 

Background:

The book was published in 1965 under the original title At Bertram’s Hotel. 1987 filmed for television. [17] 

4. The big two- Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple

With the creation of two master detectives, Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple, Agatha is twice managed to achieve what only a few authors could: creating fictional characters that are known around the world almost as their spiritual creator and are held even by many readers for real. [18] 

4.1. Hercule Poirot

One of the most famous detectives in the mystery fiction is the eccentric Belgian who relies on his keen grasp of logic to nab crooks and English spinster Miss Jane Maple who uses her feminine intuition to solve crime. The Belgian detective Hercule Poirot first appeared in 1920 in Agatha Christie’s first novel ”The Mysterious Affair at Styles”. Poirot has many characteristics which have made him a legend all over the world – the odd moustache, the egg-shaped face and his high opinion of himself. He will though most likely be best remembered for his ability to solve complicated mysteries with the help of his little grey cells. Christie’s first novel ”The Mysterious Affair at Styles”, which was published in 1920, featured Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Poirot appeared in 33 of Christie’s novels and in numerous short stories.

Poirot often used his “little grey cells” to solve complicated crimes. Rather egotistical about his accomplishments, Poirot often used psychology to solve his crimes. He was not above using his unusual appearance and broken English to his advantage.

4.2. Miss Marple

Miss Marple, who lives in the quaint little village of St. Mary Mead, appears in twelve novels and twenty short stories. Miss Marple’s first appearance was in the novel ”The Murder at the Vicarage” in 1930.

Miss Marple, with her snowy white hair and wrinkled face gives the impression of being the typical spinster aunt. Her ever-present knitting needles and penchant for gossip inspires trust and confession. Like Poirot, Miss Marple is often underestimated by people. Miss Marple books are often called ”tea cosy books”, which are a type of light mystery that usually centres on life in an English village. Some of the more popular novels include ”The Murder at the Vicarage”, ”The Body in the Library”, and ”A Murder is Announced”.

4.3. Comparison

Who is the favourite detective?

“Agatha Christie herself claimed to favour Miss Marple, though in truth she wrote more books featuring Poirot. As for the readers, some swear by Poirot while others fall prey to Miss Marple’s sweet-mannered charm.

Miss Marple’s partner and best friend: ‘Mr Stringer’“. [19] 

Abb.6. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple

5. Summary

One thing is clear- Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time.  She has sold over two billion books worldwide and has been translated into over 45 languages.  In a writing career that spanned more than half a century, Agatha Christie wrote eighty novels and short story collections.  She also wrote over a dozen plays, including The Mousetrap, which is now the longest running play in theatrical history.

When I was with Agatha Christie’s life and works employed more detail impressed me most Agatha Christie’s ingenuity, the enormous range of her characters and the different genres to which they dared.

“Why not make my detective a Belgian?…I could see him as a tidy little man, always arranging things, liking things in pairs, liking things square instead of round. And he should be brainy – he should have little grey cells of the mind.” [20] 

And so one of the greatest detectives in literature was born!

“There was no unkindness in Miss Marple, she just did not trust people.  Though she expected the worst, she often accepted people kindly in spite of what they were. ”  [21] 

And so the next detective was born!

I think those are two of the greatest fictional detective in the whole world. In my work I have learned that the crime novels do not always end so, as the readers think. Agatha Christie is very good at deceiving people just like her characters or her detective. She is and will be remain one of the best crime writers.