Agatha Christie's Enduring Popularity Is No Mystery
The detective story, first invented by Edgar Allen Poe, grew immensely popular with the introduction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. The introduction of a single character solving many cases proved a successful strategy for selling stories, and Doyle wrote many installments of his ever-popular character’s experiences. Agatha Christie’s character Hercule Poirot also exploded in popularity. Since Doyle and Christie’s work, detective and mystery stories have remained in the spotlight. The public continues to enjoy these stories, and critics have offered insights concerning the popularity, from the formulaic nature to the compelling characters to even the time period in which most detective stories are written—the twentieth century
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during the First and Second World Wars. One reason detective stories maintain their popularity is the formulaic storytelling method, made popular by Doyle’s series. Feryal Çubukcu, author of the article “Detective Stories from Sherlock Holmes to Whitechapel,” explains the six main aspects of a detective story: “(a) introduction of the detective; (b) crime and clues; (c) investigation; (d) announcement and solution; (e) explanation of the solution; (f) denouement” (Çubukcu 3). Every story contains these basic points, though Çubukcu argues that some authors consolidate them. Without these elements, the classical detective story does not exist. Agatha Christie first introduces Hercule Poirot in 1920 in her novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The story begins with an introduction of the case by Arthur Hastings, the narrator and on sick leave from the Western Front. Hastings is staying at Styles, a residence held by Emily Inglethorp, a wealthy widow who recently remarried Alfred Inglethorp (Christie 2). When the other residents find Emily dying of poison, Hastings reaches out to his friend, Hercule Poirot, who happens to be staying in the nearby village (Christie 11). Poirot works to solve the case and the novel follows as he works. Alfred is the primary suspect because if his wife dies, he inherits a large sum of money. As other investigators look to other suspects, Poirot continues to work to prove Alfred’s guilt. He eventually succeeds, claiming Alfred as his wife’s murderer (Christie 93). The case is solved and the family can properly grieve the loss of Emily without worrying about the murderer. Christie’s novel embraces the storytelling formula—Poirot and his case are introduced, the clues are laid out, and he pinpoints the true culprit. Perhaps the most telling clue is the letter that Alfred leaves for Evelyn Howard, his cousin with whom he is having an affair. The handwriting, Poirot notes, is quite obviously Alfred’s, a reveal that does not come until the end of the story (Christie 93). The Mysterious Affair at Styles is not Christie’s only work that follows this formula; in fact, this method is shown to be the most successful means of telling a detective story because of its reliability and familiarity. Detective novels, while popular today, saw immense popularity in the twentieth century. Joan Acocella, author of the New York Times article “Queen of Crime,” explores the significance of the World Wars. The First and Second World Wars, she writes, are “golden age” of detective stories because everyone was writing them (Acocella). The detective story formula was already well known and adhering to it often ensured a contract with a publisher. Christie and her husband were struggling to maintain a stable salary, so she took to writing detective novels (Acocella). Though she initially stumbled to create a well-written story, Christie gathered an audience because of her ability to create a “puzzle mystery,” a story that is a race between author and reader to see who can figure out the culprit first (Acocella). Christie’s story model proved successful, and she was selling novels before long. Unlike other stories published at the time, Christie’s rarely involved violence because Christie herself found violence unfavorable. Her victims often died from ingesting poison instead of facing all sorts of different ends. Dorothy Sayers, one of Christie’s colleagues, notes that other mystery writers’ victims died by “licking poisoned stamps; shaving-brushes inoculated with dread disease . . . poisoned mattresses; knives dropped through the ceiling; stabbing with a sharp icicle; electrocution by telephone” (Acocella). Christie, however, so strongly opposed violence that her detective characters never carried guns. Instead, bystanders usually physically restrained the dangerous individual. Once, in a case without bystanders, Christie’s character “squirts soapy water into the murderer’s face” in order to remove the threat (Acocella). Surprisingly, this method works and the danger thwarted. Christie also avoids showcasing violence by introducing the murders after they have taken place so the reader is not subjected to unfavorable details (Acocella). Despite the different settings Christie employs in her writing, the majority of her characters’ motives for killing an individual are the same—money (Acocella). In The Mysterious Affair at Styles, for instance, Alfred kills his wife in order to obtain her tremendous wealth for himself. Her stories often show how material or monetary greed so easily destroys relationships, perhaps acting as a warning to those reading: greed makes an individual do terrible deeds. During the World Wars, Christie worked as a pharmacist, using her scientific knowledge to her advantage.
Kathryn Harkup, author of the article “Agatha Christie’s Enduring Popularity Is No Mystery,” writes that Christie’s use of poison as her victims’ main killer showcases her vast knowledge of different chemicals and poisons. Harkup also notes that Christie employs poisons so often, but the effect is so great that readers often do not object. In The Mysterious Affair at Styles, for instance, three drugs are involved in Emily Inglethorp’s death. Harkup explains the fatal combination involving Mrs. Inglethorp’s medicine, a strychnine tonic: “[the tonic] is tampered with by having bromide powders added. The combination of the two drugs causes the strychnine to concentrate at the bottom of the bottle so a lethal quantity is delivered in the final fatal dose. A third drug, a narcotic, delays the action of the strychnine, causing confusion as to when the poison might have been administered” (Harkup 19). Without experience in the medical field, an individual most likely would not know the effects of the three drugs. Christie demonstrates that although formulaic, her stories are strengthened by her ability to use chemicals
affectively. Christie is most known for her Hercule Poirot stories, but she also wrote about Miss Jane Marple. Both characters intrigue the audience because of their unique appearances. Poirot, for instance, “dyes his hair; he smokes thin, black Russian cigarettes…he wears pointy patent-leather shoes ill-suited to walking the grounds of the country houses where he must often do his sleuthing” (Acocella). The recognizable traits provide the reader with a steady character that he or she can continuously meet and become acquainted with throughout the various installments. Poirot’s appearance rarely changes; he smokes Russian cigarettes and wears pointy shoes. He also uses his French accent to his advantage, exaggerating it in interrogations. As a result, suspects take him less seriously and end up telling him more, sure that he does not have the qualifications he says he does (Acocella). Much like Poirot, Miss Marple relies on her status as a “sweetly bewildered old lady” (Acocella). Individuals often discredit Miss Marple because she knits constantly and does not interrogate suspects. The result is the same: individuals tell Miss Marple more details. Christie’s characters rely on their presumed weaknesses to solve cases instead of resorting to violence like other detective characters. Christie’s stories often play a sort of game with the reader. Initially, the reader suspects an individual because of a shaky alibi, but the detective often moves on to another character before returning to question the first individual. The reader follows the story, questioning his or her own reasoning skills. Constant red herrings throw the reader off. When discussing the effects of certain drugs, for instance, Christie often provides several symptoms that point to multiple drugs, further confusing the reader (Harkup 19). Christie also helps the reader to solve the case. Many detective characters have a confidant—Watson and Holmes, for example—with whom they share knowledge (Acocella). Through the exchange of dialogue, the reader can piece the information together and try to solve the case before the detective. The thrill often lies in discovering clues and putting those clues together faster than the detective. Detective stories are popular because of their formulaic patterns—a reader knows what to expect and can easily become involved in the story. Christie’s works remain widely read because of her ability to weave distinct characters, scientific knowledge, and clever writing into timeless pieces. Her characters charm readers and the game of solving the case keeps readers looking for clues and working to solve cases themselves. Christie masterfully creates stories that entertain vast audiences, which is why she remains one of the top-selling authors in the world.
during the First and Second World Wars. One reason detective stories maintain their popularity is the formulaic storytelling method, made popular by Doyle’s series. Feryal Çubukcu, author of the article “Detective Stories from Sherlock Holmes to Whitechapel,” explains the six main aspects of a detective story: “(a) introduction of the detective; (b) crime and clues; (c) investigation; (d) announcement and solution; (e) explanation of the solution; (f) denouement” (Çubukcu 3). Every story contains these basic points, though Çubukcu argues that some authors consolidate them. Without these elements, the classical detective story does not exist. Agatha Christie first introduces Hercule Poirot in 1920 in her novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The story begins with an introduction of the case by Arthur Hastings, the narrator and on sick leave from the Western Front. Hastings is staying at Styles, a residence held by Emily Inglethorp, a wealthy widow who recently remarried Alfred Inglethorp (Christie 2). When the other residents find Emily dying of poison, Hastings reaches out to his friend, Hercule Poirot, who happens to be staying in the nearby village (Christie 11). Poirot works to solve the case and the novel follows as he works. Alfred is the primary suspect because if his wife dies, he inherits a large sum of money. As other investigators look to other suspects, Poirot continues to work to prove Alfred’s guilt. He eventually succeeds, claiming Alfred as his wife’s murderer (Christie 93). The case is solved and the family can properly grieve the loss of Emily without worrying about the murderer. Christie’s novel embraces the storytelling formula—Poirot and his case are introduced, the clues are laid out, and he pinpoints the true culprit. Perhaps the most telling clue is the letter that Alfred leaves for Evelyn Howard, his cousin with whom he is having an affair. The handwriting, Poirot notes, is quite obviously Alfred’s, a reveal that does not come until the end of the story (Christie 93). The Mysterious Affair at Styles is not Christie’s only work that follows this formula; in fact, this method is shown to be the most successful means of telling a detective story because of its reliability and familiarity. Detective novels, while popular today, saw immense popularity in the twentieth century. Joan Acocella, author of the New York Times article “Queen of Crime,” explores the significance of the World Wars. The First and Second World Wars, she writes, are “golden age” of detective stories because everyone was writing them (Acocella). The detective story formula was already well known and adhering to it often ensured a contract with a publisher. Christie and her husband were struggling to maintain a stable salary, so she took to writing detective novels (Acocella). Though she initially stumbled to create a well-written story, Christie gathered an audience because of her ability to create a “puzzle mystery,” a story that is a race between author and reader to see who can figure out the culprit first (Acocella). Christie’s story model proved successful, and she was selling novels before long. Unlike other stories published at the time, Christie’s rarely involved violence because Christie herself found violence unfavorable. Her victims often died from ingesting poison instead of facing all sorts of different ends. Dorothy Sayers, one of Christie’s colleagues, notes that other mystery writers’ victims died by “licking poisoned stamps; shaving-brushes inoculated with dread disease . . . poisoned mattresses; knives dropped through the ceiling; stabbing with a sharp icicle; electrocution by telephone” (Acocella). Christie, however, so strongly opposed violence that her detective characters never carried guns. Instead, bystanders usually physically restrained the dangerous individual. Once, in a case without bystanders, Christie’s character “squirts soapy water into the murderer’s face” in order to remove the threat (Acocella). Surprisingly, this method works and the danger thwarted. Christie also avoids showcasing violence by introducing the murders after they have taken place so the reader is not subjected to unfavorable details (Acocella). Despite the different settings Christie employs in her writing, the majority of her characters’ motives for killing an individual are the same—money (Acocella). In The Mysterious Affair at Styles, for instance, Alfred kills his wife in order to obtain her tremendous wealth for himself. Her stories often show how material or monetary greed so easily destroys relationships, perhaps acting as a warning to those reading: greed makes an individual do terrible deeds. During the World Wars, Christie worked as a pharmacist, using her scientific knowledge to her advantage.
Kathryn Harkup, author of the article “Agatha Christie’s Enduring Popularity Is No Mystery,” writes that Christie’s use of poison as her victims’ main killer showcases her vast knowledge of different chemicals and poisons. Harkup also notes that Christie employs poisons so often, but the effect is so great that readers often do not object. In The Mysterious Affair at Styles, for instance, three drugs are involved in Emily Inglethorp’s death. Harkup explains the fatal combination involving Mrs. Inglethorp’s medicine, a strychnine tonic: “[the tonic] is tampered with by having bromide powders added. The combination of the two drugs causes the strychnine to concentrate at the bottom of the bottle so a lethal quantity is delivered in the final fatal dose. A third drug, a narcotic, delays the action of the strychnine, causing confusion as to when the poison might have been administered” (Harkup 19). Without experience in the medical field, an individual most likely would not know the effects of the three drugs. Christie demonstrates that although formulaic, her stories are strengthened by her ability to use chemicals
affectively. Christie is most known for her Hercule Poirot stories, but she also wrote about Miss Jane Marple. Both characters intrigue the audience because of their unique appearances. Poirot, for instance, “dyes his hair; he smokes thin, black Russian cigarettes…he wears pointy patent-leather shoes ill-suited to walking the grounds of the country houses where he must often do his sleuthing” (Acocella). The recognizable traits provide the reader with a steady character that he or she can continuously meet and become acquainted with throughout the various installments. Poirot’s appearance rarely changes; he smokes Russian cigarettes and wears pointy shoes. He also uses his French accent to his advantage, exaggerating it in interrogations. As a result, suspects take him less seriously and end up telling him more, sure that he does not have the qualifications he says he does (Acocella). Much like Poirot, Miss Marple relies on her status as a “sweetly bewildered old lady” (Acocella). Individuals often discredit Miss Marple because she knits constantly and does not interrogate suspects. The result is the same: individuals tell Miss Marple more details. Christie’s characters rely on their presumed weaknesses to solve cases instead of resorting to violence like other detective characters. Christie’s stories often play a sort of game with the reader. Initially, the reader suspects an individual because of a shaky alibi, but the detective often moves on to another character before returning to question the first individual. The reader follows the story, questioning his or her own reasoning skills. Constant red herrings throw the reader off. When discussing the effects of certain drugs, for instance, Christie often provides several symptoms that point to multiple drugs, further confusing the reader (Harkup 19). Christie also helps the reader to solve the case. Many detective characters have a confidant—Watson and Holmes, for example—with whom they share knowledge (Acocella). Through the exchange of dialogue, the reader can piece the information together and try to solve the case before the detective. The thrill often lies in discovering clues and putting those clues together faster than the detective. Detective stories are popular because of their formulaic patterns—a reader knows what to expect and can easily become involved in the story. Christie’s works remain widely read because of her ability to weave distinct characters, scientific knowledge, and clever writing into timeless pieces. Her characters charm readers and the game of solving the case keeps readers looking for clues and working to solve cases themselves. Christie masterfully creates stories that entertain vast audiences, which is why she remains one of the top-selling authors in the world.