Anon poirot biography

1. Biography of Hercule Poirot
2. Poirot's Character and Traits

Biography of Hercule Poirot

Hercule Poirot is a fictional character and a brilliant Belgian detective created by the imaginative mind of author Agatha Christie. Alongside Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and enduring characters. He appears in 33 novels, one play, and over 50 short stories, published between 1920 and 1975.

Poirot is a Belgian immigrant who previously served in the police force. In the novel "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," which is set in 1916, it becomes clear why the detective is out of work and solving mysteries in an English country house. During this period, Belgium was occupied by Germany, and Christie, wanting to express sympathy for Belgian immigrants, created Poirot's corresponding biography.

The name Hercule is the French form of "Hercules," and the surname Poirot sounds like the French word for leek. One theory suggests that the experienced detective was inspired by Marie Belloc Lowndes, the author of "The Lodger" about the crimes of Jack the Ripper, while the surname Poirot is likely associated with a former Belgian policeman named Monsieur Poirot who once lived in London.

The novel "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," in which Poirot first appears (already an older man), was published in 1920. The final story featuring the brilliant detective, whose "little gray cells" worked in a unique way, was the novel "Curtain," released in 1975, a year before Christie's death. His date of birth is nowhere mentioned, but it can be inferred that he lived for over 100 years. Poirot became the only fictional character for whom an obituary was written in the New York Times: "Hercule Poirot is dead; famous Belgian detective."

Poirot's Character and Traits

By the 1930s, Agatha Christie found Poirot to be "unbearable," and by the 1960s, he was depicted as "repulsive, pompous, tiresome, egocentric, and slow." However, the public remained enamored with the detective, and Christie felt it was her duty to continue writing about the character beloved by readers. Even when Poirot wanted to retire into the shadows, new crimes always seemed to occur wherever he went, crimes that were beyond the capabilities of ordinary investigators.

Poirot is of small stature, "a little over five feet four inches" (about 163 cm) with an egg-shaped head and black hair, which he started dyeing in his later years. He has green eyes that shine in a cat-like manner when he has an idea and sports very stiff mustaches, his pride and joy. He dresses impeccably, and Captain Arthur Hastings remarks that a speck of dust would cause Poirot more pain than a bullet wound. Poirot often accompanies Hastings, whom he considers not very intelligent but capable of stumbling upon facts. He prefers polished leather shoes for footwear and, in the early years of his career, was quite fashionable before gradually adopting a more old-fashioned style.

In his home, Poirot maintains perfect order. Each item has its designated place. Thanks to his almost manic cleanliness, Poirot approaches every murder case with meticulous care, ensuring not a single tiny detail escapes him. He is very punctual and carried pocket watches almost until the end of his life. He has a great love for classical music. Finally, Poirot's eccentricities are completed by his desire to always have £444 4s 4d in his bank account. Poirot never suffered from low self-esteem. On the contrary, he often loudly proclaims himself to be a "great man."

During his investigations, Poirot tries to piece together all the fragments of the "mosaic," even the most insignificant facts, which he often extracts from suspects through his psychological experiments without them even realizing it. Hastings is repulsed by some of Poirot's methods, as the detective is willing to rummage through other people's belongings, read their correspondence, and eavesdrop on their conversations without any qualms.

As a habit, at the end of each case, the Belgian prodigy stages a small dramatic show, building up the suspense and dramatically revealing the culprit's identity at the very last moment. Simultaneously, Poirot tries not to remove any rubbish from the house and only publicizes the results of his investigations in extreme cases. Poirot successfully took the radio airwaves and made his way onto the big and small screens. His role has been portrayed by several actors, including Sir Peter Ustinov, Sir Ian Holm, and, of course, the incomparable David Suchet.