On Agatha Christie’s "English Murder"

Agatha Christie is universally acknowledged as the representative figure of the GoldenAge. Her half-century unremitting effort in literary creation has a crucial influence on thedevelopment of detective fiction henceforth. The detective fiction belongs to the popularliterature and therefore has its weakness and shortcomings. Christie‘s success results from herexploration and research on human nature. Her works break through the limitation andparochialism of detective fiction, involve some social issues at her time and to some extentapproach to the literary canon. In1946, in his essay Decline of English Murder, GeorgeOrwell pointed out what exactly the eternal and popular-discussed "English Murder" was andalso described its characteristics and the relationship of the development of society and the"English Murder".This paper concentrates on Agatha Christie‘s "English Murder", analyzes the socialissues reflected in her novels, and also discusses the subject matter and reasons for thepopularities of "English Murder".Introduction introduces Agatha Christie‘s lifetime and literary creation briefly andexhibits the history of development in detective fictions from Allan Poe to Agatha Christie.The literature review is also included.Chapter One firstly defines the "English Murder" and discusses the characteristicsaccording to George Orwell‘s essay; next, classifies the "English Murder" in Christie‘s works;then, discusses and analyzes how Christie‘s detective novels fit George Orwell‘s descriptionof the "English Murder"; finally, depicts the historical background and the characteristics ofher time.Chapter Two discusses the social issues reflected in Christie‘s "English Murder". Herworks carry on the traditional modes and designs of trick, attach more importance to thehuman nature, and reflect some social issues and the characteristics of the times. During theinterwar period, Christie depicts vividly people‘s confusion and uncertainty about thechanging social environment, attitudes of upper-middle class toward marriage and love,women‘s self-conscious awakening, conflicts and exoticism in family relationships and lustsand chaos in the materialistic world.Chapter Three is contributed to analyze the specific reasons for the popularity of the"English Murder" and source of the subject matter. Most of Christie‘s works originate fromher real life, including class, childhood, marriage, and the historical background. Herpopularity mostly lies in the reflection of social issues in her fictions during the interwar andpostwar period. Also, readers can get fascinated by the profound humanity in Christie‘s works. Besides, the moral didacticism in the fictions, concerns on human nature, her breakthroughstyle of mystery, perfect application of nursery rhyme murder and her cozy style are relishedby the later readers.Conclusion sums up Agatha Christie‘s artistic achievement. Christie‘s "English Murder‖reveals some social issues of the special time, and has social and realistic importance.