Gentleman detective
A well-educated, often eccentric sleuth of the British gentry.
The gentleman detective is a long-standing figure in crime fiction, especially in novels and short stories from the United Kingdom's Golden Age. These heroes are not always aristocrats, but they typically belong to the British gentry or behave like gentlemen. They often stand in contrast to working-class professional police detectives. This archetype includes amateurs, private investigators, and even police officers. They are uniformly well-educated, often pursue unusual or eccentric hobbies, and are most at home in an English country house.
Early examples of this character appear at the dawn of modern detective fiction in the late 19th century. Edgar Allan Poe's C. Auguste Dupin is widely seen as the first fictional detective in English literature, appearing in three 1840s short stories: "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841), "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt" (1842), and "The Purloined Letter" (1844). Poe created Dupin before the word "detective" existed, but his work established many common elements of the genre. Dupin shares traits with later gentleman detectives; he is described as the first important fictional detective and the model for nearly every cerebral crime solver who followed. Dorothy L. Sayers noted that Sherlock Holmes modeled himself largely on Dupin, swapping candlelight for cocaine and adding shag tobacco and fiddle-playing. Though French, not English, Dupin is likely a gentleman. He comes from a once-wealthy family reduced by misfortune to modest means. He is a complete amateur, content with life's basics, and lives in Paris with an anonymous narrator friend. Like the later Lord Peter Wimsey, Dupin is a bibliophile—he met his friend while both sought the same rare book in an obscure library. His hobbies include enigmas, conundrums, and hieroglyphics. He also holds the French title Chevalier, a knighthood in the Légion d'honneur.
The classic British gentleman detective soon followed. Wilkie Collins' *The Moonstone* (1868), an epistolary novel widely considered the first true detective novel in English, features a gentleman amateur as its ultimate hero. Collins, a lawyer and close friend of Charles Dickens, also used gifted amateurs in his earlier mystery *The Woman in White* (1859). In *The Moonstone*, Rachel Verinder, the only child of a wealthy aristocratic widow, inherits a huge diamond on her eighteenth birthday.
- First fictional detective in english lit
- C. Auguste Dupin, created by Edgar Allan Poe
- First true detective novel in english
- The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins
- Most famous gentleman detective
- Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Golden age queens of crime
- Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers
- Notable golden age gentleman detectives
- Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) and Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy L. Sayers)
Lore & Background
Gentlemen detectives appeared early in modern detective fiction, which began in the late 19th century. C. Auguste Dupin, created by Edgar Allan Poe, is widely considered to be the first fictional detective in English literature. He appeared in three short stories written in the 1840s. Poe created Dupin before the word detective had been coined, but began many common elements of detective fiction. Dupin shares some features with the later gentleman detective. He is French, not English, but is probably a gentleman. He comes from a once wealthy family but has been reduced to more humble circumstances. He is entirely amateur and lives in Paris with his close friend, the anonymous narrator. Like the much later Lord Peter Wimsey, Dupin is a bibliophile, and met his narrator friend while both were searching for the same rare book. For hobbies, Dupin is fond of enigmas, conundrums, and hieroglyphics.
The classic British gentleman detective appears soon after Poe's Dupin. A gentleman amateur is the ultimate hero of The Moonstone (1868), widely considered the first true detective novel in English. In that novel, the mystery is eventually solved by Franklin Blake, a gifted amateur and definitely a member of the gentry. The social difference between Collins' two detectives is shown by their relationships with the Verinder family: Sergeant Cuff becomes a great friend of Lady Verinder's steward, whereas Franklin Blake eventually marries her daughter. The most famous of all fictional detectives, Sherlock Holmes, may also be considered a gentleman, at least by background. Holmes is a brilliant London-based consulting detective. In the best traditions of the gentry, Holmes proves to be physically brave, and competent with fists, sword and pistol. Like the earlier Dupin and the later Lord Peter Wimsey, Holmes is also a competent cryptanalyst.
Reader's Guide
The gentleman detective archetype contrasts with the more 'hardboiled' counterpart in American crime fiction. The renowned crime writers of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction were mostly British and mostly women, including the four 'Queens of Crime' (Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L. Sayers). They all produced at least one gentleman detective. Their books featuring these characters are still generally in print. Hercule Poirot first appeared in 1920, in Agatha Christie's first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. He was immensely popular during the 'Golden Age', becoming the most famous detective since Sherlock Holmes. Poirot was formerly Chief of Police of Brussels, until 'the Great War' forced him to leave for England. Lord Peter Wimsey was the creation of Dorothy L. Sayers. Wimsey is an archetype for British gentlemen detectives. He is a purely amateur sleuth, and is unquestionably an English gentleman. He is polished, aristocratic, wealthy, and the younger brother of a duke. Wimsey is extremely clever, though he usually tries to hide it. As shown in Have His Carcase (1932), Wimsey is a competent cryptanalyst, like both the earlier Dupin and Sherlock Holmes. Again like Holmes, Wimsey is physically brave and is competent with his fists. Wimsey is notably eccentric in manner; this is most evident in the first five novels.
Did You Know?
- Sherlock Holmes was created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, appearing in four novels and fifty-six short stories.
- Lord Peter Wimsey, created by Dorothy L. Sayers, is an archetype for British gentlemen detectives and is the younger brother of a duke.
- Hercule Poirot, created by Agatha Christie, first appeared in 1920 and became the most famous detective since Sherlock Holmes.
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