The same, yet somehow different: The character of Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie’s final stories: The Capture of Cerberus and The Incident of the Dog’s Ball

Abstract

The focus of this article is Hercule Poirot, one of the primary detectives featured in Agatha Christie’s crime novels. In examining the changes observable in his emotionality and behaviours, particular attention is given to Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks by John Curran. This book includes two short stories, variants of the previously published works, that Agatha Christie could not publish during her lifetime for various reasons. Other works by Christie as well as the television series “Poirot” (1989-2013) are also considered for the sake of context. The article aims to highlight the characteristics that are somewhat incongruent with the hero’s established persona, such as sensuality and a resurrected after many years “blind love” for Vera Rossakoff; his love for animals; a fondness for vodka and other spirits; athleticism; in addition, certain cruelty and alignment with evil. The author reflects on the motivation of both the character and the writer herself, who shaped Poirot in this particular manner.