Battle is notable for his stolid good sense and careful management of information as a case proceeds. He relies in part on the public notion that police detectives are stupid or unimaginative, when he has a good idea of just what is happening.[1]: 220 His moustache is impressive, even to Hercule Poirot.[1]: 221 Until Towards Zero the reader knows nothing of his domestic arrangements (with exception to a comment in Chimneys, when he mentions that he is "very attached of Mrs Battle"), but in this novel we learn that he has a wife and five children, the youngest of whom (Sylvia) unwittingly provides a key clue to the mystery. In the Hercule Poirot novel The Clocks, the pseudonymous secret agent Colin Lamb is heavily implied to be the son of the now-retired Battle.
Battle also has a secret professional life that is revealed in the denouement to The Seven Dials Mystery, but this is never referred to again. In this novel he states, that "half the people who spent their lives avoiding being run over buses had much better be run over and put safely out of the way. They're no good."
Similar statements are given by Major Despard in Cards on the Table and Michael Rodgers in Endless Night and might be approved by Mrs Christie as well.[2]
Battle is in many respects typical of Christie's police officers, being (like Inspector Japp), more careful and intelligent than the police officers of early detective fiction, who had served only as foils for the brilliance of the amateur sleuth.
Referencesedit
^ abHart, Anne (2004). Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot. London: HarperCollins.
^Osborne, Charles (1982). The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie. London: Collins. p. 48.
Bibliographyedit
Barnard, Robert (1980): A Talent to Deceive, Fontana/Collins
External linksedit
Superintendent Battle at Hercule Poirot Central
April 11, 2024
superintendent, battle, fictional, character, created, agatha, christie, appeared, five, novels, first, appearancethe, secret, chimneys, 1925, last, appearancetowards, zero, 1944, created, byagatha, christiein, universe, informationoccupationsuperintendent, po. Superintendent Battle is a fictional character created by Agatha Christie who appeared in five of her novels Superintendent BattleFirst appearanceThe Secret of Chimneys 1925 Last appearanceTowards Zero 1944 Created byAgatha ChristieIn universe informationOccupationsuperintendent of the policeSpouseMary BattleChildrenSylvia BattleFour othersColin Lamb possibly RelativesJames Leach nephew a Scotland Yard InspectorNationalityBritish Contents 1 Novels featuring Superintendent Battle 2 Overview 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksNovels featuring Superintendent Battle editHe appears as a detective in the following novels The Secret of Chimneys 1925 The Seven Dials Mystery 1929 including some of the same characters notably Lady Eileen Bundle Brent Cards on the Table 1936 with Hercule Poirot Ariadne Oliver and Colonel Race Murder is Easy 1939 titled as Easy to Kill in the US Towards Zero 1944 Overview editBattle is notable for his stolid good sense and careful management of information as a case proceeds He relies in part on the public notion that police detectives are stupid or unimaginative when he has a good idea of just what is happening 1 220 His moustache is impressive even to Hercule Poirot 1 221 Until Towards Zero the reader knows nothing of his domestic arrangements with exception to a comment in Chimneys when he mentions that he is very attached of Mrs Battle but in this novel we learn that he has a wife and five children the youngest of whom Sylvia unwittingly provides a key clue to the mystery In the Hercule Poirot novel The Clocks the pseudonymous secret agent Colin Lamb is heavily implied to be the son of the now retired Battle Battle also has a secret professional life that is revealed in the denouement to The Seven Dials Mystery but this is never referred to again In this novel he states that half the people who spent their lives avoiding being run over buses had much better be run over and put safely out of the way They re no good Similar statements are given by Major Despard in Cards on the Table and Michael Rodgers in Endless Night and might be approved by Mrs Christie as well 2 Battle is in many respects typical of Christie s police officers being like Inspector Japp more careful and intelligent than the police officers of early detective fiction who had served only as foils for the brilliance of the amateur sleuth References edit a b Hart Anne 2004 Agatha Christie s Poirot The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot London HarperCollins Osborne Charles 1982 The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie London Collins p 48 Bibliography editBarnard Robert 1980 A Talent to Deceive Fontana CollinsExternal links editSuperintendent Battle at Hercule Poirot Central Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Superintendent Battle amp oldid 1206910911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
