Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
"Strong Poison" is a mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers that introduces Harriet Vane, a writer accused of murdering her lover. Set against the backdrop of a British courtroom, the narrative explores themes of justice, morality, and societal expectations, particularly regarding women's roles in the 1930s. Vane, on trial for her life, faces a grim fate as she navigates the complexities of her situation, which includes her unconventional living arrangements and her recent research into methods of poisoning for her writing.
The story also features Lord Peter Wimsey, a detective who is drawn to the trial, convinced that Vane is innocent and that his friend, Chief Detective-Inspector Charles Parker, has made a grave error. As Wimsey employs his investigative skills to uncover the truth, he becomes increasingly enamored with Vane. Their relationship develops slowly over the course of the series, culminating in deeper explorations of both characters in subsequent novels. Sayers's storytelling keeps readers guessing about Vane's innocence while crafting an intricate portrayal of her character, as well as the societal attitudes of the time. The novel not only serves as a gripping mystery but also allows for a thoughtful examination of love, integrity, and the complexities of human relationships.
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Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1930
Type of work: Novel
The Work
In Strong Poison, Sayers introduces Harriet Vane, the love of Lord Peter Wimsey’s life. Vane writes mysteries; Wimsey solves them. A little something in common never hurts a relationship and for the moment, mysteries are all that they have in common.
With a few deft words Sayers draws her reader into a British courtroom and introduces the jury. Vane, a writer of mysteries, finds herself plunged into the most important mystery of her life. Accused of murdering her lover, and on trial for her life, Vane seems to be on the verge of meeting the hangman: If the jury brings in a verdict of guilty, the punishment will be death by hanging.
Vane had just finished some extensive research about ways to poison people, details that she had planned to use in her next book. She had even bought some arsenic. Vane’s lifestyle, morals, and integrity were also called into question by the judge. She was living with, but not married to, the man she allegedly murdered. That was a living arrangement quite unbecoming a woman in the 1930’s; in those years, women waited for the ring and the preacher before entering into a sexual relationship. Things do not look good for Vane. She may have to keep her date with the hangman.
Sayers presents Vane as an intelligent, but not conventionally pretty, young woman in her twenties. Although Sayers delineates the rest of the cast of characters, she shrouds Vane in mystery. Not so the victim; Sayers draws a complex portrait of him. These devices keep the reader guessing about Vane’s innocence.
Sayers does not divulge Lord Peter Wimsey’s reasons for attending the trial. Her readers may deduce, or perhaps assume, that he came to the trial because he believed his friend Chief Detective-Inspector Charles Parker made a serious mistake. Wimsey believes that Parker has arrested and brought to trial the wrong person. Although exhausted by the rigors of the trial, Vane greatly interests Wimsey. He must employ all of his crime-solving abilities if he is to save her. He asks Miss Climpson to help, and she embarks on an adventure that tests her skills and her conscience.
Wimsey eventually falls in love with Vane. As soon as he has a chance, he proposes marriage. She does not accept his offer until the third book in the series. By this device, Sayers begins a leisurely development of these characters in three more novels. With the final novel, Busman’s Honeymoon, both characters emerge as full-fledged human beings who espouse Sayers’s philosophy and ethics.
Bibliography
Bell, S. B. Women: From the Greeks to the French Revolution. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1973.
Downing, Crystal. Writing Performances: The Stages of Dorothy L. Sayers. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
Gaillard, Dawson. Dorothy L. Sayers. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1981.
Hannay, M. P. As Her Whimsey Took Her: Critical Essays on the Work of Dorothy L. Sayers. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1979.
Hitchman, Janet. Such a Strange Lady. New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
McGregor, Robert Kuhn, with Ethan Lewis. Conundrums for the Long Week-End: England, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Lord Peter Wimsey. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2000.
Mann, Jessica. Deadlier than the Male. New York: Macmillan, 1981.
Simmons, Laura K. Creed Without Chaos: Exploring Theology in the Writings of Dorothy L. Sayers. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005.