British Culture - User contributions [en]

Lord Peter Wimsey

2012-01-16T15:34:05Z

AnnKa:

Full name Peter Death Bredon Wimsey. Protagonist of Dorothy L. Sayers's works of detective fiction. Lord Peter solves murder cases assisted by his loyal manservant Mervyn Bunter. Wimsey is [[Shell shock|shell-shocked]] after having served in the [[Great War|First World War]] and he has flashbacks while he solves the cases.

Lord Peter Wimsey is the 2nd son of the duke of Denver and is therefore part of the upper-class establishment, as are other detectives in the British school of Golden Age fiction. Lord Peter has many facets. He graduated from University of Oxford and is a man of wit and charm and a gentleman-scholar. He also loves rare books and is known for his verbal playfulness. Lord Peter is supported by private income and therefore he can afford to be a professional detective and an amateur at the same time. While solving a case, he works closely with Inspector Parker from Scotland Yard. It is one of his character traits that he has a feeling of self-disgust when he believes that he has solved a case. Before that happens it seems to be a necessity for him to solve it. In contrast to other detectives of the Golden Age, Lord Peter undergoes a marked transition throughout the novels. He does not lack a certain depth of character, like many other detectives, and his experiences promote changes in and development of his character. Lord Peter remains a bachelor until he meets Harriet Vane in ''Strong Poison''. She is a writer of mystery books and Lord Peter has to clear her of a murder charge before he can start to court her.

There were several attempts to detect the origin of Lord Peter Wimsey by identifying him with friends of Sayers. But there are also enough arguments to claim that the origin of Lord Peter Wimsey can be seen in the novel ''Trent’s Last Case'' by E.C. Bentley. Although the two detectives differ in many aspects, there are also several parallels between Lord Peter and Philip Trent. Their style and method as detectives are similar and Trent also has this feeling of self-disgust, which Lord Peter has after having solved a case.

Literature:

''Lord Peter Wimsey'', ''Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition.'' Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 16 Jan. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1408805/Lord-Peter-Wimsey>.

Reynolds, Barbara, ''The origin of Lord Peter Wimsey'', The Times Literary Supplement 3919 (1977): 492.

Scaggs, John, ''Crime Fiction'', London: Routledge 2005.

Georgette Heyer

2011-12-21T11:28:05Z

AnnKa: Created page with '(16 August 1902 - 4 July 1974) Georgette Heyer was a British novelist. She is well-known for her historical romances and she especially established the subgenre Regency romance. …'

(16 August 1902 - 4 July 1974) Georgette Heyer was a British novelist. She is well-known for her historical romances and she especially established the subgenre Regency romance. Heyer's Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen.

Lord Peter Wimsey

2011-12-14T16:49:20Z

AnnKa: Created page with 'Lord Peter Wimsey (full name: Peter Death Bredon Wimsey) is the protagonist of Dorothy L. Sayers works of detective fiction. He solves murder cases assisted by his butler Mervyn …'

Lord Peter Wimsey (full name: Peter Death Bredon Wimsey) is the protagonist of Dorothy L. Sayers works of detective fiction. He solves murder cases assisted by his butler Mervyn Bunter. Wimsey is shell-shocked after having served in the First World War and he has flashbacks while he solves the cases.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-12-06T19:37:06Z

AnnKa:

13 June 1893 (Oxford)- 17 December 1957 (Witham, Essex). Well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wimsey is the protagonist.

'''Life'''

Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born in Oxford on 13 June 1893 to Reverend Henry and Helen Mary Leigh Sayers. She was an only child and thus encouraged in her education and writing by her parents. First, she was educated by governesses, then, in January 1909, she became a boarding student at Godolphin in Salisbury. From 1912 to 1915, Sayers attended Somerville College in Oxford, where she graduated with first-class honours in 1915. After completing her studies in Oxford, Sayers worked in different jobs before the writing and publishing of her novels could support her, for example as a teacher, a publisher’s assistant and in advertising.
In 1924, Sayers secretly gave birth to an illegitimate son, whom she named John Anthony. There is no record of his father in the birth certificate. She also had hid the pregnancy from her parents and employers, and her son was raised by a cousin, who ran a foster home just outside of Oxford. Two years later, in 1926, Sayers married Oswald A. “Mac” Fleming, a journalist and artist, who had served in the First World War. He adopted her son, but John Anthony never came to live with them. Sayers remained married to “Mac” Fleming until his death in 1950. The marriage produced no children. Dorothy L. Sayers died of a stroke on 17 December 1957.

'''Work'''

Starting in the 1920s into the 1930s, Sayers wrote several detective stories with ''Lord Peter Wimsey'' as protagonist. He is an example for a man who served during the First World War and who is now shell-shocked. It is one feature of his character that he sometimes switches back to what happened to his comrades during the war. Sayers’ first novel with him ''Whose Body?'' was published in 1923. Her detective novels are part of the classic age of detective fiction, but she also opened up the field to feminist concerns, which can be seen in strong female characters. But her works do not include only detective novels, but she also wrote poems and plays. She already published some of her poems when she worked as a publisher’s assistant. Sayers also wrote a cycle of plays on the life of Christ for younger audiences, which were very popular. These plays, for example ''The Man Born To Be King'' (1943), were broadcasted by the BBC. Furthermore, she translated the first two canticles of Dante’s ''Divine Comedy''. She left the translation of the third canticle unfinished, as she did leave a new Wimsey novel Thrones, Dominations, when she died.

'''Sources:'''

Reitz, Caroline. ''Dorothy L. Sayers''. ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature''. 5 vol. Ed. Kastan, David Scott et.al. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2006. 4: 444-447.

Hone, Ralph E. ''Dorothy L. Sayers, A Literary Biography''. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press 1979.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-12-06T19:34:18Z

AnnKa:

13 June 1893 (Oxford)- 17 December 1957 (Witham, Essex). Well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wimsey is the protagonist.

'''Life'''

Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born in Oxford on 13 June 1893 to Reverend Henry and Helen Mary Leigh Sayers. She was an only child and thus encouraged in her education and writing by her parents. First, she was educated by governesses, then, in January 1909, she became a boarding student at Godolphin in Salisbury. From 1912 to 1915, Sayers attended Somerville College in Oxford, where she graduated with first-class honours in 1915. After completing her studies in Oxford, Sayers worked in different jobs before the writing and publishing of her novels could support her, for example as a teacher, a publisher’s assistant and in advertising.
In 1924, Sayers secretly gave birth to an illegitimate son, whom she named John Anthony. There is no record of his father in the birth certificate. She also had hid the pregnancy from her parents and employers, and her son was raised by a cousin, who ran a foster home just outside of Oxford. Two years later, in 1926, Sayers married Oswald A. “Mac” Fleming, a journalist and artist, who had served in the First World War. He adopted her son, but John Anthony never came to live with them. Sayers remained married to “Mac” Fleming until his death in 1950. The marriage produced no children. Dorothy L. Sayers died of a stroke on 17 December 1957.

'''Work'''

Starting in the 1920s into the 1930s, Sayers wrote several detective stories with Lord Peter Wimsey as protagonist. He is an example for a man who served during the First World War and who is now shell-shocked. It is one feature of his character that he sometimes switches back to what happened to his comrades during the war. Sayers’ first novel with him Whose Body? was published in 1923. Her detective novels are part of the classic age of detective fiction, but she also opened up the field to feminist concerns, which can be seen in strong female characters. But her works do not include only detective novels, but she also wrote poems and plays. She already published some of her poems when she worked as a publisher’s assistant. Sayers also wrote a cycle of plays on the life of Christ for younger audiences, which were very popular. These plays, for example The Man Born To Be King (1943), were broadcasted by the BBC. Furthermore, she translated the first two canticles of Dante’s Divine Comedy. She left the translation of the third canticle unfinished, as she did leave a new Wimsey novel Thrones, Dominations, when she died.

Sources:

Reitz, Caroline. Dorothy L. Sayers. The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature. 5 vol. Ed. Kastan, David Scott et.al. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2006. 4: 444-447.

Hone, Ralph E. Dorothy L. Sayers, A Literary Biography. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press 1979.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-12-06T19:34:03Z

AnnKa:

13 June 1893 (Oxford)- 17 December 1957 (Witham, Essex). Well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wimsey is the protagonist.

'''Life'''
Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born in Oxford on 13 June 1893 to Reverend Henry and Helen Mary Leigh Sayers. She was an only child and thus encouraged in her education and writing by her parents. First, she was educated by governesses, then, in January 1909, she became a boarding student at Godolphin in Salisbury. From 1912 to 1915, Sayers attended Somerville College in Oxford, where she graduated with first-class honours in 1915. After completing her studies in Oxford, Sayers worked in different jobs before the writing and publishing of her novels could support her, for example as a teacher, a publisher’s assistant and in advertising.
In 1924, Sayers secretly gave birth to an illegitimate son, whom she named John Anthony. There is no record of his father in the birth certificate. She also had hid the pregnancy from her parents and employers, and her son was raised by a cousin, who ran a foster home just outside of Oxford. Two years later, in 1926, Sayers married Oswald A. “Mac” Fleming, a journalist and artist, who had served in the First World War. He adopted her son, but John Anthony never came to live with them. Sayers remained married to “Mac” Fleming until his death in 1950. The marriage produced no children. Dorothy L. Sayers died of a stroke on 17 December 1957.

'''Work'''
Starting in the 1920s into the 1930s, Sayers wrote several detective stories with Lord Peter Wimsey as protagonist. He is an example for a man who served during the First World War and who is now shell-shocked. It is one feature of his character that he sometimes switches back to what happened to his comrades during the war. Sayers’ first novel with him Whose Body? was published in 1923. Her detective novels are part of the classic age of detective fiction, but she also opened up the field to feminist concerns, which can be seen in strong female characters. But her works do not include only detective novels, but she also wrote poems and plays. She already published some of her poems when she worked as a publisher’s assistant. Sayers also wrote a cycle of plays on the life of Christ for younger audiences, which were very popular. These plays, for example The Man Born To Be King (1943), were broadcasted by the BBC. Furthermore, she translated the first two canticles of Dante’s Divine Comedy. She left the translation of the third canticle unfinished, as she did leave a new Wimsey novel Thrones, Dominations, when she died.

Sources:

Reitz, Caroline. Dorothy L. Sayers. The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature. 5 vol. Ed. Kastan, David Scott et.al. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2006. 4: 444-447.

Hone, Ralph E. Dorothy L. Sayers, A Literary Biography. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press 1979.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-11-08T19:18:55Z

AnnKa:

Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born on 13 June 1893 in Oxford and died on 17 December 1957 in Witham, Essex. She is well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wimsey is the protagonist.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-11-08T19:17:42Z

AnnKa:

Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born on 13 June 1893 in Oxford and died on 17 December 1957 in Witham, Essex. She is well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wimsey, an aristocrat, is the protagonist.

Dorothy L. Sayers

2011-11-08T19:17:04Z

AnnKa: Created page with 'Dorothy Leigh Sayers was born on 13 June 1893 in Oxford and died on 17 December 1957 in Witham, Essex. She is well known as an English crime writer. In her novels, Lord Peter Wim…'