308:
464:, it includes a great deal of suspense and psychological thrills. The narrative is interwoven with a love story and an examination of women's struggles to enlarge their roles and achieve some independence within the social climate of 1930s England, and the novel has been described as "the first feminist mystery novel".
279:, she is forced to examine her ambivalent feelings about Wimsey, love and marriage, and her attraction to academia as an intellectual and emotional refuge. Wimsey eventually arrives in Oxford to help, and she gains a new perspective from those who know him, including his nephew, an undergraduate at the university.
501:
The issue of women's right to academic education is central to the book's plot. The lecturers of
Shrewsbury College are veterans of the prolonged struggle for academic degrees for women, which Oxford granted only reluctantly. The Fellows of the college are surprised and a bit dismayed at the attitude
444:
had put Miss Sayers "definitely among the great writers". Orwell concluded, to the contrary, that "her slickness in writing has blinded many readers to the fact that her stories, considered as detective stories, are very bad ones. They lack the minimum of probability that even a detective story ought
291:
academic. Her husband's academic fraud had been exposed by an examiner, destroying his career and driving him to suicide; his suicide note used the Latin quote eventually used by Wilson. The examiner later moved to
Shrewsbury College, and the widow's campaign has been her revenge against the examiner
456:
wrote: "I could not stand Gaudy Night. I followed P. Wimsey from his attractive beginnings so far, by which time I conceived a loathing for him (and his creatrix) not surpassed by any other character in literature known to me, unless by his
Harriet. The honeymoon one (Busman's H.?) was worse. I was
474:
is a remarkable achievement. Harriet Vane and Saint-George, the undergraduate nephew of Lord Peter, help give variety, and the college setting justifies good intellectual debate. The motive is magnificently orated on by the culprit in a scene that is a striking set-piece. And though the
Shrewsbury
249:
of
Shrewsbury writes to ask for her help. There has been an outbreak of vandalism and anonymous letters, and fearing for the college's reputation if this becomes public knowledge, the Dean wants someone to investigate confidentially. Harriet, herself a victim of poison-pen letters since her trial,
242:), she is surprised to be welcomed warmly by most of the dons, and rediscovers her old love of academic life. Harriet's short stay is, however, marred by her discovery of a sheet of paper with an offensive drawing, and a poison pen message referring to her as a "dirty murderess".
29:
214:, and wanton vandalism. Despite the dons' reluctance to share the secret with an outsider, Harriet convinces them to let her bring in Lord Peter Wimsey to assist the investigation—but his involvement is not without complications, both personal and professional.
282:
The attacks build to a crisis. There is an attempt to drive a vulnerable student to suicide and a physical assault on
Harriet that almost kills her. The perpetrator is finally unmasked as Annie Wilson, one of the college
505:
Sayers had herself been one of the first women to obtain an Oxford
University degree, having been awarded first-class honours in the mediaeval literature examinations of 1915. She attended
299:
At the end of the book, Wimsey admits his own faults in his attempts at courtship, and
Harriet comes to terms with her own feelings, finally accepting Wimsey's proposal of marriage.
582:
1327:
481:
deals with a number of philosophical themes, such as the right relation between love and independence or between principles and personal loyalties.
1302:
890:
254:
and to assist a don with her book. The timing of the first poison pen message during the gaudy, and the use of a Latin quotation from the
949:
907:
590:
804:
422:: "Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me / All my sad captains; fill our bowls once more / Let's mock the midnight bell".
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in particular and more generally against intellectual women who move outside what she sees as their proper
263:
As
Harriet wrestles with the case, trying to narrow down the list of suspects who might be responsible for
445:
to have, and the crime is always committed in a way that is incredibly tortuous and quite uninteresting".
236:
dinner. Expecting hostility because of her notoriety (she had stood trial for murder in an earlier novel,
1264:
518:
998:
935:
661:
The
Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell: Volume 1, An Age like This, 1920 to 1940
506:
312:
260:
during one disturbance, focuses suspicion on the Senior Common Room dons, causing escalating tensions.
199:
898:
1120:
617:
Kennedy, Elspeth (2005). "Mildred K. Pope (1872–1956): Anglo-Norman Scholar". In Jane Chance (ed.).
502:
of their students, who take for granted this right for which such a hard struggle had to be fought.
206:
celebrations. However, the mood turns sour when someone begins a series of malicious acts including
1037:
927:
475:
dons are sometimes hard to distinguish one from another, the College architecture is very good".
250:
reluctantly agrees, and returns to spend some months in residence, ostensibly to do research on
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825:
704:
From Mystery to Manners: A Study of Five Detective Novels by Dorothy L. Sayers (Masters thesis)
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Tolkien, J. R. R. (2023). Carpenter, Humphrey; Tolkien, Christopher (eds.).
1021:
983:
612:
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435:
325:
272:
178:
859:
725:. New York: Harper & Row. 1971, revised and enlarged edition 1989.
482:
1152:
765:
Scrutinizing Feminist Epistemology: An Examination of Gender in Science
317:
224:
190:
315:, the inspiration for the fictional Shrewsbury College and Sayers'
268:
211:
957:
363:
Viscount Saint-George – Lord Peter's nephew, an undergraduate at
413:
379:
284:
276:
256:
743:"After my own heart: Dorothy Sayers' feminism. Reflections on
509:, the basis for the fictional Shrewsbury College of the plot.
28:
401:
233:
203:
767:. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, pp. 244–251.
659:
Orwell, George (1968). Orwell, Sonia; Angus, Ian (eds.).
340:
Helen de Vine – new Research Fellow at Shrewsbury College
271:, wanton vandalism including the destruction of a set of
425:
684:
The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien Revised and Expanded
747:, the philosophical novel, and old-school feminism"
548:as Wimsey, later broadcast on BBC Radio 7 in 2010.
623:. Madison: U of Wisconsin Press. pp. 147–56.
416:. The term "gaudy night" appears in Shakespeare's
1279:
1193:(1998; based on unfinished manuscript by Sayers)
334:– protagonist, an aristocratic amateur detective
755:, Vol. 19. Reprinted in Cassandra L. Pinnick,
202:), have invited her back to attend the annual
943:
701:
558:University of Oxford § Women's education
222:Harriet Vane returns with trepidation to her
1328:British novels adapted into television shows
360:Phoebe Tucker – Harriet's old college friend
891:"Gaudy Night: Annotations and explanations"
385:Padgett – Head Porter at Shrewsbury College
337:Letitia Martin – Dean of Shrewsbury College
950:
936:
287:, revealed to be the widow of a disgraced
27:
663:. Secker & Warburg. pp. 161–162.
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306:
905:
680:
665:The review was originally published in
643:
616:
615:, Sayers' tutor at Somerville College.
577:
575:
573:
302:
16:1935 mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers
1303:Novels set in the University of Oxford
1280:
1046:The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
818:
785:"Dorothy Sayers, Author, Dies at 64".
674:
658:
637:
931:
802:Somerville Stories – Dorothy L Sayers
652:
521:for BBC television in 1987, starring
343:Miss Lydgate – Harriet's former tutor
570:
496:
888:
712:
706:. University of Bergen. p. 45.
426:Literary significance and criticism
412:feast, typically a reunion for its
13:
852:Gaudy Night (BBC Radio Collection)
778:
620:Women medievalists and the academy
369:Reggie Pomfret – undergraduate at
14:
1344:
909:Gaudy Night — More Than a Mystery
870:
434:disagreed with the opinion of an
375:Miss Burrows – College librarian
795:
791:. 19 December 1957. p. 29.
328:– protagonist, a mystery writer
735:
695:
648:. Act III, scene 13, line 187.
605:
583:"British Library Item details"
512:
1:
721:and Taylor, Wendell Hertig.
563:
460:Although no murder occurs in
1308:British philosophical novels
1137:In the Teeth of the Evidence
7:
1298:Novels by Dorothy L. Sayers
1265:A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery
906:Colburn, Faith Ann (2013),
611:This character is based on
551:
275:, and the crafting of vile
10:
1349:
536:was released on CD by the
534:dramatisation of the novel
517:The book was adapted as a
313:Somerville College, Oxford
230:Shrewsbury College, Oxford
196:Shrewsbury College, Oxford
177:, and the third including
1313:Victor Gollancz Ltd books
1224:
1177:
1121:Lord Peter Views the Body
1112:
1013:
971:
741:Haack, Susan (May 2001).
391:– Lord Peter's manservant
145:
132:
120:
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104:
96:
86:
76:
66:
56:
48:
38:
26:
1333:Lord Peter Wimsey novels
1268:(1987 television series)
1252:(1972 television series)
395:
353:Miss Hillyard – history
1323:Novels set in the 1930s
1113:Short story collections
217:
1318:British mystery novels
1206:The Attenbury Emeralds
1198:A Presumption of Death
811:, Somerville College,
807:5 October 2013 at the
702:Randi Sørsdal (2006).
668:The New English Weekly
644:Shakespeare, William.
321:
198:(based on Sayers' own
173:, the tenth featuring
1078:Murder Must Advertise
1062:The Five Red Herrings
440:critic who felt that
382:at Shrewsbury College
365:Christ Church, Oxford
357:at Shrewsbury College
350:of Shrewsbury College
310:
1233:The Silent Passenger
1190:Thrones, Dominations
813:University of Oxford
723:A Catalogue of Crime
646:Antony and Cleopatra
538:BBC Radio Collection
419:Antony and Cleopatra
406:University of Oxford
303:Principal characters
245:Some time later the
1288:1935 British novels
1260:(1973 radio series)
691:. pp. 118–119.
523:Edward Petherbridge
491:philosophical novel
450:his son Christopher
265:poison-pen messages
208:poison-pen messages
23:
1241:Busman's Honeymoon
1102:Busman's Honeymoon
788:The New York Times
671:, 23 January 1936.
507:Somerville College
322:
289:University of York
200:Somerville College
188:of Harriet Vane's
151:Busman's Honeymoon
21:
1275:
1274:
1257:Lord Peter Wimsey
1249:Lord Peter Wimsey
1161:The Wimsey Papers
1129:Hangman's Holiday
1030:Clouds of Witness
979:Lord Peter Wimsey
965:Dorothy L. Sayers
960:Lord Peter Wimsey
895:Annotating Wimsey
761:Robert F. Almeder
752:The New Criterion
630:978-0-299-20750-2
519:three-part series
497:Women's education
430:Writing in 1936,
332:Lord Peter Wimsey
311:A modern view of
194:, the all-female
175:Lord Peter Wimsey
171:Dorothy L. Sayers
158:
157:
97:Publication place
61:Lord Peter Wimsey
43:Dorothy L. Sayers
1340:
1214:The Late Scholar
1181:Jill Paton Walsh
1178:Continuations by
1086:The Nine Tailors
1070:Have His Carcase
952:
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938:
929:
928:
924:
923:
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912:, archived from
902:
897:, archived from
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854:. 7 March 2005.
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589:. Archived from
579:
485:has an essay on
454:J. R. R. Tolkien
273:scholarly proofs
252:Sheridan Le Fanu
146:Followed by
138:The Nine Tailors
133:Preceded by
88:Publication date
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1038:Unnatural Death
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889:Peschel, Bill,
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809:Wayback Machine
800:
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757:Noretta Koertge
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719:Barzun, Jacques
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544:as Harriet and
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452:from May 1944,
448:In a letter to
428:
398:
378:Annie Wilson –
371:Queen's College
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294:domestic sphere
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105:Media type
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1006:(family title)
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999:Charles Parker
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916:on 23 May 2014
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901:on 28 May 2012
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871:External links
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763:(eds) (2003).
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593:on 22 May 2020
587:primocat.bl.uk
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561:
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546:Ian Carmichael
527:Harriet Walter
525:as Wimsey and
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468:Jacques Barzun
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232:to attend the
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127:978-0062196538
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1054:Strong Poison
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832:. 13 May 1987
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826:"Gaudy Night"
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773:0-8135-3227-2
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731:0-06-015796-8
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689:HarperCollins
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470:stated that "
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432:George Orwell
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239:Strong Poison
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167:mystery novel
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33:First edition
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984:Harriet Vane
958:
918:, retrieved
914:the original
908:
899:the original
894:
877:
851:
846:
834:. Retrieved
829:
820:
797:
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714:
703:
697:
682:
676:
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660:
654:
645:
639:
619:
613:Mildred Pope
607:
595:. Retrieved
591:the original
586:
542:Joanna David
531:
529:as Harriet.
516:
504:
500:
486:
478:
477:
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346:Dr Baring –
326:Harriet Vane
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223:
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189:
183:
179:Harriet Vane
165:(1935) is a
161:
160:
159:
149:
136:
22:Gaudy Night
18:
1244:(1940 film)
1236:(1935 film)
1225:Adaptations
1170:(1939-1940)
1094:Gaudy Night
1022:Whose Body?
963:stories by
878:Gaudy Night
745:Gaudy Night
513:Adaptations
487:Gaudy Night
483:Susan Haack
479:Gaudy Night
472:Gaudy Night
462:Gaudy Night
442:Gaudy Night
404:", at the
162:Gaudy Night
1282:Categories
1153:Lord Peter
972:Characters
883:Faded Page
860:0563494093
830:BBC Genome
564:References
532:In 2005 a
318:alma mater
267:, obscene
225:alma mater
210:, obscene
191:alma mater
836:1 January
77:Publisher
920:12 March
885:(Canada)
805:Archived
597:20 April
552:See also
437:Observer
277:effigies
269:graffiti
212:graffiti
81:Gollancz
49:Language
540:, with
457:sick."
410:college
408:, is a
52:English
1217:(2013)
1209:(2010)
1201:(2002)
1156:(1972)
1148:(1972)
1140:(1939)
1132:(1933)
1124:(1928)
1105:(1937)
1097:(1935)
1089:(1934)
1081:(1933)
1073:(1932)
1065:(1931)
1057:(1931)
1049:(1928)
1041:(1927)
1033:(1926)
1025:(1923)
1014:Novels
858:
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414:alumni
389:Bunter
348:Warden
285:scouts
257:Aeneid
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57:Series
39:Author
815:, UK.
489:as a
402:gaudy
396:Title
380:scout
234:Gaudy
204:Gaudy
113:Pages
108:Print
67:Genre
922:2018
856:ASIN
838:2019
769:ISBN
727:ISBN
625:ISBN
599:2018
247:Dean
218:Plot
186:dons
184:The
122:ISBN
92:1935
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881:at
400:A "
355:don
169:by
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