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Hercule Poirot

arts Maturity 9-11 Next article →

Hercule Poirot is a famous fictional detective from books.

Ustinov is Poirot
Ustinov is Poirot

He was created by the English writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is her most well-known and longest-running character. He appeared in 33 novels and 51 short stories. He also starred in two plays named Black Coffee and Alibi. These stories were published between 1920 and 1975. People love him because he is a very unique person.

2011-07-26 Belgique - Ellezelles - Hercule Poirot 002
2011-07-26 Belgique - Ellezelles - Hercule Poirot 002

He is a Belgian man living in England. He came there as a refugee after the First World War.

To solve mysteries, Poirot uses a special way of thinking. He relies on logic and psychology to find clues. He often calls his brain his "little grey cells."

Albert Finney plays Poirot
Albert Finney plays Poirot

He does not always look for physical clues like footprints. Instead, he studies how people think and act. He likes to get people to talk to him. Sometimes he even tells small lies to trick people. He might pretend to have a twin brother named Achille. He might also pretend to be an old, sick man. These tricks help him find the real truth.

Agatha Christie did not invent Poirot from nothing. She took ideas from other famous detectives of her time. His name came from characters named Hercules Popeau and Monsieur Poiret. She was also influenced by the famous Sherlock Holmes. She even used a style of detective work called ratiocination. This is a way of using careful reasoning to solve problems. Poirot also shares traits with a detective named Inspector Hanaud. Christie first wrote about him in 1916. His first book was published in 1920.

Poirot has a very distinct look that people recognize. He has a neat, waxed moustache and dark hair. He is very tidy and cares about his clothes. He especially loves his shiny patent leather shoes. He is also very punctual and uses a pocket watch. He likes to keep exactly 444 pounds, 4 shillings, and 4 pence in the bank. He is a Catholic and can speak English, French, and German. He also enjoys classical music by Mozart and Bach.

Even though he is a made-up person, he feels very real. He was so popular that a newspaper wrote his obituary. After his last book, The New York Times honored him. Many famous actors have played him in movies and on TV. Some actors include David Suchet, Peter Ustinov, and Kenneth Branagh.

Albert Finney plays Poirot
Albert Finney plays Poirot

Even today, new books about him are being written. This shows how much people still care about his adventures. He remains a huge part of detective stories everywhere.

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File:2011-07-26 Belgique - Ellezelles - Hercule Poirot 002.jpg
2011-07-26 Belgique - Ellezelles -...
File:Albert Finney plays Poirot.jpg
Albert Finney plays Poirot.jpg
File:Ustinov is Poirot.jpg
Ustinov is Poirot.jpg
File:SH3 - Sherlock Holmes et Hercule Poirot.png
SH3 - Sherlock Holmes et Hercule Poirot.png
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