Gervase Fen
Encyclopedia
Gervase Fen is a fictional amateur detective and Oxford Professor of English Language and Literature created by Edmund Crispin
. Fen appears in nine novels and two books of short stories published between 1944 and 1979. Fen is an unconventional detective who is often faced with a locked room mystery
to solve.
Fen makes his first appearance in The Case of the Gilded Fly
and is introduced as wishing to be involved in a "splendidly complicated crime". He is described by one of the other characters in the novel as "Cherubic, naive, volatile, and entirely delightful, he wandered the earth taking a genuine interest in things and people unfamiliar." Much of The Case of the Gilded Fly
is set in Fen's Oxford college, the fictional St Christopher's, and this college also provides the setting for parts of The Moving Toyshop
and Swan Song. The imaginary college of St Christopher's is located at the junction of St Giles and the Banbury Road in Oxford.
In the course of the novels, Fen generally succeeds in identifying the criminal (usually a murderer). When involved in a case he is described as boisterous and gay when nothing important is happening, but melancholy when he finds out key information. Upon completing a case, Fen is described as entering moods of profound gloom similar to the post-case "reactions" experienced by Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes
.
Fen often involves himself and those around him in ridiculous situations as he attempts to solve the mysteries he is involved in. His life is regularly threatened in the books; generally by murderers, but also by homicidal dogs, witches and his own lunatic driving in his beloved car "Lily Christine III".
Fen is noted for breaking the fourth wall in the novels. In The Moving Toyshop
he makes jokes about the publisher of Crispin's book as well as suggesting different titles for the novel he is acting within.
The stories that Fen takes part in are influenced by the detective stories of John Dickson Carr
(one of Crispin's favourite authors). The name Gervase Fen may have been inspired partly by Gideon Fell - one of Carr's detectives.
radio adaptation of Frequent Hearses read by James Wilby
was broadcast in May/June 2011.
Edmund Crispin
Edmund Crispin was the pseudonym of Robert Bruce Montgomery , an English crime writer and composer.-Life and work:Montgomery was born in Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire...
. Fen appears in nine novels and two books of short stories published between 1944 and 1979. Fen is an unconventional detective who is often faced with a locked room mystery
Locked room mystery
The locked room mystery is a sub-genre of detective fiction in which a crime—almost always murder—is committed under apparently impossible circumstances. The crime in question typically involves a crime scene that no intruder could have entered or left, e.g., a locked room...
to solve.
Character
Fen is described as lanky, cheerful and ruddy with a clean shaven face and hair which is always plastered down with water, but with stray hairs spiking from his crown. He is middle aged, married, has children and is often noted as wearing an extraordinary hat. Fen is alternately "charming, frivolous, brilliant and badly behaved" and in the stories acts on his own as an amateur detective as well as frequently assisting the police with their investigations. He attributes his success as a detective to intuition, although he may also succeed through his understanding of the world being "somehow enhanced by him not being quite part of it". Fen often exhibits his surprise or shock by quoting Alice in Wonderland - "Oh my fur and whiskers!".Fen makes his first appearance in The Case of the Gilded Fly
The Case of the Gilded Fly
The Case of the Gilded Fly is a detective novel by Edmund Crispin first published in 1944. Crispin's debut novel, it contains the first appearance of eccentric amateur sleuth Gervase Fen, who is Professor of English Language and Literature in the University of Oxford...
and is introduced as wishing to be involved in a "splendidly complicated crime". He is described by one of the other characters in the novel as "Cherubic, naive, volatile, and entirely delightful, he wandered the earth taking a genuine interest in things and people unfamiliar." Much of The Case of the Gilded Fly
The Case of the Gilded Fly
The Case of the Gilded Fly is a detective novel by Edmund Crispin first published in 1944. Crispin's debut novel, it contains the first appearance of eccentric amateur sleuth Gervase Fen, who is Professor of English Language and Literature in the University of Oxford...
is set in Fen's Oxford college, the fictional St Christopher's, and this college also provides the setting for parts of The Moving Toyshop
The Moving Toyshop
The Moving Toyshop is a comic crime novel by Edmund Crispin, published in 1946. The novel features the detective and Oxford don, Gervase Fen.It is dedicated to the poet Philip Larkin, Crispin's contemporary at St. John's College, Oxford...
and Swan Song. The imaginary college of St Christopher's is located at the junction of St Giles and the Banbury Road in Oxford.
In the course of the novels, Fen generally succeeds in identifying the criminal (usually a murderer). When involved in a case he is described as boisterous and gay when nothing important is happening, but melancholy when he finds out key information. Upon completing a case, Fen is described as entering moods of profound gloom similar to the post-case "reactions" experienced by Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
.
Fen often involves himself and those around him in ridiculous situations as he attempts to solve the mysteries he is involved in. His life is regularly threatened in the books; generally by murderers, but also by homicidal dogs, witches and his own lunatic driving in his beloved car "Lily Christine III".
Fen is noted for breaking the fourth wall in the novels. In The Moving Toyshop
The Moving Toyshop
The Moving Toyshop is a comic crime novel by Edmund Crispin, published in 1946. The novel features the detective and Oxford don, Gervase Fen.It is dedicated to the poet Philip Larkin, Crispin's contemporary at St. John's College, Oxford...
he makes jokes about the publisher of Crispin's book as well as suggesting different titles for the novel he is acting within.
Influences
In his forward to Fen Country, Phillip Larkin suggests that Fen was based partly on Crispin's Oxford tutor - W.G. Moore. Larkin felt that Fen reproduced much of Moore's appearance and mannerisms. Crispin also himself admitted that Fen was in part based on Moore.The stories that Fen takes part in are influenced by the detective stories of John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr was an American author of detective stories, who also published under the pen names Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn....
(one of Crispin's favourite authors). The name Gervase Fen may have been inspired partly by Gideon Fell - one of Carr's detectives.
Stories
- The Case of the Gilded FlyThe Case of the Gilded FlyThe Case of the Gilded Fly is a detective novel by Edmund Crispin first published in 1944. Crispin's debut novel, it contains the first appearance of eccentric amateur sleuth Gervase Fen, who is Professor of English Language and Literature in the University of Oxford...
(1944) - Holy Disorders (1945)
- The Moving ToyshopThe Moving ToyshopThe Moving Toyshop is a comic crime novel by Edmund Crispin, published in 1946. The novel features the detective and Oxford don, Gervase Fen.It is dedicated to the poet Philip Larkin, Crispin's contemporary at St. John's College, Oxford...
(1946) - Swan Song (1947)
- Buried for Pleasure (1948)
- Love Lies BleedingLove lies bleedingLove Lies Bleeding may refer to:* Love-lies-bleeding , the annual flowering plant* Love Lies Bleeding , a 1948 detective novel by Edmund Crispin* Love-Lies-Bleeding , a 2005 play by Don DeLillo...
(1948) - Frequent Hearses (1950)
- The Long Divorce (1952)
- The Glimpses of the Moon (1977)
- Beware of the Trains (1953) (short story collection)
- Fen Country (1979) (short story collection)
Adaptations
A BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio adaptation of Frequent Hearses read by James Wilby
James Wilby
James Jonathon Wilby is an English film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father...
was broadcast in May/June 2011.
External links
- http://www.detecs.org/fen.html - For detailed information and opinions on the Fen novels