I've often read that Harriet is DLS's stand-in, and it's true that Harriet shares many autobiographical qualities with DLS (attendance at Oxford, having a lover, etc.). But I never considered the fact that it's Miss Climpson who shares DLS's high-church views.
I think Miss Climpson, in a way, mirrors DLS's own creative struggle -- to wit, "do I turn myself to writing religious works, or do I keep writing mystery novels?" Miss Climpson follows her religion, believes in it deeply -- yet time and time again she does "wicked" things for Lord Peter. And moreover, she enjoys doing those "wicked" things. (IIRC, she gets a sort of illicit thrill out of putting on the seances, which are just marvelous scenes.) And of course the "wicked" things are all done for a good cause -- to bring murderers to justice.
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I've often read that Harriet is DLS's stand-in, and it's true that Harriet shares many autobiographical qualities with DLS (attendance at Oxford, having a lover, etc.). But I never considered the fact that it's Miss Climpson who shares DLS's high-church views.
I think Miss Climpson, in a way, mirrors DLS's own creative struggle -- to wit, "do I turn myself to writing religious works, or do I keep writing mystery novels?" Miss Climpson follows her religion, believes in it deeply -- yet time and time again she does "wicked" things for Lord Peter. And moreover, she enjoys doing those "wicked" things. (IIRC, she gets a sort of illicit thrill out of putting on the seances, which are just marvelous scenes.) And of course the "wicked" things are all done for a good cause -- to bring murderers to justice.