In the book "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie a character named Vera Claythorne is accused of killing a spoiled little rich boy named Cyril Hamilton, but did Vera Claythorne have a motive or desire to commit such a crime? | 2 Wed love to have you back! The next day, the cook Mrs. Rogers is found dead in her bed from unknown causes although Dr. Armstrong declares she died in her sleep from an overdose of some barbiturate. He gloatingly tells Vera, "You forgot the one that shot me!" The former Judge proposes a damning theory - U.N. Owen is an acronym for "Unknown" - which means that the killer is not a mysterious eighth person hiding on the island, he is in fact, one of them. Vera is the last person left alive on the island. Returning to the dining room, she finds that one of the eight figures is missing - leaving only seven. Vera Claythorne is young, while Emily Brent is old. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. As Armstrong and Blore become even more suspicious of Lombard and Vera, the doctor suddenly notices that the Judge is missing. They search the island again and see no sign of Armstrong. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Chapter 14 Guilt and Responsibility 13:Vera finally admits to herself that she murdered Cyril. Shaken, six of the nine people refute the accusations made against them. Vera Claythorne is a former governess who is working as a "games mistress at a third-class school" when the novel begins. Although the coroner cleared her of blame, Vera's lover abandoned her. We find out in the epilogue that it was Wargrave all along, but neither Vera nor Lombard know this. She then turned herself over so that it would look as if she had almost drowned, whilst trying to save her charge. Cyril drowned, and Vera was cleared of any involvement in his death. "In the midst of life, we are in death", is more than true in And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie where unlucky convicts are tricked into coming to an island of murder, deceit and guilt but out of the 10 summoned, Vera Claythorne, Philip Lombard and Dr. William Armstrong are the most deserving. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. He has been in tough spots before. She collapses onto the sand distraught and has her final recollection of the past. " As it turns out, Cyril was a young boy who Vera was charged with taking care of. Dr. Armstrong rushes over to . They both find Dr. Armstrong dead. Despite this, they do not uncover the gun or key - both of which are stashed inside the mouth of the polar bear rug in the sitting room. 6 Why did Vera Claythorne let Cyril Hamilton die? She insists to the other characters that she did not intentionally kill Cyril and was cleared during the inquest; however, her thoughts and memories reveal that she did intend for him to die. Another key character trait for Vera Claythorne is her guilt. Throughout the novel,
Although Lombard wants to find a better vantage point Vera insists that they need to move Armstrong's body out of respect. Her job as a governess was ended by the death of her charge, Cyril Hamilton. There is also an element of hypocrisy to her judgmental nature. Aperu: Dix personnes qui ne se connaissent pas (huit invits et deux domestiques) se retrouvent sur Soldier Island (l'le du Soldat), une le le long de la cte du Devon en Angleterre. Philip Lombard in And Then There Were None, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, And Then There Were None Literary Context & Analysis, And Then There Were None Literary Devices, And Then There Were None: Characters & Quotes, And Then There Were None Character Analysis, Vera Claythorne in And Then There Were None, Justice Wargrave in And Then There Were None, Dr. Armstrong in And Then There Were None, General MacArthur in And Then There Were None, Anthony Marston in And Then There Were None, And Then There Were None Character List & Flashcards, And Then There Were None Chapter Summaries, College English Literature: Help and Review, NYSTCE English Language Arts (003): Practice and Study Guide, Comprehensive English: Overview & Practice, English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, Under Western Eyes by Conrad: Summary & Overview, Yoshiko Uchida: Biography, Books & Timeline, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Vera has the dilemma of stealing Lombard's revolver and killing him. Unwilling to carry on living, she hangs herself while Wargrave watches from the shadows. With that the others realize that Vera was right; they are all being killed off one by one following the verses of the poems. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. When Vera's turn comes around, she dresses in a swimming suit, the one she wore on that fateful holiday. When Vera offers to bring the group tea, Armstrong is skeptical about drinking it, due to the possibility of it being poisoned. With the noose tightening around her neck, Vera struggles to retain her balance on the overturned furniture, barely managing to so via the tips of her toes. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. This website helped me pass! She came to Indian Island for a summer job, thinking she was hired by Mrs. U.N. Owen to become her new secretary. . As she heads up to her room, she begins to think that her ex-lover, Hugo, is in the room. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Recognizing what this signifies, Vera Claythorne can only stare on in shock at her now ex-boyfriend. With Hugo's threat hanging over her, Vera finally recalls the full truth, making a devastating revelation - Hugo was right, and the accusations against her are true. Lombard remarks that Wargrave's act of playing court is over. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Vera's murder can be seen as one of the most heinous. When Vera comes too, she finds Lombard dead on the beach. They go crazy trying to figure it out and get very suspicious of each other. She heads back to the house to finally get some sleep. Once the recording is dealt with the guests settle down to drink whiskey to calm their nerves, except for Mrs. Rogers who fainted, and Miss Brent refuses to drink. Spotting an opportunity Vera tries to bargain with Wargrave, arguing that she emptied the gun when she shot Lombard so the judge can't kill himself the way he intends. island and prone to attacks of nervous hysteria. When the last two people alive on the island are Vera and Lombard, she believes that he must be responsible for the murders of the other 8 guests. After Dr. Armstrong is killed, only he and Vera Claythorne are left on the island . On a hot late August day in the late 1930s, eight strangers arrive at Soldier Island off the Devon Coast. Vera thinks to herself, ''What a white bloodless ghost of a woman!'' She fell in love with a man named Hugo while she was employed as a nanny for a young boy, Cyril Hamilton. When he begged her to allow him to swim out to a dangerous rock at sea, she allowed him to go, hoping that Hugo, could inherit his money, and marry her. An error occurred trying to load this video. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Did Vera Claythorne kill her sister's fiance? else, she fixates on the Ten Little Indians poem that lends an
Later, Vera finds General MacArthur sitting alone on the cliff. Just as she is about to do so, the doorknob rattles. Vera's murder can be seen as one of the most heinous. In addition to generally being a judgmental person, Vera expresses racist sentiments. The sight of him causes Vera to come to her senses. Her lover, Hugo, was supposed to receive an inheritance from Cyril's family. They'd believe her all right. Thus the eighth verse of the poem is realized, "a big bear hugged one and then there were two". Like the other characters, Vera has a dark secret. The mysterious letter tells us that, "Vera Elizabeth Claythorne, that on the 11th day of August 1935, you killed Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton. She is one of the ten people summoned to Indian Island by Lawrence Wargrave, who have murdered in a way that the law cannot prove or punish them for. Vera Claythore was a young woman who is on leave from her position as a sports mistress at a third-rate girls school. The men returned the following morning without Armstrong, who has disappeared. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". She was not convicted because she swam out after him as if she were trying to save him. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. capable characters in the novel, which explains why she is one of
As most of the men conduct a hunt for the mysterious Mr. Owen, searching the entire island, the nature behind the accusations begins to come to take route. For example, she describes how lucky she is to have found both the job as a games mistress and the temporary position as Mrs. Owen's secretary, and she seems excited and curious about seeing the island. What does Vera Claythorne do for a living? This is Thesecret1070. This boy was the nephew of Vera's lover Hugo. One said he'd stay there and then there were seven". Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Chapter 5. They go down to investigate and discover Dr. Armstrong's corpse brought in by the tide. Her motive is so that her lover Hugo Hamilton could inherit Cyrils money so they could afford to get married. Her last job was working as a governess to Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton, the young heir to a wealthy family. She takes a summer job on Indian Island, believing that she has
Claythorne's motive for killing Cyril . . She let Cyril drown so that his relative, Hugo, would inherit his money and then be rich enough to marry her. And yet it didn't seem like an empty house Hugo, upstairs, waiting for her , Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs April 17, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 But. But that didn't matter and anyway nothing would go wrong. Her death corresponds with the last line of the 'Ten Little Indians' rhyme, "One little Indian boy left all alone/ He went and hanged himself and then there were none." Was that why he had looked at her in that queer far-off way? Vera wanted to marry Hugo, but he could not marry her unless he had more money. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe | Summary, Analysis & Characters, A Dill Pickle by Mansfield: Summary & Analysis, To a Skylark by Percy Shelley | Analysis, Themes & Poem, The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Arthur Conan Doyle | Summary & Mystery, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson | Characters & Analysis, Dally's Death in The Outsiders by S.E. Why did Vera Claythorne let Cyril Hamilton die? her of any wrongdoing, but Hugo, certain that Vera had let Cyril
her strength, however, Vera is not emotionally stable. Everyone else is in the drawing room waiting for Miss Brent to come in. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. The real Lombard killed himself. Had Hugo suspected? Blore's Death. She takes a summer job on Indian Island, believing that she has been hired to serve as a secretary to a Mrs. Una Owen. The Judge took one of the bullets out of the gun before returning it to Lombard. Agatha Christie - Dix petits ngres - Saison 1 pisode 1. After all, she did receive a letter saying so. Although she has arrived under the pretext of employment, Vera is told by Ethel Rogers that the hosts instructed that she is to be treated as a guest. with the nursery rhymeenables Wargrave to create a suggestive environment
Once they finish the four people all watch one another go into their rooms, though Lombard soon joins Vera for a passionate night. When they arrive there is no host to greet them but there are domestic staff, Thomas and Ethel Rogers, a married couple. (1934): Roger Bassington-ffrench | Moira Nicholson A red herring is a type of literary device used in mysteries such as Agatha Christie's to draw the reader's attention away from the real murderer. In this version, Vera is shown to be a much darker character, as she deliberately led Cyril to his death. Cyril often told stories. He recounts to Vera and the others that Seaton was not as innocent as the press suspected. Vera Claythorne. Free trial is available to new customers only. When she finally arrives, she says that it's lovely. Staring at Vera, Hugo explains why he was so distant earlier, he had been unsure about something, but now after watching Vera testify, he knows that he was right. Stopping at the door, Wargrave reaches into his pocket and reveals that he had tricked her all along. You'll also receive an email with the link. Hugo knows from experience that Vera is a fast runner and that even if she did turn her back for a minute, as she claims, Vera still would have had no problem catching up with the physically weak Cyril. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. She did intentionally let Cyril drown! SparkNotes PLUS 20% She is a young teacher, secretary, and ex-governess, who takes mostly secretarial jobs since her last job as a governess ended in the death of her charge, she is brought to Indian Island after receiving a fake job offer as a secretary. Another interesting aspect of Vera's personality is her judgment of other people. Vera Elizabeth Claythorne, that upon the 11th day of August, 1935, you killed Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton. I'd stake my reputation on your sanity. She killed a young boy in order to ensure that her lover got his inheritance. At the undergraduate level, she also holds a BA in French with a minor in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. As the weather, and conditions inside the house begin to deteriorate Vera tries to remain calm making coffee for the others. She knew that he would be washed away and drowned, but allowed it to happen so that Hugo could get his inheritance. I am an admin of this site. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. This same recording reveals that one of the guests (Blore) is an impostor using a false name. But Blore says that they searched the island and Armstrong wasn't there. referencing the next verse, Blore says that there is no zoo on the island. Fighting to control his anger, Hugo explains that for all of her intelligence Vera had underestimated one very important thing. (including. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. But don't you see, he's mad? Who is Vera Claythorne in and then there was she? Tension and suspicion on Soldier Island are now at its absolute zenith. When she spies only five soldier boys on the table, she bangs the gong and Miss Brent is discovered shortly afterward, impaled with one of her knitting needles (a bumblebee stung one and then there were five). When did text messaging become popular in the US? 1 / 10. Thus he will leave behind an unsolvable mystery that nobody can solve and that for years to come the detectives will be wondering who U.N. Owen might be. When the boy drowns, Vera attempts to swim out to him, being caught in the rip currents as well, and almost drowning. ". For example, when Emily Brent believes they were invited by a Mrs. Oliver rather than a Mrs. Owen, Vera thinks to herself, "Funny how elderly people always get names wrong". She is very practical and careful, but she is also a romantic. This shows that he feels guilty of his crime but is innocent. On the one hand, she is generally intelligent, level-headed, and keeps a positive attitude. Vera had hoped to marry Hugo Hamilton, a relative of Cyril's who would be next in line to inherit the family fortune. Se was portrayed by the late June Duprez in the 1945 film, Elke Sommer in the 1974 film, and Maeve Dermody in the 2015 miniseries. In her case, Vera is accused of having caused the death of Cyril Hamilton, a young boy who drowned while in her care. He asks, white marble shaped like a bear the one that was on the mantelpiece in, in the house and that he is going to go in and find him. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 What did Vera Claythorne do to Cyril Hamilton? Miss Brent comes in and says it looks like a storm is coming. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Investigate the character of Vera Claythorne in Agatha Christie's ''And Then There Were None.'' 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