The Moonstone

The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins is a 19th-century novel, generally considered the first detective novel in the English language.

Related Topics:
1868 - Wilkie Collins - 19th-century - Novel - Detective novel - English language

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In 1934, the book was made into a critically acclaimed motion picture by Monogram Pictures Corporation. Adapted to the screen by Adele S. Buffington, the film was directed by Reginald Barker and starred David Manners, Charles Irwin and Phyllis Barry. The New York Times said of it: "The Moonstone is a prime example of what can be accomplished on a small budget with a little extra time and care."

Related Topics:
Motion picture - Monogram Pictures Corporation - Adele S. Buffington - Reginald Barker - David Manners - Charles Irwin - Phyllis Barry - New York Times

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In 1996, it was remade in the United Kingdom for television by the BBC and Carlton Television in partnership with American station WGBH of Boston, Massachusetts, airing on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - Television - BBC - Carlton Television - American - WGBH - Boston, Massachusetts - PBS's - Masterpiece Theatre

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It tells the story of events surrounding the disappearance of a mysterious yellow diamond, upon which a curse was placed.

Related Topics:
Diamond - Curse

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The novel is told the story in the view of a first person narrative. The responsibility of narrating, however is passed to several characters throughout the book. This lends to many different viewpoints creating an enthralling novel.

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The book is widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels. T. S. Eliot called it 'the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels'. It contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre, including a crime being investigated by talented amateurs who happen to be present when it is committed, and two police officers who exemplify respectively the 'Scotland Yard bungler' and the skilled, professional detective.

Related Topics:
Mystery - Suspense - T. S. Eliot

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One of the things that made The Moonstone such a success was its sensationalist depiction of opium addiction. Unbeknownst to his readership, Collins was writing from personal experience. In his later years, Collins grew severely addicted to laudanum and as a result suffered from paranoid delusions, the most notable being his conviction that he was constantly accompanied by a doppelganger he dubbed 'Ghost Wilkie'.

Related Topics:
Opium - Laudanum - Doppelganger

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The novel is also examined nowadays from a post-colonial viewpoint, as its portrayal of three mysterious Indians who play an integral role in its plot seems unusually positive for a book of its time.

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