Introduction
Justice is a fragile concept, easily warped by emotion and circumstance. When passion overrides reason, justice can become vengeance. But true justice seeks balance through objectivity and wisdom. In Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie explores the complex nature of justice as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of the reprehensible Ratchett aboard a stranded train. Through Poirot's meticulous unraveling of the crime, Christie challenges preconceived notions of justice and morality, suggesting that there are times when extrajudicial punishment may be warranted when the law fails to provide justice. By the novel's end, ideas of guilt and innocence remain unclear, leaving the reader to ponder the true meaning of justice. This essay will examine the complex themes of justice and morality in Murder on the Orient Express and their implications for broader questions of justice. Through close analysis of key scenes and character motivations, it will unpack Christie's nuanced treatment of justice as a delicate equilibrium rather than an absolute.
The Influence of "Murder on the Orient Express" in Mystery Fiction
First published in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express is considered one of Christie's most thought-provoking and controversial novels. It takes place entirely on the Orient Express train while it is stranded in a snowdrift in Yugoslavia. When the villainous Mr. Ratchett is found stabbed to death in his cabin, Poirot is implored to solve the murder by the train's director. Poirot soon discovers that Ratchett was actually an infamous gangster named Cassetti who had kidnapped and murdered a 3-year-old girl named Daisy Armstrong five years prior. Though Cassetti had escaped justice through a technicality, Daisy's family and loved ones had conspired to exact their own form of vigilante justice. Through masterful detective work, Poirot uncovers the complex plot but ultimately decides not to turn the culprits over to authorities, sympathizing with their motives. The novel sparked controversy for suggesting extrajudicial killing could be morally justified when the justice system fails.
The Inadequacy of the Legal System
A key theme in Murder on the Orient Express is the inadequacy of the legal system in providing true justice. Poirot realizes that Cassetti deserved punishment for Daisy's murder, but his wealth and status allowed him to escape the law's grasp. The Armstrong family feels defeated when Cassetti walks free: "We'd failed. Our Darling's murderer wasn't to pay" (Christie 74). Their faith in the justice system is shattered, driving them to take matters into their own hands. As Poirot reflects near the end, "The Armstrong family could not have murder on their consciences. There would be in their eyes something very terrible there...never to rest" (Christie 230). Christie implies that because the legal system failed to deliver proper justice, the Armstrongs were morally justified in pursuing vigilante justice, the only means left to give them closure. She suggests justice cannot be absolute when the law does not function equitably.
Justice as Emotional Balancing of Wrongdoing
Christie also examines the idea of justice as an emotional balancing of wrongdoing, rather than a dispassionate following of laws. When Poirot assembles all the suspects and accuses them of Cassetti's murder, they do not deny it: "Because [Cassetti] deserved to die...we were only instruments of justice" (Christie 232). In their minds, they acted out of a duty to balance Cassetti's evil deed and relieve the Armstrong family's sorrow, not out of personal vengeance. Despite transgressing the law, they view their act as restoring justice's equilibrium. As one character declares, "One could feel no pity...only that infinite relief—that now all was over" (Christie 233). Christie suggests that justice cannot be black-and-white but must account for human emotions and the desire to right moral wrongs.
The Dangers of Moral Relativism
Some may argue that Poirot's decision to not turn the suspects in endorses dangerous moral relativism. Allowing any personal sense of justice to override the legal system could encourage anarchy. Moreover, it essentially grants certain people a "license to kill" if they feel someone deserves it. While these arguments have merit, in the exceptional circumstances of Murder on the Orient Express, extrajudicial punishment recognizes the shortcomings of manmade laws. The justice system failed the Armstrongs, and no prison sentence could undo the tragedy of Daisy's senseless murder. When laws do not produce a just outcome, difficult questions arise on morality versus legality. Ultimately, justice must factor in human judgment and emotion in exceptional cases. The law alone cannot solve complex moral issues.
Conclusion
In Murder on the Orient Express, Christie delves deep into the complex philosophy of justice. By revealing the inadequate justice provided by the legal system for the Armstrong family, she challenges the notion that lawful processes always equate to justice. Through Poirot's sympathy for the murderers, she suggests morality and emotions must temper unbending legal rules. While dieser Gedanke is controversial, Christie gives a nuanced portrayal of why true justice cannot be separated from human judgment. In the end, Murder on the Orient Express leaves no easy answers on the essence of justice. Yet Christie compels readers to examine their own definitions of this moral ideal—and recognize that it is never as simple as black and white.
