The Big Bow Mystery · Chapter
V explained
Denzil Cantercot visits Grodman, who teases him about his writer's cramp and an epic poem.
What happens
Denzil Cantercot visits Grodman, who teases him about his writer's cramp and an epic poem. Denzil returns to the Crowl household, where Mrs. Crowl confronts him about unpaid board. Peter Crowl mentions that Tom Mortlake had once denounced Arthur Constant. Denzil leaves and goes back to Grodman's house, where they discuss the book 'Criminals I Have Caught' and the murder.
Themes in this chapter
Appearance vs. Reality
Denzil pretends to have writer's cramp while Grodman suspects he is hiding something; the tension between what is said and what is true is central.
Humor and the Grotesque
Grodman's flippant teasing and the absurdity of Denzil's epic poem parody create a darkly comic tone.
Characters to notice
- Denzil Cantercot
Visits Grodman, argues about his epic poem and writer's cramp, then returns to the Crowl home where he is confronted about unpaid board.
- George Grodman
Teases Denzil about his writer's cramp and the epic poem, discusses the murder and the book 'Criminals I Have Caught'.
- Peter Crowl
Cobbler who hosts Denzil; mentions Tom Mortlake's earlier denunciation of Arthur Constant.
- Mrs. Crowl
Confronts Denzil about unpaid board, leading to a tense exchange.
- Tom Mortlake
Mentioned by Peter Crowl as having denounced Arthur Constant in the shop.
- Arthur Constant
Mentioned as the victim and as the subject of Mortlake's earlier criticism.
Key passages
“You take one up so sharply, Mr. Grodman. No—I’ve retired, laughed Grodman.”
Denzil accuses Grodman of being too quick to take offense, but Grodman laughs and says he is retired.
Shows Grodman's playful and unbothered demeanor.
“I’ve had writer’s cramp, and couldn’t do your last job. I was coming to tell you so on the morning of the— Murder. So you said at the inquest.”
Denzil claims he had writer's cramp and was coming to tell Grodman on the morning of the murder, which Grodman notes he already testified to at the inquest.
Highlights the suspicious timing of Denzil's alibi.
“Of man’s first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the world— Hold on! cried Grodman; what morbid subjects you choose, to be sure.”
Denzil begins reciting Milton's Paradise Lost, but Grodman interrupts, calling the subject morbid.
Illustrates Grodman's irreverent humor and Denzil's pretensions.
“What’s the Good of Society? The Individual is before all. The mass must be sacrificed to the Great Man. Otherwise the Great Man will be sacrificed to the mass.”
Denzil argues that society should serve the individual genius, not the other way around.
Reflects Denzil's self-important philosophy and tension with practical concerns.
“Crowl, said he, that man’ll do mischief. I don’t like these kid-glove philanthropists mixing themselves up in practical labor disputes they don’t understand.”
Peter Crowl recalls that Tom Mortlake had criticized Arthur Constant as a meddling philanthropist in labor matters.
Foreshadows Mortlake's possible motive and the class tensions in the story.
