The Secret Agent · Chapter
XII explained
Winnie Verloc, having stabbed her husband, is consumed by fear of the gallows and a desperate desire to escape.
What happens
Winnie Verloc, having stabbed her husband, is consumed by fear of the gallows and a desperate desire to escape. She encounters Comrade Ossipon outside, who initially mistakes her for intoxicated. Recognizing her, Ossipon becomes entangled in her flight. They return to the shop, where Ossipon discovers Verloc's body and is horrified. When a policeman checks the door, Winnie clings to Ossipon in terror, begging him to kill her if discovered. After the policeman leaves, she insists he turn off the light.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Alienation
Winnie feels utterly alone as a murderer, with no friends, relations, or knowledge to aid her escape, highlighting her profound isolation.
Psychology of Crime
The chapter delves into Winnie's psychological state after the murder—her fear of the gallows, her instinctive repulsion, and her desperate, irrational actions.
Moral Squalor and Corruption
The sordid aftermath of the murder, Ossipon's opportunistic yet horrified reaction, and the grim setting of the closed shop underscore the moral decay surrounding the characters.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Verloc
Now a widow and murderer, she is terrified of the gallows and feels utterly alone. She seeks Ossipon's help and clings to him in fear of discovery.
- Comrade Ossipon
Encountering Winnie on the street, he is initially opportunistic but becomes horrified upon discovering Verloc's corpse. He is trapped by her desperate need and his own fear of the police.
- Mr. Verloc
Lying dead on the sofa with a knife in his chest, his body and hat become ominous objects that shock Ossipon.
Key passages
“The drop given was fourteen feet.”
The standard length of the drop in a judicial hanging was fourteen feet.
This phrase haunts Winnie, representing her terror of execution.
“She was the most lonely of murderers that ever struck a mortal blow.”
Winnie felt more isolated than any other murderer, with no one to help her.
Highlights her extreme alienation after the killing.
“If he comes in kill me—kill me, Tom.”
If the policeman enters, she begs Ossipon to kill her rather than let her be arrested.
Shows her desperation and fear of the gallows.