Bill Haydon
Encyclopedia
Bill Haydon is a fictional character
created by John le Carré
, and is a major figure in le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
.
's lightly fictionalised version of MI6/SIS
) in 1938 while a brilliant student at Oxford University. He is an aesthete, possessing of a great intellect, charming, and, it appears, smitten with fellow student Jim Prideaux
, an acclaimed athlete. Haydon introduces Prideaux to the Circus "talent spotters" and the two rise through the Circus through World War II, with Haydon ascending to become one of the senior officers in London and Prideaux a resourceful field agent.
It is never made clear whether a physical relationship developed with Prideaux, although Haydon's bisexuality
is referred to at several points in the novel.
Haydon is not only charming and rather aristocratic but reckless, apparently a highly successful agent, libidinous, witty, somewhat outrageous.
And, as it turns out, Haydon is a double agent
working for Moscow Centre
. As he rises within the Circus, Haydon (code-named "Gerald") introduces a new (and ultimately bogus) Russian intelligence source called "Merlin", the product of the source being termed "Witchcraft". Percy Alleline
is keen to use this source as a bargaining chip with the CIA.
Control, the anonymous chief of the Circus, comes to suspect that there is a mole
deep in the organisation. After much thought, he eliminates all but Alleline, Roy Bland
, George Smiley
, Haydon and Toby Esterhase
from his suspicions.
At about this time, Haydon cuckold
s George Smiley
, beginning an affair with Smiley's wife, Lady Ann, on the orders of his Russian controller Karla
in order to discredit or undermine any suspicions Smiley may have or develop about Haydon.
Control then sends Prideaux to Czechoslovakia
in order to obtain the mole's identity by anti-Soviet, Czech General Stevcek, but Operation Testify proves a failure with Prideaux betrayed and captured. After Prideaux is shot and undergoes months of beatings and torture, he is eventually returned to Britain, but his career in Intelligence is over and he is bitter after his experience in the East.
Control is forced out of power and Alleline becomes Chief while Haydon assumes control of London Station, which he manoeuvres into being placed in control of all foreign stations - effectively giving Haydon unfettered access to intelligence and details of operations and control over those operations. Because of this the Circus' intelligence sources dwindle to almost nothing other than the "Witchcraft". Smiley's investigations eventually unmask Haydon as the mole. Under interrogation, he reveals that he is a full Colonel in Soviet intelligence. Plans are set in motion to exchange Haydon for Western agents held in the Eastern bloc. Before this can happen, though, he is killed--his neck broken--and it is strongly implied, though never stated, that this was done by his former friend--perhaps former lover--Jim Prideaux, in revenge for Haydon's betrayal and the torture he suffered in Czechoslovakia.
who is known to have compromised le Carré's own career in MI6; certainly his actions parallel Philby's ability to paralyse the British intelligence service. Haydon claims that, although he was recruited by Soviet intelligence at university in the 1930s, he only became a serious agent for them following the Suez crisis
when it became clear to him that Britain was no longer a world power and, in his view, was subservient to America. This perceived inferiority led to Haydon developing a deep hatred for America and resolved him to damage them as much as possible by spying for the Russians
in the 1979 television serial based on the novel. In the 1988 BBC Radio 4
series he was played by Edward de Souza
. In the 2011 film adaptation
he was played by Colin Firth
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by John le Carré
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
, and is a major figure in le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a 1974 British spy novel by John le Carré, featuring George Smiley. Smiley is a middle-aged, taciturn, perspicacious intelligence expert in forced retirement. He is recalled to hunt down a Soviet mole in the "Circus", the highest echelon of the Secret Intelligence...
.
Biography
Bill Haydon is recruited into the Circus (John le CarréJohn le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
's lightly fictionalised version of MI6/SIS
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
) in 1938 while a brilliant student at Oxford University. He is an aesthete, possessing of a great intellect, charming, and, it appears, smitten with fellow student Jim Prideaux
Jim Prideaux
Jim Prideaux is a fictional Intelligence officer in the novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré. Although his character and actions are central to the plot, they are mostly revealed in sequences of dialogue and flashbacks, or are indirectly referred to.-Character and Career:Jim Prideaux...
, an acclaimed athlete. Haydon introduces Prideaux to the Circus "talent spotters" and the two rise through the Circus through World War II, with Haydon ascending to become one of the senior officers in London and Prideaux a resourceful field agent.
It is never made clear whether a physical relationship developed with Prideaux, although Haydon's bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
is referred to at several points in the novel.
Haydon is not only charming and rather aristocratic but reckless, apparently a highly successful agent, libidinous, witty, somewhat outrageous.
And, as it turns out, Haydon is a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
working for Moscow Centre
Moscow Centre
Moscow Centre is a nickname used by John le Carré for the Moscow central headquarters of the KGB, especially those departments concerned with foreign espionage and counterintelligence...
. As he rises within the Circus, Haydon (code-named "Gerald") introduces a new (and ultimately bogus) Russian intelligence source called "Merlin", the product of the source being termed "Witchcraft". Percy Alleline
Percy Alleline
Sir Percy Alleline is a fictional character in British novelist John le Carré's work. He is the Chief of the "Circus", Le Carré's fictionalised version of MI6/SIS, in the novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy....
is keen to use this source as a bargaining chip with the CIA.
Control, the anonymous chief of the Circus, comes to suspect that there is a mole
Mole (espionage)
A mole is a spy who works for an enemy nation, but whose loyalty ostensibly lies with his own nation's government. In some usage, a mole differs from a defector in that a mole is a spy before gaining access to classified information, while a defector becomes a spy only after gaining access...
deep in the organisation. After much thought, he eliminates all but Alleline, Roy Bland
Roy Bland
Roy Bland is a fictional character in the novels of John le Carré, appearing most prominently inTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. He is a high-ranking official in "The Circus" , and one of five men suspected of being a mole for the Russians.-Background:Unusually for Circus officers, Bland is from a...
, George Smiley
George Smiley
George Smiley is a fictional character created by John le Carré. Smiley is an intelligence officer working for MI6 , the British overseas intelligence agency...
, Haydon and Toby Esterhase
Toby Esterhase
Toby Esterhase is a fictional character in John le Carré's George Smiley spy novels including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; The Honourable Schoolboy; and Smiley's People, as well as some of the stories in The Secret Pilgrim....
from his suspicions.
At about this time, Haydon cuckold
Cuckold
Cuckold is a historically derogatory term for a man who has an unfaithful wife. The word, which has been in recorded use since the 13th century, derives from the cuckoo bird, some varieties of which lay their eggs in other birds' nests...
s George Smiley
George Smiley
George Smiley is a fictional character created by John le Carré. Smiley is an intelligence officer working for MI6 , the British overseas intelligence agency...
, beginning an affair with Smiley's wife, Lady Ann, on the orders of his Russian controller Karla
Karla (fictional character)
Karla is a fictional character in several novels by John le Carré. A Soviet Intelligence officer, he most often appears as a distant antagonist of George Smiley...
in order to discredit or undermine any suspicions Smiley may have or develop about Haydon.
Control then sends Prideaux to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in order to obtain the mole's identity by anti-Soviet, Czech General Stevcek, but Operation Testify proves a failure with Prideaux betrayed and captured. After Prideaux is shot and undergoes months of beatings and torture, he is eventually returned to Britain, but his career in Intelligence is over and he is bitter after his experience in the East.
Control is forced out of power and Alleline becomes Chief while Haydon assumes control of London Station, which he manoeuvres into being placed in control of all foreign stations - effectively giving Haydon unfettered access to intelligence and details of operations and control over those operations. Because of this the Circus' intelligence sources dwindle to almost nothing other than the "Witchcraft". Smiley's investigations eventually unmask Haydon as the mole. Under interrogation, he reveals that he is a full Colonel in Soviet intelligence. Plans are set in motion to exchange Haydon for Western agents held in the Eastern bloc. Before this can happen, though, he is killed--his neck broken--and it is strongly implied, though never stated, that this was done by his former friend--perhaps former lover--Jim Prideaux, in revenge for Haydon's betrayal and the torture he suffered in Czechoslovakia.
Background
Haydon is portrayed rather in the mould of real-life double agent Kim PhilbyKim Philby
Harold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby was a high-ranking member of British intelligence who worked as a spy for and later defected to the Soviet Union...
who is known to have compromised le Carré's own career in MI6; certainly his actions parallel Philby's ability to paralyse the British intelligence service. Haydon claims that, although he was recruited by Soviet intelligence at university in the 1930s, he only became a serious agent for them following the Suez crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
when it became clear to him that Britain was no longer a world power and, in his view, was subservient to America. This perceived inferiority led to Haydon developing a deep hatred for America and resolved him to damage them as much as possible by spying for the Russians
Portrayals
Haydon was played by Ian RichardsonIan Richardson
Ian William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
in the 1979 television serial based on the novel. In the 1988 BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
series he was played by Edward de Souza
Edward de Souza
Edward James de Souza is a British character actor and graduate of RADA with ethnic Portuguese Indian and English origins.-Early life:...
. In the 2011 film adaptation
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (film)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a 2011 English-language espionage film directed by Tomas Alfredson, from a screenplay written by Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan based on the 1974 novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré...
he was played by Colin Firth
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
.