The Castafiore Emerald
Encyclopedia
The Castafiore Emerald is an album in the classic comic-strip series The Adventures of Tintin
by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé
, featuring young reporter Tintin
as a hero.
The Castafiore Emerald is the twenty-first and the slowest-moving and most sedate in the series. It was conceived as a narrative exercise by Hergé. Becoming disillusioned with his most famous creation, the cartoonist wanted to see if he could maintain suspense throughout sixty-two pages in which nothing much happens. Consequently it is a story without villain
s, guns or danger, but rich in comic setpieces, red herrings
, mistaken interpretations, and colourful characters. Moreover, this is one of only two Tintin books in which the characters do not go to another part of the world (the other being The Secret of the Unicorn
).
and Tintin
are walking through the countryside when they come across a Roma community camped in a garbage dump. They investigate and upon learning that the community chose that site on account of being forbidden by the police
to use any other location, the Captain invites them to the grounds of his estate, Marlinspike, over the objections of his butler Nestor.
Shortly afterwards, Bianca Castafiore
, famous opera
Diva and scourge of the Captain, decides to invite herself to Marlinspike for a holiday. All manner of mayhem ensues. For some time, one of the marble steps leading to the foyer in Marlinspike Hall has had a plate-sized chip; Nestor has been waiting for the repairman, who has been fobbing the Captain off. Upon hearing of Bianca's impending visit, Haddock rushes to pack for a trip to Italy
, figuring that now would be a good time to visit, because he had always avoided visiting the country precisely to avoid Bianca. In his haste, Haddock misses the step, which, just moments before, he had been sanctimoniously warning Nestor and the others about. He sprains his ankle as a result. The doctor arrives, examines the Captain, and insists upon putting the foot and ankle in a cast while imposing a minimum of a fortnight (two weeks)'s bed rest. As a result, the Captain uses a wheelchair for all but the last couple of pages. The broken step becomes a running gag for the rest of the comic, and every character, with the exception of Castafiore, slips and falls down the step at least one time.
Bianca has brought her luggage, her slippers, her pyjamas, her entourage and a parrot for the Captain called "Iago". Not unlike the parrots featured in Red Rackham's Treasure
, the creature manages to pick up some of the Haddockian argot, much to the Captain's chagrin. He narrowly averts having to share his study with Bianca and her piano, managing to convince her to locate the instrument, along with her somewhat rebellious pianist Wagner, in the maritime gallery. Wagner, it turns out, indulges a penchant for gambling by making furtive runs into the local village to place bets. Increasing the Captain's problems, two over-zealous Paris Flash
reporters concoct a story claiming that Haddock and Castafiore intend to get married (following a misinterpreted conversation with the very hard-of-hearing Professor Calculus
), and an avalanche of congratulations from friends from all over the world pour in for several hours.
Soon after Captain Haddock discovers to his horror the rumors of his engagement spread by the tabloids, he is forced to accommodate an entire television crew, who occupy Marlinspike Hall for several hours while conducting an extensive interview with Castafiore (which is interrupted by several comic mishaps). A few days later, Castafiore's most prized emerald goes missing, and all eyes turn to the Roma. But they are vindicated when, in a deliberately anti-climactic dénouement, the culprit turns out to have been a magpie
. As soon as the emerald is found, it is (temporarily) lost once again by the detectives Thompson and Thomson, only to be found again a few frames later by Snowy
, who calls it a "brandyball", underlining the fact that the emerald is merely a device for the whole story to happen, and is in itself meaningless. Beyond the opening with the initial encounter with the Roma at the landfill, the action never leaves the confines of the Marlinspike estate - all the adventures in this album are decidedly domestic.
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
, featuring young reporter Tintin
Tintin (character)
Tintin is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé. Tintin is the protagonist of the series, a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy....
as a hero.
The Castafiore Emerald is the twenty-first and the slowest-moving and most sedate in the series. It was conceived as a narrative exercise by Hergé. Becoming disillusioned with his most famous creation, the cartoonist wanted to see if he could maintain suspense throughout sixty-two pages in which nothing much happens. Consequently it is a story without villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
s, guns or danger, but rich in comic setpieces, red herrings
Red herring (plot device)
Red herring is an idiomatic expression referring to the rhetorical or literary tactic of diverting attention away from an item of significance...
, mistaken interpretations, and colourful characters. Moreover, this is one of only two Tintin books in which the characters do not go to another part of the world (the other being The Secret of the Unicorn
The Secret of the Unicorn
The Secret of the Unicorn is the eleventh title in the comic book series The Adventures of Tintin, written and illustrated by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Designed to be the first volume in a two-part story, the plot of The Secret of the Unicorn was continued in the twelfth Tintin adventure, Red...
).
Storyline
Captain HaddockCaptain Haddock
Captain Archibald Haddock is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
and Tintin
Tintin (character)
Tintin is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé. Tintin is the protagonist of the series, a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy....
are walking through the countryside when they come across a Roma community camped in a garbage dump. They investigate and upon learning that the community chose that site on account of being forbidden by the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
to use any other location, the Captain invites them to the grounds of his estate, Marlinspike, over the objections of his butler Nestor.
Shortly afterwards, Bianca Castafiore
Bianca Castafiore
Bianca Castafiore, the "Milanese Nightingale", is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
, famous opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
Diva and scourge of the Captain, decides to invite herself to Marlinspike for a holiday. All manner of mayhem ensues. For some time, one of the marble steps leading to the foyer in Marlinspike Hall has had a plate-sized chip; Nestor has been waiting for the repairman, who has been fobbing the Captain off. Upon hearing of Bianca's impending visit, Haddock rushes to pack for a trip to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, figuring that now would be a good time to visit, because he had always avoided visiting the country precisely to avoid Bianca. In his haste, Haddock misses the step, which, just moments before, he had been sanctimoniously warning Nestor and the others about. He sprains his ankle as a result. The doctor arrives, examines the Captain, and insists upon putting the foot and ankle in a cast while imposing a minimum of a fortnight (two weeks)'s bed rest. As a result, the Captain uses a wheelchair for all but the last couple of pages. The broken step becomes a running gag for the rest of the comic, and every character, with the exception of Castafiore, slips and falls down the step at least one time.
Bianca has brought her luggage, her slippers, her pyjamas, her entourage and a parrot for the Captain called "Iago". Not unlike the parrots featured in Red Rackham's Treasure
Red Rackham's Treasure
Red Rackham's Treasure is the twelfth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero. It is a continuation of The Secret of the Unicorn, and is one of very few Tintin...
, the creature manages to pick up some of the Haddockian argot, much to the Captain's chagrin. He narrowly averts having to share his study with Bianca and her piano, managing to convince her to locate the instrument, along with her somewhat rebellious pianist Wagner, in the maritime gallery. Wagner, it turns out, indulges a penchant for gambling by making furtive runs into the local village to place bets. Increasing the Captain's problems, two over-zealous Paris Flash
Paris Match
Paris Match is a French weekly magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. It was founded in 1949 by the industrialist Jean Prouvost....
reporters concoct a story claiming that Haddock and Castafiore intend to get married (following a misinterpreted conversation with the very hard-of-hearing Professor Calculus
Professor Calculus
Professor Cuthbert Calculus is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
), and an avalanche of congratulations from friends from all over the world pour in for several hours.
Soon after Captain Haddock discovers to his horror the rumors of his engagement spread by the tabloids, he is forced to accommodate an entire television crew, who occupy Marlinspike Hall for several hours while conducting an extensive interview with Castafiore (which is interrupted by several comic mishaps). A few days later, Castafiore's most prized emerald goes missing, and all eyes turn to the Roma. But they are vindicated when, in a deliberately anti-climactic dénouement, the culprit turns out to have been a magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
. As soon as the emerald is found, it is (temporarily) lost once again by the detectives Thompson and Thomson, only to be found again a few frames later by Snowy
Snowy (character)
Snowy is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé. He is a white Wire Fox Terrier and Tintin's four-legged companion who travels everywhere with him...
, who calls it a "brandyball", underlining the fact that the emerald is merely a device for the whole story to happen, and is in itself meaningless. Beyond the opening with the initial encounter with the Roma at the landfill, the action never leaves the confines of the Marlinspike estate - all the adventures in this album are decidedly domestic.
Inspiration and cultural references
- The book alludes to the well-known French weekly Paris MatchParis MatchParis Match is a French weekly magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. It was founded in 1949 by the industrialist Jean Prouvost....
in its depiction of reporters from 'Paris Flash', and jibes at its reputation for the questionable accuracy of the articles.
- It also mentions a fashion designer named Tristan Bior, based upon Christian DiorChristian DiorChristian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
.
- The incident of the unwelcome band playing outside Marlinspike was based on a similar experience of Hergé's who was also obliged to serve them with drinks. To add insult to injury they gave a toast to "SpirouSpirou (character)Spirou is the main character of the Spirou et Fantasio and Le Petit Spirou comic strips. The character was originally created by Robert Velter for the launch of Le Journal de Spirou in 1938....
", Tintin's most direct rival.
- Hergé also gave a TV interview at around the time he was working on the story.
External links
- The Castafiore Emerald at Tintinologist.org