The Maltese Falcon Novel by Samuel Dashiell Hammett

The Maltese Falcon Novel by Samuel Dashiell Hammett

The Maltese Falcon is a classic detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, featuring the iconic private investigator Sam Spade. Set in the 1920s, the story revolves around Spade's involvement with a mysterious woman, Brigid O'Shaughnessy, and a quest for a priceless statuette known as the Maltese Falcon. Themes of betrayal, greed, and moral ambiguity permeate the narrative, as Spade navigates a treacherous web of deceit involving various criminals. This novel is essential reading for fans of hard-boiled detective fiction and those interested in early 20th-century American literature. It explores complex character dynamics and the darker aspects of human nature.

Key Points

  • Follows detective Sam Spade as he investigates the murder of his partner, Miles Archer.
  • Explores themes of betrayal and moral ambiguity in a quest for the Maltese Falcon statuette.
  • Features iconic characters like Brigid O'Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, each with their own motives.
  • Set in the 1920s, reflecting the era's cultural and societal tensions.
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THE MALTESE FALCON
by Dashiell Hammett
I. Spade & Archer
II. Death in the Fog
III. Three Women
IV. The Black Bird
V. The Levantine
VI. The Undersized Shadow
VII. G in the Air
VIII. Horse Feathers
IX. Brigid
X. The Belvedere divan
XI. The Fat Man
XII. Merry-Go-Round
XIII. The Emperor's Gift
XIV. La Paloma
XV. Every Crackpot
XVI. The Third Murder
XVII. Saturday Night
XVIII. The Fall-Guy
XIX. The Russian's Hand
XX. If They Hang You
Copyright 1929, 1930 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Copyright renewed 1957 by Dashiell Hammett
Edited for educational purposes by Karen Nicolas
THE
MALTESE FALCON
I. Spade & Archer
Samuel Spade's jaw was long and bony, his chin a jutting V under the more flexible V
of his mouth. His nostrils curved back to make another, smaller, v. His yellow-grey
eyes were horizontal. The V motif was picked up again by thickish brows rising
outward from twin creases above a hooked nose, and his pale brown hair grew down
- from high flat temples - in a point on his forehead. He looked rather pleasantly like
a blond Satan. He said to Effie Perine: "Yes,
sweetheart?"
She was a lanky sunburned girl whose tan dress
of thin woolen stuff clung to her with an effect
of dampness. Her eyes were brown and playful
in a shiny boyish face. She finished shutting the
door behind her, leaned against it, and said:
"There's a girl wants to see you. Her name's
Wonderly."
"A customer?"
"I guess so. You'll want to see her anyway: she's
a knockout."
"Shoo her in, darling," said Spade. "Shoo her in."
Effie Perine opened the door again, following it
back into the outer office, standing with a hand on the knob while saying: "Will you
come in, Miss Wonderly?"
A voice said, "Thank you," so softly that only the purest articulation made the words
intelligible, and a young woman came through the doorway. She advanced slowly,
with tentative steps, looking at Spade with cobalt-blue eyes that were both shy and
probing. She was tall and pliantly slender, without angularity anywhere. Her body
was erect and high-breasted, her legs long, her hands and feet narrow. She wore two
shades of blue that had been selected because of her eyes. The hair curling from
under her blue hat was darkly red, her full lips more brightly red. White teeth
glistened in the crescent her timid smile made. Spade rose bowing and indicating
with a thick-fingered hand the oaken armchair beside his desk. He was quite six feet
tall. The steep rounded slope of his shoulders made his body seem almost comical -
no broader than it was thick - and kept his freshly pressed grey coat from fitting very
well. Miss Wonderly murmured, "Thank you," softly as before and sat down on the
edge of the chair's wooden seat.
Spade sank into his swivel-chair, made a quarter-turn to face her, smiled politely. He
smiled without separating his lips. All the v's in his face grew longer. The tappity-tap-
tap and the thin bell and muffled whir of Effie Perine's typewriting came through the
closed door. Somewhere in a neighboring office a power-driven machine vibrated
dully. On Spade's desk a limp cigarette smoldered in a brass tray filled with the
remains of limp cigarettes. Ragged grey flakes of cigarette-ash dotted the yellow top
of the desk and the green blotter and the papers that were there. A buff-curtained
window, eight or ten inches open, let in from the court a current of air faintly scented
with ammonia. The ashes on the desk twitched and crawled in the current.
Miss Wonderly watched the grey flakes twitch and crawl. Her eyes were uneasy. She
sat on the very edge of the chair. Her feet were flat on the floor, as if she were about
to rise. Her hands in dark gloves clasped a flat dark handbag in her lap. Spade rocked
back in his chair and asked: "Now what can I do for you, Miss Wonderly?"
She caught her breath and looked at him. She swallowed and said hurriedly: "Could
you - ? I thought - I - that is -" Then she tortured her lower lip with glistening teeth
and said nothing. Only her dark eyes spoke now, pleading.
Spade smiled and nodded as if he understood her, but pleasantly, as if nothing
serious
were involved. He said: "Suppose you tell me about it, from the beginning, and then
we'll know what needs doing. Better begin as far back as you can."
"That was in New York."
"Yes."
"I don't know where she met him. I mean I don't know where in New York. She's five
years younger than I - only seventeen - and we didn't have the same friends. I don't
suppose we've ever been as close as sisters should be. Mama and Papa are in Europe.
It would kill them. I've got to get her back before they come home."
"Yes," he said.
"They're coming home the first of the month."
Spade's eyes brightened. "Then we've two weeks," he said.
"I didn't know what she had done until her letter came. I was frantic." Her lips
trembled. Her hands mashed the dark handbag in her lap. "I was too afraid she had
done something like this to go to the police, and the fear that something had
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FAQs of The Maltese Falcon Novel by Samuel Dashiell Hammett

What is the main plot of The Maltese Falcon?
The Maltese Falcon follows private detective Sam Spade as he becomes embroiled in a complex case involving the murder of his partner, Miles Archer. The story kicks off when Brigid O'Shaughnessy, a mysterious woman, approaches Spade for help in finding a valuable statuette known as the Maltese Falcon. As Spade investigates, he encounters a cast of intriguing characters, including the duplicitous Joel Cairo and the menacing Casper Gutman. The plot thickens with themes of betrayal, greed, and moral ambiguity, culminating in a tense showdown over the falcon.
Who are the key characters in The Maltese Falcon?
Key characters in The Maltese Falcon include Sam Spade, the hard-boiled private detective who navigates a treacherous world of crime and deceit. Brigid O'Shaughnessy is the enigmatic femme fatale who pulls Spade into the quest for the Maltese Falcon. Joel Cairo is a duplicitous character who seeks the falcon for his own gain, while Casper Gutman, the fat man, represents the criminal underworld's greed and ruthlessness. Each character embodies themes of betrayal and moral ambiguity, making them integral to the novel's exploration of human nature.
What themes are explored in The Maltese Falcon?
The Maltese Falcon explores several themes, including betrayal, greed, and moral ambiguity. The characters often act out of self-interest, leading to a complex web of deceit that drives the plot. The novel also examines the nature of justice and the consequences of crime, as Sam Spade grapples with his own moral code in a corrupt world. Additionally, the theme of the femme fatale is prominent through Brigid O'Shaughnessy's character, who embodies both allure and danger, complicating Spade's quest.
What is the significance of the Maltese Falcon statuette?
The Maltese Falcon statuette serves as a symbol of desire and the lengths to which individuals will go to obtain wealth and power. Throughout the novel, it represents the ultimate prize that drives characters to betray one another and commit murder. The falcon's allure captivates both Spade and the criminals pursuing it, illustrating the theme of obsession. Its true value lies not only in its material worth but also in the chaos it brings to those who covet it, making it a central element in the story's exploration of human greed.

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