History Literature / TheScarletPimpernel

* HeroesWantRedHeads: Marguerite is a redhead, shading towards strawberry blonde.

''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a notable work of Western literature, which would go on to influence popular culture throughout the generations. It is an early precursor to the SpyDrama genre of fiction, and the Pimpernel himself can be counted as a ProtoSuperhero. The book arguably created the modern concept of the SecretIdentity. Like Franchise/{{Batman}} (or that other early "superhero", Franchise/{{Zorro}}), the Pimpernel is a [[SecretIdentity wealthy personage who hides behind a foppish face by day]] and performs dashing and heroic deeds under the cover of darkness. Like Franchise/{{Superman}}, he hides his intellect and intentions behind a mask of clueless ignorance. He also uses an iconic symbol (the Pimpernel flower) to denote his identity. Truly, modern-day movies and comic books owe a lot to this character. Even {{Anime}} seems to have been influenced a bit by him, judging by the number of series (like ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' and ''Literature/TrinityBlood'') which feature seemingly dorky -- yet secretly competent -- heroes who often wear red.

''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a notable work of Western literature, which would go on to influence popular culture throughout the generations. It is an early precursor to the SpyDrama genre of fiction, and the Pimpernel himself can be counted as a ProtoSuperhero. The book arguably created the modern concept of the SecretIdentity. Like Franchise/{{Batman}} (or that other early "superhero", Franchise/{{Zorro}}), the Pimpernel is a [[SecretIdentity wealthy personage who hides behind a foppish face by day]] and performs dashing and heroic deeds under the cover of darkness. Like Franchise/{{Superman}}, he hides his intellect and intentions behind a mask of clueless ignorance. He also uses an iconic symbol (the Pimpernel flower) to denote his identity. Truly, modern-day movies and comic books owe a lot to this character. Even {{Anime}} seems to have been influenced a bit by him, judging by the number of series (like ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' and ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'') which feature seemingly dorky -- yet secretly competent -- heroes who often wear red.

* YouGotSpunk: Both Chauvelin and Percy realize this about Marguerite.

* YouGotSpunk: Citizen Merri in the short story ''The Cabaret de la Liberté'' likes a wench with spirit.

To whom can Marguerite turn for help? Certainly not her [[RichIdiotWithNoDayjob foppish, empty-headed dandy of a husband, Percy]]. He barely has the brain cells to choose what outrageous outfit he will wear to their next social function. He surely couldn't be of any use in finding out who the Pimpernel really is.

''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a notable work of Western literature, which would go on to influence popular culture throughout the generations. It is an early precursor to the SpyDrama genre of fiction, and the Pimpernel himself can be counted as a ProtoSuperhero. The book arguably created the modern concept of the SecretIdentity. Like Franchise/{{Batman}} (or that other early "superhero", Franchise/{{Zorro}}), the Pimpernel is a [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob wealthy personage who hides behind a foppish face by day]] and performs dashing and heroic deeds under the cover of darkness. Like Franchise/{{Superman}}, he hides his intellect and intentions behind a mask of clueless ignorance. He also uses an iconic symbol (the Pimpernel flower) to denote his identity. Truly, modern-day movies and comic books owe a lot to this character. Even {{Anime}} seems to have been influenced a bit by him, judging by the number of series (like ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' and ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'') which feature seemingly dorky -- yet secretly competent -- heroes who often wear red.

* ProtoSuperhero: The Scarlet Pimpernel's PhantomThief qualities in contrast to Sir Percy's heavy use of ClarkKenting model the dynamic between superheroes and their alter egos that would be mimicked for years to come.
** Additionally, his status as a TerrorHero to the villains, his alter ego being a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob who does CrimefightingWithCash, and MasterOfDisguise tendencies almost certainly inspired Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: Percy disguises his activities as the Scarlet Pimpernel by adopting the persona of the most foppish possible socialite.

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Just short of stated outright for the Blakeneys, whenever Sir Percy can take a break from his heroics, that is. (They have a year of lost time to make up for, after all...)

* AlternateHistory: Minor, but the Dauphin ends up escaping France to
Holland instead of dying in prison like in real life

* RealityEnsues: In ''Lord Tony's Wife'', two separate characters attempt to use a TapOnTheHead to put someone briefly out of action. One victim ends up in hospital, the other in the cemetery.

* PromotionToParent: After being hinted in ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', established in ''Eldorado'', which reveals that Armand's name for Marguerite is "little Mother."

%%* HeroicBSOD: Armand in ''Eldorado''

''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a notable work of Western literature, which would go on to influence popular culture throughout the generations. It's an early precursor to the SpyDrama genre of fiction, and the Pimpernel himself can be counted as a ProtoSuperhero. The book arguably created the modern concept of the SecretIdentity. Like Franchise/{{Batman}} (or that other early "superhero", Franchise/{{Zorro}}), the Pimpernel is a [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob wealthy personage who hides behind a foppish face by day]] and performs dashing and heroic deeds under the cover of darkness. Like Franchise/{{Superman}}, he hides his intellect and intentions behind a mask of clueless ignorance. He also uses an iconic symbol (the Pimpernel flower) to denote his identity. Truly, modern-day movies and comic books owe a lot to this character. Even {{Anime}} seems to have been influenced a bit by him, judging by the number of series (like ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' and ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'') which feature seemingly dorky -- yet secretly competent -- heroes who often wear red.

To whom can Marguerite turn for help? Certainly not her [[RichIdiotWithNoDayjob foppish, empty-headed dandy of a husband, Percy]]. He barely has the brain cells to choose what outrageous outfit he'll wear to their next social function. He surely couldn't be of any use in finding out who the Pimpernel really is.

The beautiful expatriate French actress, Marguerite Blakeney, doesn't know. But she's recently discovered that her brother, Armand, is one of his band of followers. Unfortunately, Armand's been revealed to the Revolutionaries. And if Marguerite doesn't help Citizen Chauvelin, the slimy agent of the French Republic, discover the Pimpernel's true identity, Armand will be executed.

* ReplacedWithReplica: In ''The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel'', Chauvelin surreptitiously makes a copy of the vital packet of letters, substitutes it for the original, and opens the original... only to find that he's got a copy Sir Percy had previously substituted, and all it contains is the Scarlet Pimpernel's signature rhyme.

* ThatsWhatIWouldDo: In ''The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel'', Sir Percy and Chauvelin both come up with the idea of making a copy of the McGuffin and substituting it for the original (Sir Percy's version includes his signature rhyme, of course). Sir Percy notes the similarity:

* LegacyCharacter: The Pimpernel is the descendent of a hero of TheCavalierYears, as shown in ''The Laughing Cavalier'' and ''The First Sir Percy''. His own IdenticalGrandson appears in ''Pimpernel and Rosemary''.

%%* ArchEnemy: Chauvelin.

%%* TheAtoner: Marguerite.

%%* BigBad: Robespierre.
%%* BigGood: The Scarlet Pimpernel.
%%* {{Blackmail}}

%%* BlueBlood

%%* ChekhovsGun: Chauvelin's snuff habit.
%%* ClarkKenting
%%* ColorCharacter [[CharacterTitle Title]]

%%* DeadpanSnarker
%%* {{Determinator}}: Marguerite

* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: Chauvelin has his men so scared to disobey him, they ignore CommonSense in favor of following his orders to the letter.

%%* InspectorJavert: Chauvelin -- must be a French thing.

%%* ItsPersonal: Chauvelin

%%* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Marguerite

%%* NumberTwo: Sir Andrew
%%* ObfuscatingStupidity

%%* PaperThinDisguise

%%* ProtoSuperhero

%%* RedemptionQuest: For Marguerite.

%%* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: The ur-example.
%%* RightInFrontOfMe

%%* {{Superhero}}: The Ur-example

%%* SternChase

%%* YouDontWantToCatchThis: Done with smallpox.

%%* ColdBloodedTorture: 17 days of sleep deprivation in ''Eldorado''.

* MasterActor / MasterOfDisguise: The Pimpernel impersonates several known French people, authority figures, civil servants and grimy tramps alike. At one point, he reflects that he plays the part of Rateau (a coal-heaver he often impersonates) more convincingly than Rateau himself.

* ArchEnemy: Chauvelin.

* TheAtoner: Marguerite.

* BetaCouple: Suzanne and Sir Andrew.
* BigBad: Robespierre.
* BigGood: The Scarlet Pimpernel.
* {{Blackmail}}

* BlueBlood

* ChekhovsGun: Chauvelin's snuff habit.
* ClarkKenting
* ColorCharacter [[CharacterTitle Title]]

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Percy

* DeadpanSnarker
* {{Determinator}}: Marguerite

* HeroSecretService: The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel

* InspectorJavert: Chauvelin -- must be a French thing.

* ItsPersonal: Chauvelin

* LadyOfAdventure: Marguerite

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Marguerite

* NumberTwo: Sir Andrew
* ObfuscatingStupidity

* PaperThinDisguise

* ProtoSuperhero

* RedemptionQuest: For Marguerite.
* RefugeInAudacity: Most of the plans that aren't {{Batman Gambit}}s.
** Percy wins at the end of the original novel by... [[spoiler:dressing up as a Jew and relying on the French's rampant anti-Semitism to make them overlook him.]] It comes as quite a surprise to modern students who have to read the book for English class...
* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: The ur-example.
* RightInFrontOfMe

* SternChase

* {{Superhero}}: The Ur-example

* YouDontWantToCatchThis: Done with smallpox.

* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: Bertrand Moncrif]] in ''The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel''.

* ColdBloodedTorture: 17 days of sleep deprivation in ''Eldorado''.

* CoveredInKisses[=/=]AnywhereButTheirLips: Marguerite and Sir Percy, ''repeatedly''.

* DeathByChildbirth: Fleurette's mother.
* EtTuBrute: ''Eldorado''

* HappilyMarried: The Blakeneys and the Ffoulkeses.
* HeroicBSOD: Armand in ''Eldorado''

* TheIngenue: Fleurette.

* LoveAtFirstNote: Armand for Jeanne in ''Eldorado''

* MasterActor/ MasterOfDisguise: The Pimpernel impersonates several known French people, authority figures, civil servants and grimy tramps alike. At one point, he reflects that he plays the part of Rateau (a coal-heaver he often impersonates) more convincingly than Rateau himself.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Armand in ''Eldorado''.

* PapaWolf: Chauvelin in ''Sir Percy Hits Back''.

* SaveTheVillain's Daughter: ''Sir Percy Hits Back''

--> Martin-Roget was the personification of sans-culottism, of rough manners and foul speech -- he chafed against the conventions which forced him to wear decent clothes and boots on his feet -- he would gladly have seen every one go about the streets half-naked, unwashed, a living sign of that downward levelling of castes which he and his friends stood for, and for which they had fought and striven and committed every crime which human passions let loose could invent. Chauvelin, on the other hand, was one of those who wore fine linen and buckled shoes and whose hands were delicately washed and perfumed whilst they signed decrees which sent hundreds of women and children to a violent and cruel death.

* VillainEpisode: ''Sir Percy Hits Back''
* VillainousBSOD: Chauvelin in ''Sir Percy Hits Back''
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove?: Explored in ''Eldorado''.

!!This story has also been the subject of many a parody:
* The Daffy Duck cartoon ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes The Scarlet Pumpernickel]]''
* The ''Series/{{Blackadder}} the Third'' episode "Nob and Nobility": Blackadder derides the public's obsession with the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel, and makes a bet that he could rescue a French aristocrat just as well.
* ''Film/DontLoseYourHead'' had the "Black Fingernail", played by Creator/SidJames, with Creator/KennethWilliams playing Chauvelin's {{Expy}}, Citizen Camembert.
* ''Series/WayneAndShuster'': "Close Encounters of the Brown Pumpernickel Kind"
* In ''ComicStrip/FootrotFlats'', The Dog sometimes adopts the persona "The Scarlet Manuka" and attempts to rescue abused UsefulNotes/{{Cricket}} balls.