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The Mistaken Identity in T. S. Eliot’s The Confidential Clerk

T. S. Eliot, in one of his later poetic dramas, The Confidential Clerk, shows the search for the mistaken identity dealing with the discovery of hero’s self for the eternal life in the common lives. From the title onwards the play also suggests a detective thriller interest concerned with the investigation of a mystery or, at least, some business of a secret, confidential nature. In this respect, the elements of mystery and their function deserve to be analyzed. It appears via the elements of investigation, coincidence, mystification, confession etc., which make the play fairly diverting and at the same time suggest symbolically its deeper meaning and theme. Actually the process of investigation receives more extended treatment in this play than in the earlier ones, and the suspense is so well maintained that the play definitely achieves a technical smoothness not to be seen in earlier plays. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the mystery thriller elements of the play, The Confidential Clerk and investigate how they are used with special reference to its subject matter, the mistaken identity revealed in the process of self-identification through the discovery of self. As seen in the analysis, Eliot makes all the characters take part in the search for the mistaken identity of Colby Simpkins and in particular, lets a detective named Eggerson help Mrs Guzzard as witness give evidence. In addition, he designs the story so that Eggerson can bring the whole affair to light by getting the clue to the identity problem which plays part in investigation. It matters that the discovery of hero’s true self is made thanks to the cooperative efforts of all the characters in this process, and here the elements required to investigation are of great help to structuring the basic frame of the play.