Death on the Nile
Death on the Nile
by Agatha Christie

Signor Richetti Character Analysis

Signor Richetti is a slightly overweight, middle-aged Italian archaeologist that Poirot meets on an excursion near the hotel (which Ferguson also came on). He gets extremely angry at Linnet when she opens a telegram addressed to him by mistake (since she accidentally read “Richetti” as “Ridgeway”). Simon later reveals that the telegram mostly sounded like nonsense to him, that it was all about vegetables. Colonel Race, however, immediately recognizes this language as code and realizes that Richetti must be the political agitator that he’s been on the Karnak searching for. The novels portrayal of Richetti as a “hotheaded” Italian can be criticized as an example of its use of stereotypes in drawing its characters.

Signor Richetti Quotes in Death on the Nile

The Death on the Nile quotes below are all either spoken by Signor Richetti or refer to Signor Richetti. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Justice Theme Icon
).

Chapter Eleven  Quotes

“A telegram for me.”

She snatched it off the board and tore it open.

“Why—I don’t understand—potatoes, beetroots—what does it mean, Simon?"

Simon was just coming to look over her shoulder when a furious voice said: “Excuse me, that telegram is for me,” and Signor Richetti snatched it rudely from her hand, fixing her with a furious glare as he did so.

Related Characters: Signor Richetti (speaker), Linnet Doyle (speaker), Simon Doyle , Mrs. Salome Otterbourne
Page Number and Citation: 127
Explanation and Analysis:
This exchange comes after Linnet accidentally opens a telegram, thinking it says Ridgeway (her maiden name), when in fact it says Richetti. This conflict between Linett and Richetti may seem out of place and added in solely for comic relief, but in fact, it will play a major role in one of the novel’s subplots. Richetti is portrayed as a suspicious character on several occasions, and this seemingly nonsensical telegram seems to be some sort of code. As it turns out, that’s exactly what it is. Though Christie draws out the reveal, interrupting it with the climactic death of Mrs. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus volup

Chapter Nineteen  Quotes

“People think I’m awful. Stuck-up and cross and bad-tempered. I can’t help it. I’ve forgotten how to be-to be nice.”

“That is what I said to you; you have carried your burden by yourself too long.”

Related Characters: Rosalie Otterbourne (speaker), Hercule Poirot (speaker), Jacqueline De Bellefort, Mrs. Salome Otterbourne, Signor Richetti, Simon Doyle
Page Number and Citation: 217
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Poirot comforts Rosalie after she confesses to him that her mother, Mrs. Otterbourne, is an alcoholic. Rosalie’s attempts to cut her mother off have led her mother to resent her, which explains why Rosalie is always so sulky in public. Like many characters in the story, Rosalie suffers under the burden of a secret she must keep. Some of the characters in the story—like Jacqueline, Simon, and Richetti—are keeping grave, murderous secrets, all of which clearly cause them a lot of anxiety. But the subplot with Rosalie and her mother shows that even relatively mundane secrets can take a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti solu
Get the entire Death on the Nile LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Death on the Nile PDF

Signor Richetti Character Timeline in Death on the Nile

The timeline below shows where the character Signor Richetti appears in Death on the Nile. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Seven 
Class Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...fight, with clothes that look out of place in Egypt. The other is a pudgy, middle-aged man , with a slight accent, and he immediately starts talking to Poirot, taking particular interest... (full context)
Class Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...reaches the island of Elephantine, the middle-aged man introduces himself to Poirot as Signor Guido Richetti, an archeologist. He walks with Poirot to a museum, speaking first in Italian, then in... (full context)
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
Later, Poirot and Signor Richetti see the dark-haired young man again near some ruins on the island. Poirot is distracted,... (full context)
Class Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...Poirot go back to the boat, where they see the dark-haired young man and Signor Richetti. Poirot makes a friendly comment to the dark-haired young man about all the great wonders... (full context)
...but the young man insists he’d prefer a well-fed worker over any supposed art. Signor Richetti, the archeologist, overhears and gives a passionate but incomprehensible speech in opposition to the young... (full context)
Class Theme Icon
Romantic Love Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
The boat finally arrives back at the hotel, and Mrs. Allerton, Poirot, Signor Richetti, and the dark-haired young man all disembark. In the hall of the hotel, Poirot meets... (full context)
Chapter Eight
Deception and Genre Expectations Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...as the dark-haired young man who she describes as “our anti-capitalist friend.” Finally, she identifies Richetti as “our Italian archaeological friend” and Miss Van Schuyler as “the very ugly old American... (full context)
Chapter Ten 
Class Theme Icon
Romantic Love Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
The tour group stops by the four rock-hewn statues of Ramses. Signor Richetti ignores the tour guide’s focus on the big statues and looks instead at reliefs of... (full context)
Chapter Eleven 
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...next morning, the group goes on an expedition to ascend the Second Cataract (except Signor Richetti, who insists on making a different, undisclosed trip). All take donkeys except Poirot and Mrs.... (full context)
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...surprised to find a telegram for her and immediately rips it open. An angry Signor Richetti snatches the telegram away from her, and she realizes she grabbed the wrong telegram, thinking... (full context)
Chapter Fifteen 
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
Race then brings up Ferguson as a suspect. He also brings up “my fellow”—the agitator and murderer that Race has been looking for on the boat. They both admit that... (full context)
Chapter Seventeen 
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
Next up in the smoking room with Poirot and Race is Signor Richetti. He answers quickly that he was asleep some time before 11 p.m. and that he... (full context)
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...Ferguson first. After Ferguson leaves, Poirot and Race agree that it’s unlikely Ferguson is the agitator Race has been looking for because he doesn’t seem serious. They decide to bring in... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Two 
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...search of the cabins for the real pearls. They go through the rooms of Signor Richetti, Ferguson, Fanthorp, Louise, and Tim, finding no incriminating correspondence or handkerchiefs. They search especially carefully... (full context)
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Romantic Love Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...and stewardess also come and announce that the search in the saloon was fruitless. Signor Richetti caused some trouble and had a gun on him (but not the kind that killed... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Four 
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...Simon if he can tell them some more about the time when Linnet opened Signor Richetti’s telegram by accident and it caused him to get unreasonably angry. Simon recounts that Linnet... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Eight 
Justice Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Romantic Love Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
...Race says if Simon’s feeling well, they should find him and finish their conversation about Richetti’s telegram. Dr. Bessner says that Simon told him about the telegram: that it was funny... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-One 
Justice Theme Icon
Deception and Genre Expectations Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
At dawn, the Karnak pulls into Shellal. Race says he’s made arrangements to have Richetti, the agitator, taken ashore first. Race goes on to mention that they’ll need a stretcher... (full context)
Justice Theme Icon
Deception and Genre Expectations Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Romantic Love Theme Icon
Selfishness and Generosity Theme Icon
National Identity and International Connections Theme Icon
The passengers are asked to wait before departing the boat. First, a sullen-looking Richetti is escorted off the boat. Soon after is brought a defeated-looking Simon on a stretcher.... (full context)