Superintendent Seegrave Character Analysis in The Moonstone

The humorless local police officer who is first assigned to investigate the Diamond’s disappearance. By declaring that the thief must be inside the house and ruthlessly interrogating everyone present, he manages to alienate the family and servants enough to make his replacement Sergeant Cuff’s job much harder. His failure to uncover any real clues and marked contrast with the patient, insightful Cuff sets up a prominent trope in detective fiction: the celebrated higher-up detective coming in to replace the incompetent local officer.

Superintendent Seegrave Character Timeline in The Moonstone

The timeline below shows where the character Superintendent Seegrave appears in The Moonstone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

After a few minutes, the austere police Superintendent, Seegrave, comes to the estate and investigates. He determines that “some person in the house” must... (full context)

...Rachel was yelling at Franklin about, none of them are willing to tell Betteredge or Seegrave, who begins interrogating Betteredge about the other servants. Betteredge defends them all, although he has... (full context)

Seegrave tells Betteredge that he believes the thief was collaborating with the Indians, whom he now... (full context)

When Julia comes out, Cuff inquires about the previous investigation and asks to speak with Seegrave. After they chat, Seegrave emerges as an eager assistant to the weary and suspicious Cuff,... (full context)

...he thinks may have been the last to see it before the smear. Recognizing that Seegrave alienated the servants, he asks Betteredge to explain to the servants that there is “no... (full context)

...his next order of business is to search for a smeared dress, and he sends Seegrave—who is still convinced the paint is irrelevant—back to Frizinghall. After a period of deep thought,... (full context)

...resists the prospect of searching the servants, which Cuff insists must happen (although he laments Seegrave’s initial search for showing the servants they were under suspicion). Cuff proposes explaining the whole... (full context)

Only Cuff and Betteredge remain outside. Cuff calls Joyce, the other policeman Seegrave had left at the house, and while waiting for him declares to Betteredge that Rachel... (full context)

...refused to acknowledge or help precisely the people attempting to get the jewel back (himself, Seegrave, and Franklin Blake). This reminds him precisely of the actions of secretly indebted women, as... (full context)

...the women servants” as well as Franklin, whom she hated for calling the police. When Seegrave came, she followed his orders; after he asked about the paint smear, Rosanna checked her... (full context)

...the small one she found inside the dressing-gown he likely put on over his nightgown. Seegrave then questioned the rest of the servants, and accused Penelope because—in Penelope’s own words, she... (full context)