The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (1905)

During the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, a mysterious English nobleman secretly rescues French aristocrats from the guillotine, leaving only a small red flower as his calling card. The original secret-identity superhero.

Historical Significance:
Baroness Emmuska Orczy, a Hungarian-born British author, first wrote The Scarlet Pimpernel as a play in 1903, then novelized it in 1905. The character of Sir Percy Blakeney — an apparently foolish aristocrat who is secretly a brilliant hero — directly created the "secret identity" archetype that would define superheroes for the next century. Zorro (1919), Batman (1939), and Superman (1938) all owe a direct debt to the Scarlet Pimpernel. The novel also pioneered the "love triangle complicated by secret identity" plot that became a staple of superhero fiction. "Is he in heaven? Is he in hell? That demmed, elusive Pimpernel!" is one of adventure fiction's most famous verses.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1905. Free to read and share.