Under the Skin: Disability, Trauma, and Marginalized Psyche Divulged in The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the intertwined theoretical perspectives of psychological trauma, disability, and social marginalization in Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (2021). It argues that the play’s structured plot and complex characterization, particularly of Christopher Wren and Miss Case Well, reveal deeply embedded portrayals of marginalized pMarginalized Psychesyches shaped by personal and collective trauma. Engaging an argumentative approach grounded in Cathy Caruth’s trauma theory and modern disability studies, the research inspects repressed narratives of abuse, mental health, and institutional violence. The findings suggest that The Mousetrap transcends its genre as a murder mystery by metaphorically staging a site of psychological containment and confrontation. The study commends a critical reconsideration of the play as a nuanced interpretation on alteration, urging readers and scholars to move beyond traditional readings centered on entertainment or deception