Mystery Literature

Catalog description

Mystery fiction, still a popular form of literature today, is a longstanding genre that has been evolving for the last two centuries. The course will examine some of the most important mystery writers of the 19th and 20th centuries. The mystery genre has taken several forms over the years, in large part due to the social history and culture of a particular time period. Over time the mystery genre has shifted from "the novel with a secret" to more complicated examinations of character, an emphasis on psychology over plot, and further explorations of both setting and theme. Many of the novels read are written by authors who became well-known in the mystery genre for developing a certain literary type, technique, or situation that other writers would continue to explore in the years that followed. The course will explore several prominent themes in this type of fiction, in particular the propensity for violence, murder, crime, and the appeal of other taboo subjects. The role of the reader is also critical to the genre as the shadow figure who in part determines which secrets are revealed or disguised, how the characters are developed for a connection to or isolation from the reader, and how the drama itself is written expressly for readers seeking the "thrill" of the mystery. Prerequisite: None.