3.4: Building a New Genre with the Detective Story
This period also saw the rise of another genre: the detective story. Crime fiction attends to the investigation of a crime by a character acting in the role of detective, whether he or she is a professional or an amateur. The crime in question is typically a murder – in addition to being the most thrilling and frightening crime of all, murder is an archaic and fundamental aspect of every society, a destroying force that is present everywhere and across all time boundaries. Most importantly, though, murder is highly variable. There are an infinite number of motives, methods, punishments, and emotions associated with the act of taking another's life. Consequently, detective fiction established and followed a definitive formula that readers never tired of, since authors can spin unlimited original variations. Read this essay on the relationship between romanticism and rationalism in detective fiction.
- Read this story, which is often considered the first modern detective story. Make a list all the conventions of the detective story genre. How do they seem to differ from the stories you read in the Gothic tradition? What characteristics do they share?
To prepare for the next short story, read this biography of Herman Melville.
Building on what you have learned about the short story, the Gothic, and the detective genre, read this famous novella, a mystery featuring an obtuse major character and a relevant political context. You should take notes while reading; when you finish, write a paragraph about your own interpretation of the events of the story.
After reading "Benito Cereno" and writing out your own interpretation, read this short essay, which provides an overview of recent interpretations of Melville's story, and see how your ideas compare to those expressed by scholars of the text.