Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Themes - English 1. Melbourne Society Post World War I The years between the end of the Great War (1918) and the beginning of the Depression (1929) were characterised by the relief and euphoria of victory tempered with a profound sadness at the loss of life. Some men returned from battle changed forever by what is now recognised as post- traumatic stress disorder. Many others did not return at all. 60 000 Australians died during the Great War and almost 250 000 returned home suffered physical or mental injuries. Although Australia was relatively isolated from the rest of the world, Victoria had struck it rich with the gold discoveries of the 1850s. The Victorian gold rush exceeded the more well-known 1849 California Gold Rush. Gold transformed Melbourne into a city of beautiful buildings, parks and gardens, and for a while it was the preeminent city of Australia. The federal parliament met in Melbourne until the opening of (Old) Parliament House in Canberra in 1927. Art Deco style was in vogue, women's fashions were feminine and elegant, and pale skin much admired. Jazz ruled the music scene with dance halls, nightclubs and live theatre performances popular forms of entertainment. Social etiquette was practised throughout "society". Smoking, not yet linked with cancer, was enjoyed by many people. Discussion Ideas A new sense of what it meant to be Australian. Positive and negative consequences of travelling in Europe to fight the war. Escapism to help recover from the trauma of war. Loosening of social traditions. 2. Changing Role of Women Prior to the First World War, women rarely had careers, let alone holding lofty positions in society. A female state premier or prime minister was simply out of the question. A woman's place was in the home, where she was expected to care for her husband, raise children and attend to domestic duties without complaint. The war initiated great changes for women because they had to fill the places left vacant by the great exodus of men to the battlefront. Some women even joined the war as volunteers, either in Australia or overseas, with jobs such as nursing, driving, cooking and interpreting. When the war ended and the servicemen returned, many women continued in their new-found positions, being good workers and accepting less pay than men doing the same jobs. However, the government of the time was not keen on female involvement in what was deemed men’s work. Whereas British and German women were welcomed into the work force – for example the building of Berlin’s subway system relied heavily on female labour – many Australian women remained frustrated at being able only to do voluntary work, such as the Australian Comforts Fund. Along with some newfound freedom came noticeable changes in style, including shorter skirts, shorter hair, and some bad habits that had once only been for men – smoking and swearing! And, while women's progress lobbies had developed during the 1800s, it would be another four decades on from Phryne Fisher's time before "women's liberation" and the contemporary feminist movement took hold. Discussion Ideas: New social values, especially for women. Controversy over fashion (compare with today's body piercing and tattoos). First "Miss Australia" quest held in 1926, drawing attention to women's bodies (though the Miss Australia title had been in existence since 1908). Impact of these rapid changes on society as a whole. 3. Class Distinction While Australia has always considered itself much more egalitarian than the UK and Europe, class distinctions were more clearly delineated in the 1920s in Melbourne than they are now. Many reasons have been suggested for this lack of an "upper" and "lower" class, including Australia’s convict heritage and the absence of a ruling class of royalty and aristocracy. People tended to be judged by their character and actions, rather than by their background which was often unknown. However, an equally strong case could be put forward to suggest that the idea of a lack of a class system in Australia owes more to historical myth than historical fact. Additionally, unionism's strong foothold, coupled with the success of the Australian Labor Party which had been founded for the working class, led to better pay and conditions. Nevertheless, the 1920s still saw a division between the "haves" and the "have-nots" – those with money and a good education employed those without these advantages. Another interesting divide which has faded since the 1920s was between Catholics and Protestants who tended to keep within the confines of their own religious beliefs. Many of the working class were Irish Catholics who were often ridiculed by the relatively well-heeled Protestants. This sectarian divide between Protestants and Catholics remained a key issue in Australian political and social life until the late 1960s. Discussion Ideas: What is class? How does it shape voice, language, accent, dress, manners? Challenge to relationships for couples of differing class or religious beliefs. Differences in type and level of education between rich and poor. How influxes of middle class migrants helped break down class barriers. 4. Murder and Motives Murder mysteries are one of the most popular genres of books and television programs. A quick look at the "best sellers" section of any bookshop bears witness to this fact, as does the ever-increasing abc.net.au/phrynefisher number of television murder programs. In fact, the latter is said to have fostered an unprecedented interest in forensic science degrees. Some put this obsession down to our need for escapism – a desire to retreat to an ideal world, where good conquers evil and evil meets its just desserts – the classic fairy tale ending. Others believe the attraction lies more with the intellectual pursuit of puzzle solving – anyone can be an armchair detective, pitting their wits against those of the detectives. But perhaps it's the human condition that causes this obsession, an obsession that has now spread to video games and even apps. Humanity embraces the entire gamut of possibilities, and it is through this type of story telling that the question is asked: could any one of us be a saint or a murderer, given the right (or wrong) circumstances. Discussion Ideas: What motivates a person to murder someone? How often is one or more of the "Seven Deadly Sins" to blame: envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth and wrath? Has the nature of murder changed since 1928? If so, in what way/s? What role, if any, has technology played in crime prevention and detection? Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries Credits Starring: Essie Davis, Nathan Page, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Ashleigh Cummings and Miriam Margolyes Based on the Phryne Fisher mystery series of books by Kerry Greenwood Producers: Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox The Australian Broadcasting Corporation presents an Every Cloud Production “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries”, produced in association with Screen Australia and Film Victoria © 2011 Every Cloud Productions Pty Ltd, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Film Victoria and Screen Australia abc.net.au/phrynefisher .