Hero in Early Detective Fiction

From Hermes to Holmes: Manifestations of the Trickster as Culture- Hero in Early Detective Fiction Nghi Chuong Van BA (Macquarie University); MA (Macquarie University) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of English, Macquarie University March 2015 Table of Contents Abstract i Acknowledgements iii Introduction 1 Chapter 1: The Trickster Reborn: Poe, Dickens, Collins and the Invention of the Modern Detective 15 Chapter 2: From Hermes to Holmes: The Birth of a Detective Culture-Hero 55 Chapter 3: Out of the Shadow: The Rise of the Female Voice in the Rivals of Sherlock Holmes 109 Chapter 4: A Scientific Trickster: The Forensic Detections of Dr. Thorndyke 151 Chapter 5: A Tricky Spinster: The Professional Amateur Sleuth, Miss Marple 191 Conclusion 227 Bibliography 231 Abstract This thesis aims to explore the relationship between two culture-heroes: the trickster and the detective. Like the trickster, the detective is often shrewd, cunning and resourceful. These qualities are often mirrored by the criminals whom the detectives confront, consequently, detection often becomes a contest between two tricksters. One of the clearest examples of this phenomenon can be found in the early British tradition of the detective as exemplified by the detective figures of four different periods in early detective fiction. Among the earliest examples of the detective figure, Poe’s Dupin, Dickens’ Inspector Bucket and Collins’ Sergeant Cuff (along with Marion Halcombe, Magdalen Vanstone and Captain Wragge) provide working models for later detective figures. Following from these traditions, Sherlock Holmes represents the apotheosis of the detective figure. Furthermore, the Holmes story also introduces two important criminal rivals: Professor Moriarty and Irene Adler. The untimely “demise” of Sherlock Holmes introduced the period collectively referred to as being that of “The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes.” The detectives of this period were innovative not least because they included detective figures such as the female detectives, Loveday Brooke and Lady Molly, as well as the Armchair Detective, The Old Man in the Corner. As one of the Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Dr Thorndyke is not only credited as one of the earliest examples of the Forensic Detective figure but also bridges the Rivals period and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction period. Finally, as one of the most famous figures of the Golden Age period, Miss Marple is one of the most successful examples of both the female detective and the Armchair Detective. The mythic underpinning of the detective figure drawn from these periods provides an insight into a contemporary culture-hero figure, the detective, by framing it in the context of one of the oldest culture-hero figure, the trickster. i I certify that the following thesis is my own original work and has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other university or educational institution. All sources of information used in this dissertation have been fully acknowledged. Signed: Nghi Chuong Van 4th March, 2015 ii Acknowledgements First and above all, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Tony Cousins, for his patience, support, advice, and the incredible speed with which he was able to provide detailed and invaluable feedback on my work. To Professor Antonina Harbus for her continual support, understanding and thoughtfulness throughout my candidature. To Dr Lee O’Brien for hours of stimulating conversations about our favourite topic: detective fiction - they’ve been both a source of delight and inspiration for my work. To my fellow tutors and regular room 629ers, Erin Claringbold, Michelle Hamadache and James Mackenzie for the laughter, the intellectual debates and most of all, for the knowledge that madness is a condition that is best shared amongst friends. To my family, Ida Van, Kien Nhung Van, Phuoc Thanh Van and Thi Mui Tran for their unconditional support and understanding. To my friends Sara Akkari, Mai Barnes, Ann Dang, Ushi Sahib and the boys (Rhaq, Tristan, Taye and Tyrese), Lorin Schwarz and Dejay Vi Nguyen – thanks for all the nagging – this topic is officially no longer taboo! And last, but not least, to Khoa Tran – thanks for always being there – now it’s your turn. Good luck my friend! Finally, I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to Marie-Louise Clafflin, who introduced me to the wonderful world of mythology, theatre and detective fiction; and whose passion for literature and the arts serve as a limitless source of inspiration for me. iii Introduction Essentially, it might even be said there is but one archetypal mythic hero whose life has been replicated in many lands by many, many people. A legendary hero is usually the founder of something—the founder of a new age, the founder of a new religion, the founder of a new city, the founder of a new way of life. In order to found something new, one has to leave the old and go in quest of the seed idea, a germinal idea that will have the potentiality of bringing forth that new thing. –Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth1 In almost every civilisation there is at least one mythic figure that has created or enabled human culture. This figure, often described as a culture-hero, can be either a mythic or fictitious character, or a historical person. From Prometheus to Christ, Dionysus to Shakespeare, Orpheus to Beethoven, Athena to Einstein, Krishna to Ghandi – culture-heroes continually change the world we live in by offering us new discoveries or inventions and, perhaps more importantly, new ways to perceive the world. Regardless of whether they are real or mythological these figures have left a profound impact on the world we live in and they can continue to affect how we perceive ourselves as a society. The formation of a culture-hero is an organic and social phenomenon. It is a very deliberate process in the sense that it is a collective effort: a figure does not become a culture- hero simply because someone says so, but rather because a community (independent of time and geography) celebrates the quality that makes this figure remarkable and universal. Of course, this could be said about most heroes. What distinguishes culture-heroes from all other heroes is either their creation of a specific culture or their contribution to an existing culture which, consequently, creates a new sub-culture. Orpheus, for example, is not a culture-hero because of his creation of music—that distinction is reserved for a god like Apollo—but 1 rather because his skill as a musician is considered the epitome of what music and poetry are capable of and because it is also instrumental to the founding of Orphism. Culture-hero myths are particularly interesting since they serve as a reflection, not of the world as it is, but rather of the world as we would like it to be. Aside from their etiological function, culture-hero myths help us understand our own society and the nature of humanity by embodying the qualities we value. The fact that mythological figures such as Orpheus, Apollo and Dionysus exists today is a testament to the human desire for and appreciation of artistic endeavours. Interestingly enough, despite the prevalence of culture-hero myths, there is surprisingly very little written on the subject.2 More often than not it is mentioned briefly as a passing comment or a footnote especially in discussions of Prometheus and the trickster figure. Although it should be noted that culture-heroes are not exclusively linked to the trickster figure (and vice versa), there is a fundamental connection between the two that suggests an interesting relationship between cunning and creativity. It is this dynamic that makes the trickster figure one of the most fascinating and quite possibly the most widely discussed of all culture-hero figures. The trickster is an anomaly in the world of mythology. Completely unpredictable, tricksters are often—but not always—highly intelligent and endlessly resourceful characters capable of being both a powerfully creative force as well as a frightfully destructive one. Like most mythological archetypes,3 tricksters appear in various forms and across various cultures: Prometheus, Hermes and Odysseus in Greek and Roman mythology (Prometheus, Mercury and Ulysses respectively), Loki in Norse, Coyote and Raven in Native American, Monkey King in Chinese, Krishna in Indian, and Susu-no-O in Japanese are perhaps the most well- known examples. The trickster figure is in fact so pervasive that it continues to exist in various forms throughout history: from the Medieval clown or jester figure to the Victorian puppet plays of Punch and Judy;4 from the early clowns of silent cinema such as Chaplin to 2 the Warner Brothers cartoons of Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote (clearly a direct descendent of the American Indian trickster figure himself), and more recently to Bart and Homer Simpson. While it may be clear that all these figures are tricksters and that the trickster as an archetype may also be a culture-hero, it should also be noted, however, that the manifestations of these archetypes alone is insufficient to establish them as culture-heroes. The distinction between tricksters and culture-heroes lies in whether the trickster is predominantly a destructive figure such as Loki, Coyote and Raven, or one that is capable of and has created or facilitated a culture or sub-culture. Of the latter category, Hermes is unique in that unlike other tricksters, Hermes is rewarded rather than punished for his tricks: Prometheus, Loki and Monkey are all chained/trapped and tortured, Susa-no-O is banished from heaven, Coyote and Raven are constantly tricked by others and while Krishna may not have been punished for his tricks, neither is he rewarded for them.

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