POST-1960S

Week 1: Ross Macdonald, Lew Archer

Week 3: Ian Rankin, Inspector Rebus Week 4: David Pirie, Conan Doyle Week 5: Howard Engel, Benny Cooperman Week 6: Sarah Paretsky, V.I. Warshawski WHAT IS SCANDINOIR?

“: The Story of Scandinavian Crime Fiction” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiwObV hyoc8 SCANDINAVIAN CRIME NOVEL

 1960s: Disillusion with welfare state; anxiety about social changes; uncertain loyalties.  Influences: Br/U.S. noir tradition (realism), Marxism and Ibsen.  Art uses realism to critique society.  Detective: ordinary shabbiness connects to readers’ reality. SCANDINAVIAN NOIR

 Realism = Exposing hidden, ugly truths:  Abuse of people (women, children) and power (media, politics, business)  Expose neo-fascism (anti-immigrant, pro-business)  Expose past (war/colonial profiteering)  Setting: Starkness/cold = vulnerability; clean modernity vs. dysfunctional reality. SOCIAL CRITICISM: MANKELL

 “ is still a very peaceful country to live in. I think that people in Britain have created this mythology about Sweden, that it’s a perfect democratic society full of erotically charged girls.”  “People say I smile more in Africa than in Sweden.”

 1948, Born ; family separates, raised in .  1964, Drops out of school, goes to ; joins hippy/art circles. Joins merchant marine.  1966, Returns to Paris.  1968, Part of student uprisings; returns to Stockholm and works in theatre. QUESTION

 How does setting affect Dogs of Riga? -> Weather, architecture, etc.)

 What kind of guide is Detective ? -> Reliable, unreliable, frail, strong, etc.

 How does the narration affect the tone of the book? -> How do you feel when reading it? Secure, uncertain, certain, confused, etc. HENNING MANKELL

 Early 1970s, Playwright/novelist; themes of Swedish colonialism/labour movement.

 Late 1970s, Founds theatre in Mozambique.  1980s, Establishes publishing firm; visits UN African refugee camps.  1986, Director of Teatro Avenida, Africa. HENNING MANKELL

 1984, Head of Swedish theatre; doesn’t publish between 1984-1990.

 1990, Publishes childrens’ novel, A Bridge to the Stars and Eye of the Leopard about life in Africa.

 1991, First Wallander, Faceless Killers, addresses racism in Sweden. HENNING MANKELL

 1995, Begins trilogy about life of African women (landmines, AIDs, poverty).

 1998, Marries Eva Bergman.

 2000s, Begins “memory” books project.

 2005, Joins UN partnership in equality with Africa—solutions with dignity. HENNING MANKELL

 2007, Donates money to build orphanages in Mozambique.

 2008, Helps fund microbusiness financing project in India.

 2008, Man From Beijing (new China); urges preservation of Timbuktu libraries; honorary PhD, St. Andrews. HENNING MANKELL

 2010, Joins Pro-Palestinian anti-naval blockade.

 2011, Depths (WWII navy); last Wallander novel, Troubled Man.

 2014, Last published novel, Quicksand.

 2015, Dies of cancer. MANKELL CHARACTERISTICS

 Context: Left-wing artist, intellectual, advocate; explores variety of social issues—racism, child abuse, colonialism, drug cartels, refugees; issue shapes story.  Influences: Contemporary and classic “literature” (plays, film, novels) → Sjӧwall/Wahlӧӧ, Greek mythology, Shakespeare, . MANKELL CHARACTERISTICS

 Themes: Unhappiness due to passivity in relationships; we can choose otherwise.  Solidarity as a communal bond that brings happiness/wholeness.  Suppression of feelings → violence.  Conflict with authority that is pressured by bureaucracy.  Stumbling, dogged pursuit of the truth. MANKELL CHARACTERISTICS

 Style: Precise, careful, simple; restraint with simmering tension bursting into violence; police procedural genre.  Narrative: First person omniscient mainly from Wallander’s viewpoint; simple prose compatible with mindset of Wallander and stark landscape = loneliness of some human lives. MANKELL CHARACTERISTICS

 Structure: Stumbling towards clarity; expressions of inner doubt; tense feelings in relationships with family/colleagues.  Quiet moments of content disturbed by quick realizations/expressions of conflict.  Wallander’s views punctured/upset by outsider perspectives that shed light. THE DOGS OF RIGA

 Detective: Wallander is unhappy, brooding, crusty; but he chooses his unhappiness; despite these difficult qualities, he is dedicated to pursuit of truth; others respect this doggedness.  Secondary characters: Superiors in police station follow bureaucratic policy. THE DOGS OF RIGA

 Associate officers: No close friendships; each briefly defined by relationships, revealing give-away signs of personality.  Ex-wife, father, daughter: Marked by own determined, individualistic personalities that clash often with Wallander.  Love interests: None or brief. SETTING

 Sveg, Sweden: Stark north western land and society a contrast to life of sun, heat, poverty and yet communality in Africa.  Wallander’s apartment: Brief refuge marked by wine, solitary meals, sleep, and music.  Police station: True home; site of action, cooperation; resolution versus home life. SETTING

 Riga, Latvia: Eastern-block countries of 1990s places of uncertainty, fear; heavy presence of police; controlled speech and actions of citizens; contrast between poor and privileged homes; yet generosity.  Eastern border lands: Poland/Germany’s borders loosely patrolled; leaving world of West for alien world of East. PLOT

 Discovery of two bodies of Latvian criminals; work with Latvian police; death of police chief draws Wallander into Latvia political struggle.  Latvia’s fight for democracy becomes personal as Wallander is drawn to widow; comes to personally know people.  Wallander chooses to act at personal risk. PLOT

 Mystery centres around determining which of the Latvian police colleagues is the villain with a surprising ending.  Wallander’s risk leads to positive resolution and almost losing his life—and all of Sweden’s comforts.  Conclusion is not one of personal happiness but of justice of some kind. ISSUES

 The West sacrifices true freedom for consumer riches.  The West must care about the East/South’s struggle for democracy: solidarity brings true contentment.  Crime/corruption/disease spill over borders; we are not isolated from others.  Loneliness from others is a choice. WALLANDER AND FILM

 2008-2010 (BBC), Kenneth Brannagh.  1994-2007 (Swedish prod.), Rolf Lassgård.  2005-2010 (Swedish prod.), .  Christopher Nolan – “Insomnia” (2002)  Set in Alaska  Chase - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTVqwAPoL5E  Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHA3CF4_Mw