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Spies, Detectives and Philosophers in Divided Germany: Reading Cold War Genre Fiction from a Kantian Perspective

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Spies, Detectives and Philosophers in Divided Germany: Reading Cold War Genre Fiction from a Kantian Perspective Spies, Detectives and Philosophers in Divided Germany: Reading Cold War Genre Fiction from a Kantian Perspective A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of German Studies of the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences by John Stobie Shahan Jr. M.A. in Philosophy, Baylor University, 2007 Committee Chair, Todd Herzog PhD. Abstract In this dissertation I focus on two types of genre fiction as viewed through the lens of Kantian ethics and social contract theory. The two types of genre fiction include detective novels written by a German speaking Swiss author named Friedrich Dürrenmatt, as well as two spy novels by John le Carré. All of these novels are set in the second half of the twentieth century and in le Carré’s case, during the height of the Cold War. Dürrenmatt is well-known throughout the German literary canon for both his plays and his prose. I argue that he tends to differ from other writers of detective fiction because he focuses less on the mystery of the murder itself and more on the interaction of the characters, as well as the philosophical ramifications of what is happening in the story. The first Dürrenmatt novel, Justiz, focuses on the conflict between a failed lawyer, named Spät, and an influential member of Swiss high-society, Dr.h.c. Isaak Kohler, who has been convicted of shooting his friend, Dr. Winter, in a crowded restaurant. This novel focuses on Spät’s tortured quest for justice, in that Kohler is able to elude justice. This first chapter sets up the idea of the Kantian hero and Kantian villain. Kantian heroes and villains differ from conventional heroes and villains in that they are judged not by conventional standards but by ideas of duty, or deontologically based ethics, as well as how they treat the inherent dignity of their fellow humans. This conflict between Kantian hero and villain continues into the second chapter, which is also a detective novel by Dürrenmatt, called Der Richter und sein Henker. The villain in this story is just as villainous as the hero is heroic, and again I will work with Kantian ideas of ethics to enhance the ideas of what makes a hero or villain. By this point it will be the case that conventional methods of defining heroes and villains are quite different from Kantian standards. In the third chapter, I bring in the spy fiction of John ii le Carré, specifically the first and third novels of the “Quest for Karla Trilogy,” or as is commonly also called “the Karla Trilogy.” In these books, ideas of good and evil become very nebulous, and on both sides of the Cold War, spies and espionage agencies combat each other, trying to gain the upper hand. In this case, conventional heroes and villains differ, but from a Kantian perspective, all of the intelligence operatives are simply doing their duty towards their institutions. Looking again at the Kantian social contract, as well as looking again at Kantian ethics, in addition to what Kant had to say about spying in general, will provide the analysis. In this dissertation I attempt to re-evaluate ideas of heroism and villainy as demonstrated by what Kant had to say about ideas of duty, about human dignity, and about how states should relate to each other within the categorical imperative. iii iv Acknowledgements I would like first to thank the members of my dissertation committee. Without them, my dissertation never would have even left the ground. They have provided me with ideas, counsel, and encouragement. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr. Todd Herzog, my dissertation advisor. Our regular meetings kept me on track and provided me with motivation to seek new avenues of analysis and secondary scholarship that I would have never initially considered. Todd has been great at sending me in the direction of new quests for ideas and ways to make my dissertation better. His expertise in genre fiction in general have been indispensable. He has been kind, encouraging, and has always found the silver lining in my situation when I may have been discouraged on my own. Todd has had the unique ability to hold me accountable while at the same time rejuvenating my energy and enthusiasm when I needed it most. I would like to thank my second reader, Dr. Tanja Nusser. She first helped me find the right detective fiction on which my dissertation is now based, namely Friedrich Dürrenmatt. She helped bring everything together in our talks before and after my PhD exams, wherein I was given leads on options for pursuing Dürrenmatt’s work in a scholarly fashion. Tanja also provided me with invaluable feedback on how to make what I had into a viable dissertation. In addition, her friendship has been at the cornerstone of my experience and my life here at the University of Cincinnati. I would not have been able to succeed without her friendship and kindness. Dr. Richard Schade has also been instrumental in my life at UC. He inspired me in many ways, including with his stories of the Cold War, a major part of my third chapter, and with his conversations about John le Carré and le Carré’s iconic character, George Smiley. He has always been willing to talk with me and provide encouragement, especially right v after my PhD exams, when I was trying to narrow down topics. My final committee member, Dr. Werner Jung, of the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, has been a great part of my committee as well. He has read my chapters as they have developed and has always provided very valuable feedback and encouragement. The fact that he specializes in Kant has been of great help and I can rest easier knowing that he brings these expertise to my committee. I would like to thank the other members of the German department as well. Dr. Valerie Weinstein has always been there to listen and provide helpful encouragement, as well as keeping me grounded. Dr. Evan Torner has been of great help bouncing ideas around, and helping me find secondary literature on Kant when I needed to build up my dissertation. Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang has provided valuable advice and reassurance. I learned a lot being her teaching assistant and have been grateful for her help along the way. I also would like to thank Dr. Svea Bräunert, who provided invaluable feedback as well and would always ask me about my progress and how I was doing, helping me to feel more positive about the process. I would especially like to thank Dr. Jennifer Kelley. She has been a wonderful mentor to all of the graduate students in the department. I learned equally as much from her as in any seminar, and she believed in me even when I was discouraged. I would finally like to thank my friends and fellow graduate students. You all have been a wonderful component of my life during my PhD studies. I would like to thank the Taft Foundation for giving me a year to focus on writing my dissertation, as well as providing me with the opportunity to present my research at a great inter-disciplinary conference. I would like to thank the Verband der Deutsch-Amerikanischen Clubs, or in English the Federation of German-American Clubs for providing me with the vi opportunity to spend a year during my graduate studies in Heidelberg. I would also like to thank the German studies department at the University of Duisburg-Essen for allowing me to go to Germany twice and engage in scholarship and make great friendships and connections. This includes especially Dr. Rolf Paar and my committee member, Dr. Werner Jung. In addition, I would like to thank Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, and Dr. Regine Schwarzmeier, who mentored me during my undergraduate years and helped me develop interest in philosophy and German studies. They started me on this path at the beginning of my college career. Finally, I would like to thank my family. My mother, Paula Reed, my father, John Shahan, my stepfather, Arthur Reed, and my stepmother, Sharon Cobb. They have listened to my progress and have been interested in my latest research, and have provided me with much needed emotional support. I would also like to thank my five brothers, in order of age, Patrick, Arthur, Andrew, Clay, and Watson, for being the best brothers a guy could have. vii Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………ii-iii. Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………………………………………iv-vi Introduction: Kant, Heroism, and Genre Fiction ………………………………………………….1 Chapters: Chapter 1: Justice and the Introduction of the Kantian Hero………………………………..13 Chapter 2: Another Twist on Heroism and Villainy in Dürrenmatt’s Novels…………..89 Chapter 3: Onward to the Cold War………………………………………………………………………152 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………237 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………………….246 viii Introduction: Kant, Heroism, and Genre Fiction There is no question that genre fiction such as this has become incredibly popular in the last century. Audiences of suspense and mystery films, as well as readers of detective fiction and spy fiction have carried the genre from what was once considered low-culture, to becoming something more significant. One of the most compelling features about these types of genre fiction is the emphasis on heroism and villainy. In these stories, sometimes there is a stark difference between hero and villain, as is often the case in detective fiction, or spy stories like Ian Fleming’s James Bond. In stories written by authors like John le Carré, the differences become less stark.
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