POST-1960S DETECTIVE FICTION 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? “Nordic Noir: 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 “Sweden 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.” HENNING MANKELL 1948, Born Stockholm; family separates, raised in Sveg. 1964, Drops out of school, goes to Paris; 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 Wallander? -> 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, Ingmar Bergman. 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.), Krister Henriksson. Christopher Nolan – “Insomnia” (2002) Set in Alaska Chase - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTVqwAPoL5E Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHA3CF4_Mw.