‘Transgression’
An act of transgression is an action that goes against a rule or law. Transgressions could also be more trivial - such as not following expected social conduct.
‘Violence’
The use of physical force to harm, injure, abuse, damage or destroy.
‘Guilt’
The emotion often experienced after having committed wrong or failing to complete an obligation.
‘Justice’
The administration of the law or authority in maintaining just behaviour or treatment.
‘Morality’
The key principles which outline the distinctions between right and wrong, good and bad.
‘Atonement’
Trying to make amends for having committed a wrong.
‘Punishment’
A penalty or restriction imposed or inflicted on someone after committing a wrong- eg in law, being arrested for a crime.
‘Motive’
Your reason for doing a particular act or behaving in a particular way.
‘Investigation’
Where something or someone is investigated- examined in detail, usually for the purpose of discovering something.
‘Crime settings’
These vary from urban settings like ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ to countryside villages like in Agatha Christie’s novels.
‘Social Deviance’
Actions or behaviours which defy or oppose societal norms.
Crime writing in Ancient Greece and Rome
Many classical texts deal with humans vs fate. This conflict links clearly with crime eg:
- Individual vs society
- Right and wrong
- Motives for actions, and consequences
Examples of classical writings of Ancient Greece and Rome with crime elements
- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
- The plays of Seneca
- Lysistrata by Aristophanes
- Homer’s Iliad
- Virgil’s Aeneid
Old English and medieval quest narratives
Many medieval texts deal w/crime, misdoing. Tend to focus on typical crime ideas:
- Transgression
- Honour
- Restitution
- Sometimes religious-focused
What was a morality play?
Morality play- medieval play that dramatised moral values e.g. good and evil
What was a mystery play?
Medieval play performed by Medieval trade guilds- from French métier
What did medieval morality and mystery plays explore?
Criminal desire and moral ambiguity:
- Good vs Evil
- Abstract social ideas/values of crime in society e.g vice, justice, equity
- Were medieval morality and mystery plays character-driven?
- How did medieval morality and mystery plays end?
- Characters were archetypes rather than developed
- Main character faces variety of ethical trials and temptations
- Characters were archetypes rather than developed
- Evil is defeated, sin is renounced, goodness is restored on Earth.
What was the importance of Renaissance tragedy in terms of the crime genre?
- Turning point: previous eras dealt w/ideas about crime, authors of Renaissance tragedies (esp.revenge ones) dealt w/psychology + impact of crime + different perspectives.
- Characters are more developed than archetypes of classical detective novels and previous eras.
What are some features of Renaissance tragedies in terms of crime?
- Investigation
- Subterfuge- deceit in order to achieve one’s goal
- Murder
- Transgression
- Guilt
- Revenge
How popular was narrative poetry after the Puritans closed theatres?
Continued to be popular and continued to deal w/crime.
What did the Romantics emphasise in their poetry?
Romantic emphasis on individual liberty:
- Impact of elevating importance of individual experience, personal ethics, + moral choices on others + society.
- Criminal psyche
- Social justice/exposure of ‘criminal’ social ills (eg conditions of working poor, child labour, racial inequality).
- Personal and social consequences of crime
When did stage crime re-emerge?
Victorian era. Often, this was poor quality melodrama. But many adaptations of sensation fiction- dealing with sensational crimes and their detection- were popular.
What concepts did Victorian stage drama present?
e.g an obsessive and oppressive insight into the dark corners of the human psyche (‘Miss Julie’ by August Strindberg, ‘A Doll’s House’ by Ibsen)
