| Unit name | Concise Crimes: The Short Story in Detective Fiction |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ENGL20112 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Harris |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The origins of detective fiction have been widely and contentiously debated, but it is often agreed that the genre began with an 1841 short story, ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’, by Edgar Allan Poe. With a primary focus on British and American texts, this unit considers the evolution of both form and genre, as it moves from 19th century periodicals to pulp magazines, from Golden age classics to contemporary thrillers, and between standalone stories to linked collections. It will focus on publication and material history as well as content and thematic connections, and students will be encouraged to engage with archival research, including The Penguin Archive at Bristol. The reading list ranges from iconic figures like Agatha Christie, and Raymond Chandler, to lesser known authors like Rudolph Fisher, and explores questions of serialisation, structure and identity. Throughout, the unit is driven by the dynamic relationship between form and genre, and aims to investigate the possibilities, conventions and challenges of this connection.
Through studying this unit, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the detective fiction genre, together with advanced skill in close reading and literary analysis
2. demonstrate an engagement with significant critical debates surrounding issues as genre, literary status and value, the short story form, publication, adaptation and popular culture
3. refine and advance their research skills, and communicate their findings effectively
4. demonstrate the ability to work with others and create an engaging online resource
5. strengthen their skills in academic writing, argumentation, and evaluation of evidence from primary texts and critical literature
1 x two-hour seminar weekly
1 x group online project (20%) – students will collaborate to design and build a digital resource (options include a blackboard wiki, wordpress blog, padlet or omeka exhibition) that highlights a particular author (ILOs 1-4)
1 x 1500 word critical commentary on a short story (20%) (ILOs 1-3, 5)
1 x 3000 word essay (60%) (ILOs 1-3, 5)
Edgar Allan Poe ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’
Raymond Chandler ‘Killer in the Rain’
Dorothy Sayers, In the Teeth of the Evidence
Rudolph Fisher, The City of Refuge
Val McDermid, Stranded
Ian Rankin, A Good Hanging
