AJ56011 Topics in Culture: English Queens of Crime

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc., M.Litt. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Timetable
Fri 11:40–13:15 G32
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The detective novel has produced many great writers. In this course you will explore about six major English female writers of the genre in the 20th century: Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, P. D. James, Ruth Rendell, and Francis Fyfield, with a focus on Agatha Christie, whose works span six decades and who has become an institution. Apart from surveying, analyzing, criticizing, and otherwise commenting on the individual sleuths, plots, characters and settings, we will discuss the portrayals of English society and the writers' understanding of human relationships.
Syllabus
  • The detective novel has produced many great writers. In this course you will explore about six major English female writers of the genre in the 20th century: Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, P. D. James, Ruth Rendell, and Francis Fyfield, with a focus on Agatha Christie, whose works span six decades and who has become an institution. Apart from surveying, analyzing, criticizing, and otherwise commenting on the individual sleuths, plots, characters and settings, we will discuss the portrayals of English society and the writers' understanding of human relationships.
Literature
  • FYFIELD, Frances. A clear conscience. London: Corgi Books, 1995, 283 s. ISBN 0-552-14295-6. info
  • CHRISTIE, Agatha. Five little pigs. Pbk. ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers, 1994, 233 s. ISBN 0-00-616372-6. info
  • CHRISTIE, Agatha. Nemesis. London: HarperCollins, 1994, 222 s. ISBN 0-00-617005-6. info
  • FYFIELD, Frances. Perfectly pure and good. London: Corgi Books, 1994, 284 s. ISBN 0-552-14174-7. info
  • CHRISTIE, Agatha. The moving finger. Pbk. ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers, 1994, 217 s. ISBN 0-00-617269-5. info
  • CHRISTIE, Agatha. Murder is easy. Pbk. ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993, 223 s. ISBN 0-00-616813-2. info
  • CHRISTIE, Agatha. Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Pbk. ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers, 1993, 235 s. ISBN 0-00-616792-6. info
  • JAMES, P. D. Devices and desires. 1st ed. London: Faber and Faber, 1989, 408 s. ISBN 0571141781. info
  • VINE, Barbara. A fatal inversion. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1987, 316 s. ISBN 0-14-008637-4. info
  • JAMES, P. D. A taste for death. London: Faber and Faber, 1986, 454 s. ISBN 0571145701. info
  • JAMES, Phyllis Dorothy. Shroud for a nightingale. London: Sphere Books, 1973, 300 s. ISBN 0-7221-5033-4. info
Teaching methods
seminars
Assessment methods
Seminar; Assessment:Seminar paper/papers, final essay
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 5x2.
Teacher's information
http://www.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/category.php?id=4
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2008, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2010/AJ56011