Japāņu detektīvromānu žanrs: Nacionālās identitātes attēlojums Edogava Ranpō darbos (1884-1965)

Abstract

Bachelor thesis “Japanese Detective Fiction Genre: Representation of National Identity in the Works of Edogawa Ranpō (1984-1965)” reveals the question of how Japanese detective fiction, being one of the most popular genres in 20th century’s Japan, depicted the realities of the inter-war period with the help of writer and critic Edogawa Ranpō. The history of Japanese detective literature dates back to the late 19th century, within the time of general modernization. Until that period, most people lived in tiny cities, worked and communicated in restrained circles, knowing each person personally. But with the rise in industrial enterprises, more and more people have started moving to cities such as Tokyo, what led to the daily contact with large numbers of strangers, heightened feelings of suspicion and insecurity, and, consequently, increased crimes. As people lived in the cities and the crime rate steadily progressed, the setting became most suitable for the detective genres to flourish. The overwhelming atmosphere of fear regarding the murky future reigning at that time, which influenced the general social mood, and the detective fiction inspired by this, found its balance in the works of Edogawa, where the gloomy narrative of the newly-appeared world can be traced most accurately. The goal of this work is to find a direct connection in the mutual influence of the events of the 20th century on the formation of Japanese detective fiction by considering the works of Edogawa. The relevancy of this paper is defined by the fact that detective literature of that century with the relevant at that time crimes being described helps the reading masses to understand the historical aspects of the Japanese society on a deeper level. The main text of the thesis consists of 50 pages.