Guilt, Crime and Punishment in Selected Novels by Barbara Vine

Mgr. Helena Lněničková

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The diploma thesis analyses the relevant and elaborate concepts of crime, guilt and punishment as they are demonstrated in three of Barbara Vine’s novels, A Fatal Inversion (1987), A Dark-Adapted Eye (1986) and The House of Stairs (1988). The aim of the dissertation is to explore the sophistication of Barbara Vine’s crime novels as well as to highlight her innovative powers with which the author, known under her real name Ruth Rendell as well, challenges the genre of detective fiction. The study reveals that the distinction between the murderer and the victim is blurred since there appear characters that represent both sides at the same time. The crime novels selected present culprits that differ considerably in the degree of their guilt, in perceiving of their guilt and in the kind of punishment or retribution they are exposed to. The guilt lies often in the wrongs of society and environment rather than in the individual murderer alone, since, as I try to indicate, all the crimes are socially motivated. The educational aim of Barbara Vine’s realistic crime novels is enabled by the plausibility and complexity of characters and crimes, as well as by the multiplicity of realities and interpretations.

Keywords

guilt, crime, punishment, Barbara Vine, crime novel, detective genre, english literature, Ruth Rendell, A Fatal Inversion, A Dark-Adapted Eye, The House of Stairs vina, zločin, trest, anglická literatura, detektivní žánr, kriminální román

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 5. 9. 2007

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 10. 9. 2007
• Supervisor: PhDr. Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Philology / English Language and Literature