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https://hdl.handle.net/1889/5443
Title: | “We’ve had quite a Shakespearean evening, haven’t we?”: Shakespeare and Dorothy Sayers |
Authors: | Petrina, Alessandra |
Issue Date: | 2023 |
Document Type: | Article |
Abstract: | Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957) is famous for her classic crime thrillers featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. In “Gaudy Night” (1936) and “Busman’s Honeymoon” (1937), Wimsey shares the stage with crime writer Harriet Vane: their relationship highlights the issue of the educated woman between the two World Wars. Both Oxford educated, they play a never-ending quotation game: Early Modern English literature has pride of place. In “Busman’s Honeymoon”, Shakespeare is proposed as an indisputable moral authority, asserting the never-wavering rightfulness of the detective, only occasionally hinting at self-righteousness. This is what the present article investigates, by exploring the use of the playwright’s quotations against the issues of criminal, social and gender justice. Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957) è celebre per i romanzi gialli con protagonista Lord Peter Wimsey. In “Gaudy Night” (1936) e “Busman’s Honeymoon” (1937) accanto a Wimsey troviamo la giallista Harriet Vane: attraverso il loro rapporto la scrittrice esplora il problema dell’educazione femminile fra le due Guerre. Entrambi educati a Oxford, Wimsey e Vane giocano incessantemente con citazioni derivate dalla letteratura rinascimentale inglese. In “Busman’s Honeymoon”, Shakespeare diventa una indiscussa autorità morale, usata per sottolineare il trionfo intellettuale del detective (e talvolta la sua presunzione). Questo è il tema esplorato in questa sede, nell’esaminare le citazioni del drammaturgo all’interno di un dibattito sulla giustizia criminale, sociale e di genere. |
Appears in Collections: | Parole rubate / Purloined letters: 2023, 27 |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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F27_5_petrina_sayers.pdf | 1.38 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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