Modification of the Genre Matrix in N. Dolyak’s Ironic Detective ''Luxury Life in Wuppertal''

Abstract

Despite an almost two-hundred-year history of detective fiction and a great readers’ demand, this kind of literature is one of the least learnt spheres of the world study of literature. The problem of the modification of detective genre matrix with a reader’s change of genre expectations is especially debatable. Essential role in the deconstruction of mass stereotypes in modern detectives belongs to the irony, which allows creating an ironic detective as an individual genre modification. Therefore, the purpose of our research is to look at N. Dolyak’s book from the point of its genre matrix transformation and ironic narrative modus. The system approach was applied to analyze the text of the novel ''Luxury life in Wuppertal'' as an ironic detective. The main focus is on the ways and means of creating a comical effect in situations when the Ukrainian ad German cultures and ways of life are compared. Among the other aspects explored are forming of the feminine subjectivity of the main female character, the creation of secondary characters, intercultural interaction etc. Our results lead us to draw the conclusion that N. Dolyak demonstrates sensitivity to intra- and extraliterary causes of genre transformations, typical for the ironic detective, and also saves the genre code, i.e. the crime, the secret, the investigator. It is shown by the introduction of the character of an amateur female detective Zoya Kyrpych. She is the subject of a comical discourse in the book. The plot evolving also depends on the realization of the heroine’s love story, which likens an ironic detective to a romance novel. Although the plot of N. Dolyak’s novel is based on the three murders’ inquest, an easy narrative tone with a comical effect purpose is kept throughout the whole story.