The Case of Mór Jókai and the Detective Story

Péter Hajdu

doi:10.5195/ahea.2017.300

Abstract

While from the viewpoint of typology it is often stated that the genre of detective fiction originated with the work of Edgar Allan Poe, this statement can be challenged from the standpoint of literary or reception history. Several recent histories of detective fiction emphasize the importance of employing a wider generic view, yet they hardly expand their perspective beyond English literary traditions. This paper examines how the usual, theorized requirement for detective fiction concerning the work’s exclusive focus on the crime committed and its detection was not characteristic of nineteenth-century detective stories written in Central Europe. Even though the detective story pattern is recognizable in Mór Jókai’s short story, “A három királyok csillaga” [‘The Star of the Magi’], it does not dominate the entire depiction, but rather represents one strand woven into a tragic love story as well as the history of national resistance, aspects bearing equal significance in this very sophisticated work.

Highlights

While from the viewpoint of typology it is often stated that the genre of detective fiction originated with the work of Edgar Allan Poe, this statement can be challenged from the standpoint of literary or reception history
It is a commonly accepted truism that the genre of detective fiction was established by Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote two or more short stories that already displayed all the important features since linked to detective fiction
The fact remains that those who view Poe as the starting off point for the history of detective fiction have to contend with the lengthy caesura that endures until the arrival of Conan Doyle, who regarded Poe as “the father” of the genre

Summary

Introduction

While from the viewpoint of typology it is often stated that the genre of detective fiction originated with the work of Edgar Allan Poe, this statement can be challenged from the standpoint of literary or reception history. Some recognizable patterns common to the detective story play an important role in the Hungarian author, Mór Jókai’s short story, “The Star of the Magi.” Published in 1894 and situated in the town of Komárom, the writer’s hometown, the story relays the tale of how the town treasurer, Duckmaus, embezzled a huge amount of money from the town hall.

Results

Conclusion