Reconstructing the crime : the use of past tenses in The monogram murders and Meurtres en majuscules

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents a literary-linguistic study which focuses on detective fiction and its use of past tenses in both English and French. Two novels are analysed, Sophie Hannah's The Monogram Murders and its French translation, Meurtres en Majuscules. These novels provide the framework for the application of theory discussed in this study. Both novels are analysed in relation to the use of past tense and perspective within a narrative. Reichenbach's (1947) timeline of tenses, with specific focus on past tenses, Fleischman's (1990) classification of narrative past tenses, as well as Todorov's (1977) explanation of fabula and syuzhet provide the theoretical framework which underlies the analysis undertaken in this study.The outcome of this study is the reconstruction of the crime which occurs before the start of Hannah's novels through the analysis of the investigation within the novels. This is achieved by analysing the use of particular past tenses in both English and French to establish the true story (or fabula) of the crime which the narrative's storyline (or syuzhet) has provided to the reader. This study therefore attempts to separate two interlinked stories (fabulas) through the analysis of one overall plot (syuzhet).This study aims to pave the way for future research in both the linguistic and literary fields. By analysing the use of past tenses, this study can be applied to other tenses, as well as different literary genres. In the next chapter, the layout of this thesis is presented, in conjunction with the research questions that are answered in this analysis.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University