SWEDISH CRIME FICTION AS SOCIALLY INVOLVED LITERATURE Cover Image

SZWEDZKA POWIEŚĆ KRYMINALNA JAKO LITERATURA SPOŁECZNIE ZAANGAŻOWANA
SWEDISH CRIME FICTION AS SOCIALLY INVOLVED LITERATURE

Author(s): Monika Samsel-Chojnacka
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Wydawnictwa AGH
Keywords: crime fiction; sociology of literature; Sweden

Summary/Abstract: Swedish crime novel has been transforming for many years to become more socially involved. The ambition of many writers is not only to entertain the readers but also to participating in the social debate, criticizing the political and economical system, focusing on important issues such as violence against women, exploitation of working class by the privileged ruling class, the problems of a modern family and the situation of immigrants. Since the moment when in the mid 60’s two journalists Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö decided to use popular literature to spread social matters many other Swedish writers have decided to follow their way. Some of them are journalists – like Liza Marklund, Börge Hellström and Anders Roslund or Stieg Larsson. Their novels as well as the ones written by Henning Mannkel on Kurt Wallander have become crucial evidence of changes of Swedish society in the past twenty years. Modern Swedish crime fi ction illustrates the population in the model fashion that is the reason why it can become one of the interests of the sociology of literature.

  • Issue Year: 10/2011
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 103-118
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish