INTERTEXTUALITY AS A MEANS OF CONSTRUCTING THE DETECTIVE NARRATIVE IN AGATHA CHRISTIE’S LATE NOVEL “NEMESIS” (1971)

Abstract

The article presents a detailed analysis of intertextuality, which is a fundamental mechanism for constructing the detective narrative in Agatha Christie’s late novel “Nemesis” (1971). Although mystery novel in general, and Christie’s works in particular, long remained on the periphery of scholarly interest, contemporary researchers recognize the aesthetic value of this type of literature and focus on studying specific aspects of the detective novels as an antipode to modernist prose. One such aspect in the study of “mystery fiction” is the intertextual analysis of concrete textual representations of this literary genre. Thus, the given study primarily focuses on the types and functions of intertext in A. Christie’s late novel. This study is grounded in the principles of “close reading,” intertextual, contextual, and stylistic analysis, which enable a detailed exploration of the specifics and functions of intertext in A. Christie’s novel “Nemesis”. The foundational framework for examining intertextual connections in the novel is Gérard Genette’s concept of ‘transtextuality” which allows for a comprehensive description of all levels of intertext realization in Christie’s detective fiction. In Christie’s novel, intertextual links are realized at the genre level: plot, characters, motifs, architectonics, and chronotope are not only typical of the detective narrative but also serve as a field for the author’s creative innovation. The title of the work – “Nemesis” – functions as an extended metaphor affirming the idea of justice and the restoration of social order. Metatextuality manifests in the text through intra- and extratextual relations. Hypertextuality (allusions to ancient myth and the Victorian era context), along with explicit references to the source texts (quotations and allusions), organically complement the work’s intertextual pattern. Direct quotes from classical texts familiar to the reader (the Bible, works by W. Shakespeare, R. L. Stevenson, T. S. Eliot) act as “cultural triggers” that help the author reinforce the idea of the necessity of restoring justice. These elements not only enrich the plot but also construct the symbolism of revenge, justice, and the duality of human nature, as well as underpin the principle of “fair play” with the reader, characteristic of detective prose. In addition to delineating the levels of intertextuality in A. Christie’s novel “Nemesis”, the article’s author identifies the functional load of intertextual links, which perform plot- and character-building, characterizing, emotional, and aesthetic functions, while appealing to the readers’ intellectual engagement, as they participate in the investigation alongside Miss Marple.