时间：2022-09-28 11:37:56
【Abstract】Featured unexpected ending，unique approaches， subversion of the rules of traditional detective story，and unique themes，metaphysical detective story is quite different from these traditional ones.These character were clearly showed in Death and Compass.In this article，metaphysical features of the story are analyzed and the theme was discussed.
【Key Words】detective story； metaphysical detective story； Death and Compass
I.Introduction
During the two centuries after the publishing of The Murders in the Rue Morgue，detective story has made marked progress.As one of the most popular variations of detective story，metaphysical detective fiction “put new wine into the old wine skin” （ Yuan Honggeng 201）.A metaphysical detective story is different from traditional detective story in two ways： it follows some fundamental rules of detective process but subverts many characteristics of traditional detective fiction； and writers may use some unique approaches such as parody，irony in their fictions and adapt at finishing their stories with an unexpected ending to show their topic（Yuan Honggeng 15-16）.
II.Metaphysical features of Death and Compass
Death and Compass by Jorge Luis Borges is one of the most famous metaphysical detective stories.The story follows almost all the basic rules of tradition detective fictions listed in Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories but at the same time subverts the stereotype of traditional detective story in many aspects （ Tian Miao 47）.
A.Parody in the story
In this story，Erik Lonnrot，the detector，found a sentence which actually is not only a clue which mislead the detective but also a parody of the line in The Murders in the Rue Morgue “perdidit antiquum litera prima sonum ”（the first letter of the alphabet is no longer pronounced） in the scene of crime.Actually the sentences written in different scenes of crimes（Edgar Allan Poe 43）.As S.S.Van Dine described in Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories，the method of detect must be “rational and scientific” （378）.Erik Lonnrot，who thought himself as rational as Dupin paid the price for his pride and ignorance while the villain killed him act like “a man of first-rate genius” as the “inventor of murder”（ Thomas De Quincey 335）.To some extent，the parody is an irony of the stereotype of the traditional detective story and a hint of the tragic fate of the detector.
B.The unexpected end
Different from the closed ending of traditional detective fiction，the end of the story is always an unexpected one： the great detector may bungle his job，hurt himself，and sometimes even lost his life！In Death and Compass，Erik Lonnrot was expected to “gather clues that will eventually lead to the person who did the dirty work in the first chapter”（ S.S.Van Dine 379），but as everyone can see，the moment he thought the words in the scene of first crime is related to some religious problems，he lost his position and become the prey of his enemy Scharlach.
C.Theme of the story
With the unexpected death of the detective and the victory of the criminal，the theme of the story is different from other stories.As Thomas De Quincey stated in On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts，the final purpose of murder is to clean the heart （356）.The rise of metaphysical detective story changed this dangerous situation in which readers never thought about their life and the world they live in.Take Death and Compass as an example，the death of the proud detective may lead readers think that people will be the victim of their own weakness.A moment's reflection will show that many people lost what they are pursuing when they are struggling for it because of their weakness and even be victims of these weaknesses.
III.Conclusion
Metaphysical detective story subverted rules and patterns of traditional detective fiction on many aspect.As a typical metaphysical detective story，Death and Compass lead readers to the think about the weakness of people with its unexpected ending，the parody and the irony in the story.
References：
[1]De Quincey，Thomas.“On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts ”.The Detective Story：Works and Criticism.Ed.Yuan Honggeng.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2011.352-58.
[2]Poe，Edgar Allan.“The Murder in the Rue Morgue ”.The Detective Story：Works and Criticism.Ed.Yuan Honggeng.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2011.35-72.
[3]Van，Dine.“Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories”.The Detective Story：Works and Criticism.Ed.Yuan Honggeng.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2011.375-80.
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作者简介：
马雪晴（1989.9～），女，甘肃永昌人，兰州大学，2013级硕士，研究方向：英语笔译。