SPECIFICITY OF THE CLASSICAL DETECTIVE STORY: SEMANTIC AND STRUCTURAL FEATURES

Abstract

The article examines the specificity of the classical detective story through the lens of its semantic and structural narrative features. The focus is placed on the analysis of the fabula, plot, narration, focalization, frequency of events, and temporal characteristics of the narrative, which together shape the distinctive traits of the detective genre. It has been shown that the classical detective story is characterized by a retrospective presentation of events, the detective’s absence from the crime scene, repetition of key events (kernel events), and the scenic highlighting of the most significant moments. A special role in the structure of the detective story is played by the combination of the protagonist’s analytical thinking and the narrator’s limited, fixed perspective, which ensures both narrative tension and the gradual disclosure of information to the reader.
Using Edgar Allan Poe’s short story «The Murders in the Rue Morgue» as an illustrative example, the article demonstrates how the classical detective narrative organizes its signifying field: some events are repeated, while others are deliberately omitted or concealed, creating an intellectual challenge for the reader and reinforcing the logic of the investigation. The study also outlines the importance of temporal and spatial shifts, careful planning of fabula episodes, and the structuring of events in a way that allows the reader to uncover key details gradually, maintaining engagement and intrigue.
The research shows that the semantic and structural parameters of the detective narrative are closely interconnected and jointly shape its fictional specificity. This interconnectedness enables a complete understanding of the genre conventions of the classical detective story, the principles of constructing intrigue, and the mechanisms of reader–text interaction. The study concludes that the classical detective functions as a highly organized system in which the interplay of a meticulously constructed plot, a restricted narrative viewpoint, and recurrent key events ensures coherence, logicality, and narrative tension.