The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers: Allusions and British Interwar Audiences

Abstract

Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace’s Documents in the Case (1930), an epistolary novel published during the Golden Age of British crime fiction (1920s–1930s), represents an ambitious project that attempts not only to entertain readers with a murder story but also to capture the contemporary sociocultural background of its publication. The novel is notable for its frequent allusions to works published and staged in the 1920s, making it an authentic portrayal of contemporary opinions on literature. A significant part of the analysis is the consideration of best–selling novels that show the reading preferences of the majority. The paper aims to explore the novel through the lens of intertextuality. A special focus is given to the character of Margaret, who identifies with the bestsellers and shapes her life in accordance with these works. As will be demonstrated in works such as If Winter Comes and the Sacred Flame, the consumption of such pieces alters Margaret’s worldview, perception of herself and her approach to morality, leading her to the wrong solution to her marital problems. The use of literary allusions in the crime novel thus reflects the audience’s attitudes towards the interwar period in Britain.