Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth”
Anthony Shaffer’s mystery thriller, Sleuth, and subsequent film version, provide a blueprint for the crushing influence of imitation and monstrous doubling as outlined by French-American anthropologist, René Girard. The relationship between crime writer Andrew Wyke and his wife’s lover reveals itsel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Studia Filmoznawcze |
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| Online Access: | https://wuwr.pl/sf/article/view/17981 |
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| author | Andrzej Fretschel-Hojarski |
| author_facet | Andrzej Fretschel-Hojarski |
| author_sort | Andrzej Fretschel-Hojarski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthony Shaffer’s mystery thriller, Sleuth, and subsequent film version, provide a blueprint for the crushing influence of imitation and monstrous doubling as outlined by French-American anthropologist, René Girard. The relationship between crime writer Andrew Wyke and his wife’s lover reveals itself to be one of negative reciprocity built upon envy, leading to a lethal dénouement. Yet Milo’s final renunciation of mediated desire and further games-playing breaks the cycle of symmetry. Throughout both the script and screenplay, Shaffer offers an acute social commentary on the concepts of difference and non-belonging, while also addressing the drive towards assimilation which risks fomenting resentment among in-groups and out-groups. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-656647e8aef74702a76a214d5cf8aec6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0860-116X 2957-2398 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studia Filmoznawcze |
| spelling | doaj-art-656647e8aef74702a76a214d5cf8aec62025-08-20T03:53:23ZengWydawnictwo Uniwersytetu WrocławskiegoStudia Filmoznawcze0860-116X2957-23982025-04-0147112410.19195/0860-116X.47.119751Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth”Andrzej Fretschel-Hojarskihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9294-4417Anthony Shaffer’s mystery thriller, Sleuth, and subsequent film version, provide a blueprint for the crushing influence of imitation and monstrous doubling as outlined by French-American anthropologist, René Girard. The relationship between crime writer Andrew Wyke and his wife’s lover reveals itself to be one of negative reciprocity built upon envy, leading to a lethal dénouement. Yet Milo’s final renunciation of mediated desire and further games-playing breaks the cycle of symmetry. Throughout both the script and screenplay, Shaffer offers an acute social commentary on the concepts of difference and non-belonging, while also addressing the drive towards assimilation which risks fomenting resentment among in-groups and out-groups.https://wuwr.pl/sf/article/view/17981mimetic theorysleuthdoubles |
| spellingShingle | Andrzej Fretschel-Hojarski Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” Studia Filmoznawcze mimetic theory sleuth doubles |
| title | Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” |
| title_full | Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” |
| title_fullStr | Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” |
| title_short | Mimetic set and match: Around Shaffer’s “Sleuth” |
| title_sort | mimetic set and match around shaffer s sleuth |
| topic | mimetic theory sleuth doubles |
| url | https://wuwr.pl/sf/article/view/17981 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrzejfretschelhojarski mimeticsetandmatcharoundshafferssleuth |