The 1850s and 60s were popular for the subgenre of sensation fiction. These novels were fictionalized renditions of newspaper headlines; often they sensationalized crimes thought to be subversive, often murders committed by women or by upper-class citizens. The tradition of the sensation novel was tied closely to genres such as crime and detective fiction, but also paved the way for true crime writings. For example, Wilkie Collins, considered to be the master of the genre, famously used real-life details in his novels, such as the Constance Kent case as inspiration for The Moonstone; the Kent case also inspired writers like Mary Elizabeth Braddon, who mirrored elements of the case in her bestselling novel Lady Audley’s Secret.
Although the nineteenth century saw a conflation of sensation between real-life and fictitious accounts, today many true crime cases are still sensationalized for shock value and entertainment,. For instance, the past year has seen a resurgence of interest in certain cases and killers, such as Ted Bundy (The Ted Bundy Tapes and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, for example). In these renditions, Bundy is portrayed as charming, overshadowing the severity of his murders. Additionally, we have entire networks devoted to true crime, such as Investigation Discovery, whose programming has come under scrutiny for inaccurate information for the sake of entertainment, influencing proclamations of guilt or innocence without all the facts. Such exaggerations walk a line between appealing and appalling, capitalizing on horrific and heinous acts.
This presentation seeks to examine some nineteenth century sensation texts and compare them to a selection of sensationalized modern true crime cases. The project will present patterns in sensationalism, both fiction that was inspired by true events as well as nonfiction genres, as well as why these may be problematic, particularly in cases where gender, race, or class are factors.
About the presenterSamantha Przybylowicz Axtell
Samantha is a recent PhD graduate from Northeastern University. Her dissertation was about women who kill in Victorian literature with a focus on gender, genre, sympathy, and representation. Her work combines Victorian fiction with modern true crime in a way that shows the ways we talk and write about crime haven’t changed all that much over the years. Samantha also works with aspects of true crime that emphasize victimology and advocates for the wrongfully convicted. She is the current Graduate Rep for MAPACA and co-chair for the True Crime Area.