El fantasma de Helena en Noli me tangere de Andrea Camilleri. El uso del mito clásico para la creación de una novela policíaca

Abstract

This paper analyses Andrea Camilleri’s use of poems allegedly written by the Greek poet Stesichorus, to develop a detective plot in the novel Noli me tangere. The figure of Stesichorus and his poems about Helen of Sparta serve the Italian writer, firstly, to justify, almost in autobiographical terms, the Greek poet’s first slanderous poem about Helen and the obligatory palinode to restore Helen’s honour. Secondly, it also serves to perpetuate the figure of Helen as an erotic myth in this detective story, starring a cohort of Helen’s suitors, a character who is barely visible in the story. Finally, the author hybridises the classical erotic myth with the Christian trope noli me tangere, with the surprising result that this idea softens the eroticism inherent in the myth of Helen, and the myth of Helen imbues the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene with intimate complicity.