The Secret Agent is a complicated and multifaceted novel, which arguably belongs to several genres. Primarily, though, it’s usually categorized as a political thriller. Novels in this genre typically revolve around the intrigue and suspense of political events, often involving espionage, conspiracies, and the complex machinations of governmental power and hidden interpersonal agendas. The Secret Agent certainly does all of these things, as Conrad provides a lens into its covert world of espionage and intricate web of secret alliances. The internal structures of anarchism and terrorism and the dark underbelly of governmental operations are a primary focus of the book. The strategies of anarchists juxtaposed with the counter-maneuvers of government entities keep the reader riveted.
Yet, beyond its exciting political maneuverings, The Secret Agent is also firmly a work of psychological fiction. It’s more than just a tale of spies and subterfuge. Psychological novels emphasize internal conflicts, interpersonal interactions, and the motivations behind people’s actions. Conrad spends a lot of time documenting the mental processes of his characters, painting vivid portraits of their struggles and moral dilemmas. Even the intricate dynamics of the Verloc family, taken by themselves, reflect this substantially. Mr. Verloc's secretive dual roles as a husband and a spy cause him and everyone around him a great deal of unease. His professional life invades his private life in a way that complicates all his relationships.
Lastly, the novel bears all the hallmarks of the tragedy genre. Tragedies explore the downfall of central characters, often due to their own flaws or the harsh realities of their world. These circumstances are often beyond their control, leading them to tragic, inevitable ends. The rigid norms and inescapable class system of Victorian England contribute significantly to this in The Secret Agent. It seems hard or even impossible for people to deviate from the paths their births allocate for them. No political or social change seems truly possible: just chaotic explosions. Through this tragic lens, Conrad offers a critique of a society where personal desires and societal demands are frequently placed at odds.
