The Mystery Of Sherlock Holmes
Posted by Susie Kopecky on Dec 4, 2011 - 2:15:31 AM
VARIOUS—In the last nineteenth century, through the early quarter of the twentieth century, one name was synonymous with absolute knowledge and an unflappable spirit, and joy of, the hunt.
This man was Sherlock Holmes.
The illustrious Sherlock Holmes. Illustration by Sidney Paget.
Technically speaking, he never actually existed, though in the minds of many readers, he was real enough.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also write a book titled The Lost World (no, not the dinosaur-laden one), which has also seen its fair share of film adaptations, but none of Doyle's other works could hold a candle to the following of his consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes.
As lore goes, Doyle, was himself a doctor (as partially reflected in Holmes' flatmate and friend, Dr. Watson), who studied medicine in Scotland under the rather famous Dr. Joseph Bell. Dr Bell was known to exhibit strong powers of deduction, the very thing that enchanted so many readers about Holmes.
Perhaps another reason Holmes was, and is, so beloved, is that despite his uncanny ability to do nearly anything, he still has his vices, and leads a perfectly happy existence with them.
Holmes is a drug user, generally using cocaine (and thus the title of the book and film in the 1970s, "The Seven Percent Solution"), sometimes even around the disapproving Watson. In at least one story, Holmes even jokes about his drug habits and his great love for the chase ("the game is afoot").
The illustrious Sherlock Holmes. Illustration by Sidney Paget.
Doyle's many written "accounts" of Holmes' and Watson's adventures began in 1887, and were published in serials (portions in magazines). Early on, the British paper "The Strand Magazine" became famous for publishing the serials. The Victorian-era adventures are exciting, intrigue-filled, and are written with great skill. The adventures of England's top fictional detective spanned more than fifty short stories, which are now more commonly found bound together, in a complete collection, in five primary collections: "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" (by popular demand, no less, the detective was brought back!), "His Last Bow" and "The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes." (Doyle became so frustrated with Holmes' popularity, that he killed the detective off at the end of what we now know as "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," but the outcry was so loud, that he explained the apparent death away, and just in time for many new stories!)
The brilliant and cunning mind also inspired a handful of longer adventure novels as well, starting with the publication of "A Study in Scarlet."
Ask ten different Sherlock Holmes fans, and you may get ten different answers, as to which was the best adventure. However, the first adventure in which we are introduced to the mysterious and delightful detective, "A Scandal in Bohemia," is a true gem.
"A Scandal in Bohemia" illustration by Sidney Paget.
"A Scandal in Bohemia" is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which, that it skillfully introduces a lead who not only does not fit the typical Victorian mold, but as much as scoffs at it. "Scarlet" is a top-notch adventure story, with plenty of witty and interesting dialogue to boot, and the vivid descriptions of daily life allow the reader to better understand the world of Mr. Holmes. Basically, Holmes' reputation is so great, that the King of Bohemia travels to see Holmes, in order to... fix a problem the king himself caused... with an Irene Adler. As the king plans to marry another royal in the near future, he fears being blackmailed by Adler, a non-royal, whom he had entered into a liaison with previously, going so far as to give her a photograph of the two of them. The king enlists Holmes to procure the image from Adler, however possible. It is worth noting that this is the rare Sherlock Holmes case, in which the indefatigable detective has a wonderful time, and is (dare we say it?) even content at Adler just eking by. Though Adler was not a romantic interest for Holmes (who does not dabble in romance, which frankly does not interest him), she is referred to again in other stories, as "the woman."
This particular adventure introduces the most brilliant man in all of London (and perhaps the world), who also embodies striking contrasts: he loves to solve mysteries (and by extension, help people), though he cannot stand most people; he is known to "make merry" of women, though he takes great pleasure in being outfoxed by the cunning and beautiful Irene Adler; his most important tool is his mind, yet he lazes about and uses cocaine when he is bored; he is able to learn all about a stranger by quickly analyzing them, and yet he has no interest in basic global science. ("What the deuce is it to me? You say that we go around the sun. If we went around the moon, it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or my work.") Holmes is content to do what makes him happy, and though he refuses to follow strict societal norms, it is fascinating and at-times amusing to follow his dry wit and his surprisingly sophisticated theories on morality.
Holmes was like no one else before him; in this era, other writers were putting out mystery stories (such as Edgar Allan Poe), but Doyle's stories are best-remembered for a reason: the deliciously imperfect, yet seemingly supernaturally intelligent observer is no angel, yet he chooses to do more good than harm. Holmes is a hero, and a wonderfully flawed and completely delightful one, at that. It is impossible not to want him to win, sometimes to even dole out his own morality. Every generation needs its hero. Here's hoping to a new generation of Sherlock Holmes fans.
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