#sherlockian studies

[sherlockianscholar]

through pure happenstance, i stumbled on this first edition (published 1940) of 221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes at my local bookstore!! i am officially having the best birthday ever

[sherlockianscholar]

This is from Leslie Klinger's The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes. Bear in mind, aside from this, I greatly admire Klinger and his work. HOWEVER, I don't understand how a prominent Sherlockian scholar could even think about writing down one of the most slanderous and ill-informed sentences I've ever read. Thus, let me pull some quotes from "The Empty House" and defend Sherlock Holmes along with his and Watson's friendship.

When Holmes reveals himself to Watson in Watson's study:

"When I turned again Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling at me across my study table. I rose to my feet, stared at him for some seconds in utter amazement, and it appears I must have fainted....When it cleared I found my collar-ends undone and the tingling after-taste of brandy on my lips. Holmes was bending over my chair, his flask in hand. "My dear Watson," said the well-remembered voice, "I owe you a thousand apologies. I had no idea that you would be so affected."

"Can it indeed be that you're alive? Is it possible that you succeeded in climbing out of that awful abyss?" [Watson] "Wait a moment!" said [Holmes]. "Are you sure that you are really fit to discuss things? I have given you a serious shock by my unnecessarily dramatic appearance."

Holmes discussing his financial logistics with Mycroft during the hiatus:

"I had only one confidant--my brother Mycroft. I owe you many apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all-important that it should be thought I was dead, and it is quite certain that you would not have written so convincing an account of my unhappy end had you not yourself thought that it was true. Several times during the last three years I have taken up my pen to write to you, but always I feared lest your affectionate regard for me should tempt you to some indiscretion which would betray my secret."

When Holmes returns to 221b Baker St for the first time (sans Watson):

"So it was, my dear Watson, that at two o'clock to-day I found myself in my old arm-chair in my own old room, and only wishing that I could have seen my old friend Watson in the other chair which he has so often adorned."

It is widely thought this next quote is said in regards to the death of Mary Morstan Watson, but it is still up for debate among Sherlockians/Holmesians:

"In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in manner rather than in his words. 'Work is the best antidote to sorrow, my dear Watson,' said he, 'and I have a piece of work for us tonight.'"

Now to cap off the night:

"And now, Watson, if you can endure the draught from a broken window, I think half an hour in my study over a cigar may afford you some profitable amusement."

Yes, Sherlock Holmes can be a calculating, logical "machine" (other's words not mine), but the canon shows time and time again how devoted Holmes and Watson are to each other. Holmes highly values and respects Watson as a person and as a friend. It genuinely upsets me at the thought of someone dismissing that and giving such a mis-guided view of how Holmes behaves to Watson when he returns. Holmes is fully conscious of how deeply affected Watson was by his "death" and does not try to diminish that pain in any way. Holmes even tells Watson how much he missed him and just wanted to be back home at Baker St with him. Their friendship is the guiding light through these stories, which if absent, would not have gathered the following and community that has existed for the last 100+ years.

[sherlockianscholar]

the solitary cyclist from the canon, in my opinion and acd's, is not the greatest work among doyle's repetoire. but i would like to call to your attention one point that has needled me since i first read this story.

violet (yes, one of the six violets in the canon) smith takes on a live-in music teaching position in the country for her un-married employers' (carruthers) ten year old daughter. the daughter is mentioned once in the entire story, during violet's exposition at 221b. violet goes back to the country with no further mention of the girl. after the ruckus and holmes/watson's intervention, carruthers and the others get arrested and taken to jail. off the father goes without making any inquiry into the fate of his daughter nor does violet comment on it.

now the granada episode (which i'm rather fond of) seals up this plot hole, simply and sweetly, by having violet and her soon-to-be husband look after the daughter while her father's in jail. but that doesn't happen in the story. which leads me to wonder...considering the lack of attention by violet or carruthers, did she run away or die (i say, very tongue in cheek)? did carruthers just say fuck them kids and abandon her?

or my personal favorite, did he hire a random 10 year old girl for this express purpose? given the absolute chaos and ever-unfolding half-baked schemes concocted by every member of carruthers and co, i can imagine those men coming up with something that ridiculous.

acd makes a lot of mistakes and slip-ups in the canon, but honestly, if i could ask him one question, this stupid pedantic detail would be high on the list.

[sherlockianscholar]

fellow queers who play The Game, dear lord, we need some representation. reading baring gould and klinger, i am tired of being bombarded with heterosexual theories about the canon by all these straight people.

[sherlockianscholar]

my happy place