The Musgrave Ritual: Brunton's Blunder

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Canon: The Musgrave Ritual (MUSG)
Title: Brunton’s Blunder
Author: ennui_enigma
Rating: G
Warnings: none
A/N: I imagine Holmes did not lament the death of Brunton too much; but he must have felt a small pang of regret over the loss of a kindred intellect. As I think about Holmes reflecting on the butler’s mistake with his jilted lover the canon story, A Scandal in Bohemia, comes to mind.


“He had a brilliant intellect with a reasoning aptitude equal to my own logical powers. Never mind that he was a butler. He proved cleverer than generations of noblemen. One’s station in life is no predictor of mental capability.”

Holmes sighed. “It’s a shame his ego caused him to misjudge her true nature. I shall not make the same mistake.”

Comments

[debriswoman]

I like Holmes' bold statement:-) Of course, a woman will never get the better of him...

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

Ah, interesting! I've always wondered why Holmes is so afraid of women (well, "distrusting", but that needs to come from somewhere fear-ish), and examples like this may most probably play a part.

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Never underestimate the ingenuity of a woman's mind

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Yes, he seems to have a general distain for those of the opposite gender.

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's so much that, I rather think that Holmes, in contrast to typical Victorian mindset, isn't looking for a wife, or even female partner for sexual intercourse. Homosexual, bisexual, asexual, whatever he was, I think he just wasn't interested in committing himself to a woman. Back then that was pretty much unheard of (well, in official publicly public at least) - 'Holmes, you no interest in gals? You sick? Abnormal? Insane?' I think that by stating distrust instead of disinterest in relationships, Holmes escaped any uncanny accusations (and rescued Watson and himself from the by-then still fatal suspicion of homosexuality, too).

On top of that, I think Holmes is all but a misogynist. I've come to meet a lot of those, a good part of them women even, and nothing Holmes ever states in the books made me think he's really hostile towards women, which would be the typical (but unlogical) reaction to fear of women. Instead, he's often portrayed as a protector of young ladies, and he never hurts or insults a female client I can think of who has nothing to accuse themselves for. In this, Holmes shows remarkable respect, and I think this respect is his reaction to his own pangs of fear, which may come from never having been close to women in his life. There's no mention of his parents, especially his mother, or any female relatives, relations, or old nurses. Women are a species he's only studied briefly as part of his crimesolving adventures. He's probably feeling rather distanced and hence a bit intimidated by women.

And this leads to the third thing I find extraordinary about him, which is his genderblindness as soon as criminal energies are concerned. I think it was in "The Three Gables"... where he plays a game of cat and mouse with a very powerful woman, and she's not the first. Holmes, again in contrast to the idea back then (and partly today) that women are meek, weak little mousies who could never commit any crimes, not to think of sharp mindedness and being able to conduct others (men) in dark contexts, knows very well that women can, and women do. Maybe Irene Adler taught him that, but to be honest, I think he really liked her, and never felt she did anything wrong. After all, she was the one attacked by a monarch again and again...

Oh God rambles. ^^; Sorry~~! Must dash, this kitchen won't paint itself any pinker.

[debriswoman]

Absolutely:-)

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Good points here. Relevant rambling!

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Nicely spotted on this connection!

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

thanks! part of the beauty of reading through the entire canon again!

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Wow! I seem to have found a passion of yours! Probably the word 'distain' was not well chosen. I agree with you that overall Holmes treated women with respect and certainly never hurt them. I admire his general egalitarian attitude toward all clients - rich or poor, kings or peasants, it was the case not the class of the client that inspired him.

Here's a few quotes like that are in my collection from the canon that support your viewpoints, I believe:

I have never loved, Watson, but if I did and if the woman I loved had met such an end, I might act even as our lawless lion-hunter has done (DEVI).

Woman’s heart and mind are insoluble puzzles to the male (ILLU).

There was an intensity of hatred in her white, set face and her blazing eyes such as woman seldom and man never can attain (ILLU).

If your head is inclined to swell, my dear Watson, take a course of Miss Violet de Merville (ILLU).

[hardboiledbaby]

Hee, famous last words? ;) And yes, he'd surely give credit where credit was due. Nice job!

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Thank you :) Don't we all have a few 'famous last words'! Given his rather high estimation of his intellect, it was quite a compliment in Brunton's honor to say he needn't make allowances for the 'personal equation'.

"My dear Watson,” said he, “I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one’s self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one’s own powers." (GREE)

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

You shall try not to make the same mistake, Holmes, but all men, even brilliant men, underestimate the women around them. One's gender in life is no predictor of mental capability either.

Sunday, 26 August 2012

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User thisprettywren referenced to your post from Sunday, 26 August 2012 (http://holmesian-news.livejournal.com/231456.html) saying: [...] by (Moriarty, others | PG | ACD) Brunton's Blunder [...]

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Very true!

[smoothe1.livejournal.com]

Nicely done. I can picture Holmes reacting exactly like this.

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Fun to imagine such :-)

60 for 60, week 2: The Musgrave Ritual

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User spacemutineer referenced to your post from 60 for 60, week 2: The Musgrave Ritual (http://dispatch-box.livejournal.com/194486.html) saying: [...] by Brunton's Blunder [...]

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Oh, well done! I had a similar idea for my 60 for Musgrave - that this case might have also been a caution for Holmes against the softer emotions. I think you make a really good point that Holmes must have felt some affinity for Brunson as they were both intellectually gifted.

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Yes, I just read your sherlock60 and think you made a good point that this case might have made Holmes steel himself against the softer emotions. Later on, we find he isn't quite that much of a cold, calculating machine though :-)