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sherlock60Welcome back, everyone! Let's have some canon Sherlock Holmes discussion, shall we? What did you all think of The Solitary Cyclist? As always, I've written up a few of my own random thoughts and questions, which are behind the jump. Add your own in the comments!
Discussion about the Granada adaptation of The Solitary Cyclist is available in this week's Granada discussion post.
- What is the "peculiar persecution" John Vincent Harden was subjected to? Is Archie Stamford, the forger, at all related to the Mike Stamford who introduces Watson to Holmes in A Study in Scarlet?
- And yet without a harshness which was foreign to his nature - It's a common thing in adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, and particularly in BBC's Sherlock TV show, for Holmes to be abrasive to all other people, often to the point of being outright abusive. It's true the character is often described in canon as "cold", but cold does not necessarily mean harsh. As seen in this story, Sherlock Holmes has sympathy for others, he values their lives, and he does his best to serve his clients and the cause of justice for them. And despite his reputation for misogyny, Holmes is very respectful of Violet Smith and womankind here too, explaining his belief that they have rights to autonomy and safety in their interactions with men. He is a fair, decent person who doesn't deserve all of the negative reputation he often carries into modern adaptation. He can be machine-like in his driven, logical nature, but his actions and his reactions show us that underneath his cool exterior, there's a caring human heart that drives him. The best adaptations are the ones that explore that fact effectively.
- "The next few minutes were delicious." - Holmes describing his boxing match with Woodley to Watson is one of my favorite scenes in canon. It's playful, righteous, and boastful, all beautifully Holmesian qualities. Every line is dripping with pride and dry wit.
"He had a fine flow of language, and his adjectives were very vigorous." - And you just heard all those vigorous adjectives in your head after you read that just now, didn't you?
"He ended a string of abuse by a vicious back-hander which I failed to entirely avoid." - Note the "entirely" there. Holmes makes sure Watson (and his readers) know that he did at least somewhat foresee and try to avoid Woodley's attack, even if he was not completely able to thwart it.
Holmes also takes the time at the end of his story to apologize to Watson in a way. Although his day of investigation was infinitely more enjoyable, involving as it did the deserved beating and public humiliation of a despicable creep, it was just as ultimately useless as Watson's, something he makes a point to mention.
- The injured man was laid on his bed, and at Holmes's request I examined him. - Doctor Watson doesn't seem like he was too inclined to make any effort to help Woodley with his gunshot wound. Would he have just let the man die? Woodley certainly is not a man deserving of good care, but I wonder about the ethics of choosing not to assist an injured person if one has medical training.
- Does Carruthers deserve the kindness of Holmes testifying on his behalf? A confession is nice, but it comes after attempted murder. Carruthers had every intention of using Violet Smith for her money before he fell in love with her, never once thinking of her as a human being until she was living under his roof. Until then, she was only a mark in a con to him, a chip wagered and lost in a card game. Some criminals in these stories deserve more sympathy than others. Some get more sympathy than they deserve.
Comment away and join us next week for Black Peter!
Discussion about the Granada adaptation of The Solitary Cyclist is available in this week's Granada discussion post.
- What is the "peculiar persecution" John Vincent Harden was subjected to? Is Archie Stamford, the forger, at all related to the Mike Stamford who introduces Watson to Holmes in A Study in Scarlet?
- And yet without a harshness which was foreign to his nature - It's a common thing in adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, and particularly in BBC's Sherlock TV show, for Holmes to be abrasive to all other people, often to the point of being outright abusive. It's true the character is often described in canon as "cold", but cold does not necessarily mean harsh. As seen in this story, Sherlock Holmes has sympathy for others, he values their lives, and he does his best to serve his clients and the cause of justice for them. And despite his reputation for misogyny, Holmes is very respectful of Violet Smith and womankind here too, explaining his belief that they have rights to autonomy and safety in their interactions with men. He is a fair, decent person who doesn't deserve all of the negative reputation he often carries into modern adaptation. He can be machine-like in his driven, logical nature, but his actions and his reactions show us that underneath his cool exterior, there's a caring human heart that drives him. The best adaptations are the ones that explore that fact effectively.
- "The next few minutes were delicious." - Holmes describing his boxing match with Woodley to Watson is one of my favorite scenes in canon. It's playful, righteous, and boastful, all beautifully Holmesian qualities. Every line is dripping with pride and dry wit.
"He had a fine flow of language, and his adjectives were very vigorous." - And you just heard all those vigorous adjectives in your head after you read that just now, didn't you?
"He ended a string of abuse by a vicious back-hander which I failed to entirely avoid." - Note the "entirely" there. Holmes makes sure Watson (and his readers) know that he did at least somewhat foresee and try to avoid Woodley's attack, even if he was not completely able to thwart it.
Holmes also takes the time at the end of his story to apologize to Watson in a way. Although his day of investigation was infinitely more enjoyable, involving as it did the deserved beating and public humiliation of a despicable creep, it was just as ultimately useless as Watson's, something he makes a point to mention.
- The injured man was laid on his bed, and at Holmes's request I examined him. - Doctor Watson doesn't seem like he was too inclined to make any effort to help Woodley with his gunshot wound. Would he have just let the man die? Woodley certainly is not a man deserving of good care, but I wonder about the ethics of choosing not to assist an injured person if one has medical training.
- Does Carruthers deserve the kindness of Holmes testifying on his behalf? A confession is nice, but it comes after attempted murder. Carruthers had every intention of using Violet Smith for her money before he fell in love with her, never once thinking of her as a human being until she was living under his roof. Until then, she was only a mark in a con to him, a chip wagered and lost in a card game. Some criminals in these stories deserve more sympathy than others. Some get more sympathy than they deserve.
Comment away and join us next week for Black Peter!
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no subject
Date: 2013-05-05 07:25 am (UTC)The boxing match at the inn, and Watson's reaction work very well, and I do like his reaction to another memorable Violet.
Carruthers seems a sad character, but certainly not entirely devoid of blame.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Date: 2013-05-05 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-06 10:18 pm (UTC)