sherlock60 | Canon Discussion: The Dying Detective (Reply)

This week we’re looking at The Adventure of the Dying Detective. As usual, I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion underway.

I’ve been looking back at the previous 60s for DYIN and a theme that keeps coming up is anger at Holmes’ behaviour, on Watson’s behalf. I can understand this—Watson must go through a nightmarish few hours. (And poor Mrs. Hudson has to endure three days of believing Holmes is going to die.) But I do also feel there is a sort of nobility about Holmes’ behaviour. He sees what has to be done in order to catch a murderer and he doesn’t flinch from carrying out his plan, even though it will cause distress to people he cares about. A necessary kind of ruthlessness perhaps.

Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-suffering woman… Are these opening paragraphs the most information that Watson ever gives us about Mrs. Hudson? We do know so very little about her. What do you think became of Mr. Hudson? (I don’t think we’ve ever definitely told she’s a widow… And it’s always possible she’s never been married at all—“Mrs.” Could just be a respectful title given to an older maiden lady.)

The landlady stood in the deepest awe of him… Watson does make Mrs. Hudson sound a bit of a pushover. I wonder if he’s exaggerating things for the story’s sake. Surely a woman who has no husband, and is a landlady with a household to run, must be quite tough— even if she is prepared to put up with Sherlock Holmes.

…he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women. He disliked and distrusted the sex, but he was always a chivalrous opponent. You know, I’m not convinced Holmes does dislike women. Watson talks about him disliking women, and in SIGN Holmes tells Watson that women are not to be trusted. But when it comes to specific women, as well as always demonstrating “gentleness and courtesy”, Holmes seems to demonstrate sympathy too. He worries about Violet Hunter like a brother, and about Violet de Merville like a father. In TWIS Holmes says to Watson: “I was wondering what I should say to this dear little woman to-night when she meets me at the door.” (He’s referring to Mrs. Neville St. Clair, whose husband is missing presumed dead.) I think Holmes is unsure about women more than disliking them. And though he has no romantic attachment to the fairer sex, I think he understands women more than Watson does.

…in the second year of my married life… Where is Mrs. Watson? Watson seems to leave without speaking to her or leaving a note. And who is she? Baring Gould says she is a wife before Mary Morstan; Sherlock Peoria says she is the wife after Mary Morstan. I resolutely refuse to believe that Watson was married before Mary but I must allow that a second marriage after her is possible. But Watson says “married life”, which does rather suggest this is the first time he’s been married—he’s never experienced marriage before.

"You won't take the key from me by force, Watson. I've got you, my friend. Here you are, and here you will stay until I will otherwise." Does Watson give in too easily to Holmes? Firstly concerning the matter of Watson examining Holmes and secondly about him leaving Holmes in order to get help.

…examining the pictures of celebrated criminals with which every wall was adorned. An intriguing choice of decoration to have in your bedroom. Are these people Holmes has helped to convict? Or simply people he finds interesting? Does he have their pictures on his wall because he admires them to some extent?

"There are the wheels, Watson. Quick, man, if you love me!” Admittedly Culverton Smith is now at the door, but surely there would still be time for Holmes to tell Watson that it was all a trick? In fact, it would have been a good idea to tell Watson what was going on. There was a sound as if he was shaking the dying man, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quiet in my hiding-place. At any moment Watson might reveal himself in order to “protect” Holmes and the whole plan would be for nothing.

“That pretence I have carried out with the thoroughness of the true artist.” This line strikes me as an odd thing to say about yourself. Is it Holmes standing back and trying to view his actions dispassionately and objectively? Justifying his actions?

Next Sunday, 1st June, we’ll be having a look at The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot. Hope you can join us then.