Canon Discussion: A Scandal in Bohemia
Feb. 8th, 2015 08:03 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
scfrankles.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sherlock60This week we’re having a look at A Scandal in Bohemia. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going—please leave your own ideas in the comments!
We are, of course, going through the canon in published order this time. So here’s an interesting fact: all the short stories from SCAN through to FINA were published during the period Watson believed Holmes to be dead. SCAN was published July 1891—just a few months after Holmes’ disappearance in May 1891—and FINA was published December 1893. Any thoughts? The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes suggests Watson may have written the stories out of grief, or to create a record of Holmes’ work. But did Watson write them all after Holmes’ “death”, or did he have them ready? Certainly he begins SCAN in the present tense: “To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman.”
All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise, but admirably balanced mind. I would definitely query “all emotions were abhorrent to his mind”. We may not know all the intimate details of Holmes’ private life but in this story we see him laughing “heartily for some minutes”; in REDH, he and Watson go to a concert and the music leaves him “wrapped in the most perfect happiness.” Holmes has to try and be detached for his work, but he seems as prone to emotion as the rest of us. He hasn’t got a naturally cold mind.
One night—it was on the 20th of March, 1888… Watson seems a little confused as to when he got married. In SIGN, he apparently didn’t meet Miss Morstan until September 1888... I’m always a little sad that from here on in Mrs. Watson is just a shadowy creature in the background. But perhaps it was a deliberate decision—Mary and Watson decided that she wouldn’t be featured in the stories in order to give her some privacy.
“I am lost without my Boswell.” I wonder how seriously Holmes means this. Has he found that working without Watson has made a significant difference?
“Threatens to send them the photograph… Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not go—none... ...she has said that she would send it on the day when the betrothal was publicly proclaimed.” I never really understand everyone’s motivations in this story. From what the King says, Miss Adler seems to have had a clear, specific plan to ruin him, and to be obsessed with him. By the time we get to the end of the story, we’ve found out she’s apparently in love with another man, indifferent to the King and wants the photograph simply to protect herself against him. Did she threaten to send the photograph before meeting Norton? Or if she didn’t threaten to send the photograph, why is the King lying? Why should he come to Holmes seemingly desperate to get it back and then after the Nortons have fled, apparently not mind that Mrs. Norton still has it? If Mrs. Norton never threatened to send the photograph, then nothing in the situation has changed.
“He is dark, handsome, and dashing… He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple.” Any thoughts about Norton, and his relationship with Miss Adler?
“He appeared to be in a great hurry…” Why the sudden rush about marriage? Miss Adler apparently knows nothing about it—the fact Norton is in her house for half an hour, “talking excitedly and waving his arms”, suggests he’s trying to convince her. Time is of the essence for the ceremony—if this was their planned wedding day, they wouldn’t be hanging around talking, even if a snag had come up. If they’re worried about the King and what he might do to them, why not fly immediately and then get married? What advantage does being married give them?
“When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to you.” Now here’s a puzzle. Has Holmes forgotten the name of his landlady? Or is Mrs. Turner someone else in the household? I think the New Annotated suggests she might be the maid—though a maid being referred to as “Mrs.” would be more unusual.
...for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was remarkably animated. This is a large group of accomplices. Where does Holmes get them all from? And at such short notice?
“The photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his Princess.” How much does Norton know? In her letter, Mrs. Norton says: “We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by so formidable an antagonist.” Surely if they’re discussing running away from Sherlock Holmes, Norton must have a pretty good idea of what’s going on?
The King may do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged. “Cruelly wronged”—what exactly does Mrs. Norton mean?
Next Sunday, 15th February, we’ll be having a look at The Red-headed League. Hope you can join us for that.
We are, of course, going through the canon in published order this time. So here’s an interesting fact: all the short stories from SCAN through to FINA were published during the period Watson believed Holmes to be dead. SCAN was published July 1891—just a few months after Holmes’ disappearance in May 1891—and FINA was published December 1893. Any thoughts? The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes suggests Watson may have written the stories out of grief, or to create a record of Holmes’ work. But did Watson write them all after Holmes’ “death”, or did he have them ready? Certainly he begins SCAN in the present tense: “To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman.”
All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise, but admirably balanced mind. I would definitely query “all emotions were abhorrent to his mind”. We may not know all the intimate details of Holmes’ private life but in this story we see him laughing “heartily for some minutes”; in REDH, he and Watson go to a concert and the music leaves him “wrapped in the most perfect happiness.” Holmes has to try and be detached for his work, but he seems as prone to emotion as the rest of us. He hasn’t got a naturally cold mind.
One night—it was on the 20th of March, 1888… Watson seems a little confused as to when he got married. In SIGN, he apparently didn’t meet Miss Morstan until September 1888... I’m always a little sad that from here on in Mrs. Watson is just a shadowy creature in the background. But perhaps it was a deliberate decision—Mary and Watson decided that she wouldn’t be featured in the stories in order to give her some privacy.
“I am lost without my Boswell.” I wonder how seriously Holmes means this. Has he found that working without Watson has made a significant difference?
“Threatens to send them the photograph… Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not go—none... ...she has said that she would send it on the day when the betrothal was publicly proclaimed.” I never really understand everyone’s motivations in this story. From what the King says, Miss Adler seems to have had a clear, specific plan to ruin him, and to be obsessed with him. By the time we get to the end of the story, we’ve found out she’s apparently in love with another man, indifferent to the King and wants the photograph simply to protect herself against him. Did she threaten to send the photograph before meeting Norton? Or if she didn’t threaten to send the photograph, why is the King lying? Why should he come to Holmes seemingly desperate to get it back and then after the Nortons have fled, apparently not mind that Mrs. Norton still has it? If Mrs. Norton never threatened to send the photograph, then nothing in the situation has changed.
“He is dark, handsome, and dashing… He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple.” Any thoughts about Norton, and his relationship with Miss Adler?
“He appeared to be in a great hurry…” Why the sudden rush about marriage? Miss Adler apparently knows nothing about it—the fact Norton is in her house for half an hour, “talking excitedly and waving his arms”, suggests he’s trying to convince her. Time is of the essence for the ceremony—if this was their planned wedding day, they wouldn’t be hanging around talking, even if a snag had come up. If they’re worried about the King and what he might do to them, why not fly immediately and then get married? What advantage does being married give them?
“When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to you.” Now here’s a puzzle. Has Holmes forgotten the name of his landlady? Or is Mrs. Turner someone else in the household? I think the New Annotated suggests she might be the maid—though a maid being referred to as “Mrs.” would be more unusual.
...for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was remarkably animated. This is a large group of accomplices. Where does Holmes get them all from? And at such short notice?
“The photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his Princess.” How much does Norton know? In her letter, Mrs. Norton says: “We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by so formidable an antagonist.” Surely if they’re discussing running away from Sherlock Holmes, Norton must have a pretty good idea of what’s going on?
The King may do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged. “Cruelly wronged”—what exactly does Mrs. Norton mean?
Next Sunday, 15th February, we’ll be having a look at The Red-headed League. Hope you can join us for that.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 05:54 pm (UTC)If Mr Norton had been totally innocent, I don't see why he and Irene couldn't have married and settled down in London. Could he actually need to leave the country on his own account? The sudden rush might be for himself. If Irene was facing a married life with a penniless fugitive, it would explain why she hesitated, even if she loved him. But your suggestion that she hadn't met, or considerd, Norton before threatening the king is probably more likely. I don't know how much she respects Norton. She probably thinks being a better man than the king isn't a great accomplishment. But she does think he's worth marrying and following into - Europe?
I admit I don't see why they'd go to the Continent to avoid someone from the Continent. Did they actually go to America?
Perhaps the king had told Irene that he would marry her, or at least provided her with a rich, complaisant husband. It was just after he'd told her it was all off that he made his appointment with Holmes. Surely a lady's entitled to a few wild threats under those circumstances.
In meta-ing The Lion's Mane, someone suggested Holmes' slowness was due to his Watsonlessness. But I don't think so early in his career, he would have been so dependent. Watson is a help in many cases, though.
Just posssible that Holmes recruited the rentacrowd from some theatrical agency? Alternately, he could have known a few out-of-work steveadores or such, whm a shillings hire would have kept out of Moriarty's employ.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 07:56 pm (UTC)Another good point about running away to the Continent. Perhaps it was straightforwardly a lie and they were going to America - after all that was Mrs. Norton's home country. Holmes never checks this aspect of her story - there's no reason to.
I don't think that Miss Adler would ever have been naive enough to believe the Crown Prince of Bohemia would marry her. And somehow, I can't see her hoping the Prince would arrange a marriage for her - in the end she marries a humble lawyer. But it's certainly a possibility.
Re the rentacrowd (^^): I like the idea that Holmes went to a theatrical agency. Or maybe he knew a troupe of actors..? He seems to have a lot of contacts.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 09:19 pm (UTC)And I was probably being a bit morbid about Norton. It could have been a career opportunity which made him want to leave London urgently. The first time I read it, I simply thought he was urging her to marry him quicker than she expected.
You're probably right about Irene realising it was a dead end affair, but I wonder if an American might not realise how strong the class barrier was for royalty in those times.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 07:13 pm (UTC)I love Holmes response to him though that the King and Irene are on a very different level. There seems a good amount of sarcasm in this story.
It is kind of disturbing that the King has made five attempts to steal the photograph... Two burglaries who ransacked her house, once stolen her luggage, and waylaid her twice... By waylay does that mean they simply stopped her or attempted to attack her?
And now the King has travelled to London himself to see that the deed is done. Why Sherlock Holmes? It is more of a theft the King wants than a solution to a mystery. But Holmes does enter her house under false pretences and has Watson simulate a fire...
Irene also mentions that the King has cruelly wronged her and obviously thinks he might again attempt to attack her in the future. He seems a lot more obsessed with her than his earlier assertion that she is obsessed with him ("Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not go-none.")
Maybe the King is something of a crazy stalker?
Hence she marries Norton and they flee because the Stalker King is in London and out to get her, and the only protection she has against him is the photograph which Holmes (who is known by then to be someone who gets things done) is intent on taking away.
Holmes seems by the end of the story sympathising completely with Irene over his client the King. He refuses payment and will not even shake the King's hand or look in his direction as he leaves the room.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 08:25 pm (UTC)The King doesn't strike me as someone who indulges in a great deal of self-reflection ^^ I think he truly wouldn't be able to understand why Holmes considers Mrs. Norton a nobler person than a King.
It really makes me uncomfortable that Holmes advocates stealing the photograph. And even more uncomfortable that the King has already made several attempts - "waylaid" sounds deeply unpleasant and aggressive. But as we know from CHAS, Holmes loathes blackmailers, and it does appear at this point that Miss Adler is indulging in a form of blackmail: "If you try and marry anyone else, I'll send the photograph to your fiancée." Holmes probably considers it a moral response to try and steal the photograph from her.
It is a good question: why Holmes for this case? I suppose the answer might be, there is a mystery to be solved. Where exactly is the photograph hidden?
"Crazy stalker" does seem likely ^^" The King certainly doesn't appear to be telling the truth about the situation between himself and Miss Adler. And as you say, at the end, Holmes' sympathy is entirely with Mrs. Norton - he appears to despise the King.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-12 08:46 pm (UTC)Mr and Mrs Norton may have good reason to flee to hide on the Continent. Perhaps she refused to be his "bit on the side". His Majesty clearly has strong affection for her and not much for his intended wife. Perhaps his Bohemian ways have emptied his treasury and he has to marry for money.
(I like to frame him as an utter blackguard. Oh yes, I do!)
no subject
Date: 2015-02-12 10:58 pm (UTC)I also believe the Nortons had good reason to run away. Not just because Holmes is after them, but because they have definite reason to fear the King and his actions. Whatever those actions might be.
Possibly money was a consideration for the King's marriage, but I would imagine he's marrying his fiancée primarily for political and social reasons. Because it's expected that a King will have a Queen in order to produce an heir - and the Queen has to be of royal blood. I mean, he would never have married Irene Adler, even if she had been rich. But, yes, I could see him putting pressure on her to continue being his mistress.