Canon Discussion: The Speckled Band
Mar. 29th, 2015 08:37 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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This week we’re having a look at The Speckled Band. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going—please leave your own ideas in the comments!
...the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. You have got to feel sorry for Helen Stoner. Her father and mother die, her sister is murdered by her stepfather and then she herself dies prematurely—only surviving 8 years after this adventure. Any thoughts on her death?
...there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth. I wonder what the rumours could be… It’s hard to think of something worse than “he was bitten by a poisonous snake while attempting to murder his stepdaughter with it.” Though…is Watson telling us the truth? As this article states, snakes are deaf and can’t hear a whistle; and though a snake could climb a solid object, it wouldn’t be able to climb a bell-rope. And this article debunks the myth that snakes like milk—ashamed to say that it had never occurred to me that, as they’re not mammals, it’s pretty unlikely they would. Though the article does state: “When severely dehydrated, a snake might drink any liquid available.” I suppose the snake may have drunk the milk if that’s all Roylott was offering it but it wouldn’t be tempted by it otherwise.
And… there is no snake called the swamp adder! Yes. Shocking, I know.
"You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. Once again, this suggests to me that Holmes doesn’t actually dislike women. He isn’t simply being chivalrous—that pat on the arm seems a rather sympathetic gesture.
"Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was concerned with an opal tiara.” Any thoughts on this case?
In a fit of anger, however… he beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence.” Stepping out of the Game for a moment, doesn’t ACD give Roylott a rather mixed personality? He’s apparently a man who can’t control his violent temper. But the murder and attempted murder of his stepdaughters are so cold-blooded, and calmly well-planned.
“My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old at the time of my mother's re-marriage.” I wonder exactly how Miss Stoner feels about Roylott. Does she view him as a father? I suppose in most cases someone brought up by a stepfather from the age of two would think of him simply as their father. But Roylott was in prison for a long time of course, being released when the girls were in their early 20s. (Miss Stoner indirectly tells us she’s 32, and that her mother died 8 years ago, just after they returned to England—I assume the family returned immediately to England once Roylott was released.) Maybe Roylott was practically a stranger to his stepdaughters.
“Shortly after our return to England my mother died — she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe.” Any thoughts on Mrs. Roylott’s death? A previous 60 suggests it may not have been an accident…
“...a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage.” What do you think of Percy Armitage? He isn’t terribly sympathetic towards his fiancee. He doesn’t seem to me to be much of a friend, to be honest—never mind anything else.
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is where we are going." ...explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. I’m rather impressed how Holmes manages to mislead without actually lying.
"I have really some scruples as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." Why on earth doesn’t Holmes just tell Watson that a snake is likely to be coming down the dummy bell-rope? It would seem like a good idea to have him prepared for that situation—this isn’t the best time for one of Holmes’ dramatic reveals.
Next Sunday, 5th April, we’ll be having a look at The Engineer’s Thumb. Hope you can join us then.
...the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. You have got to feel sorry for Helen Stoner. Her father and mother die, her sister is murdered by her stepfather and then she herself dies prematurely—only surviving 8 years after this adventure. Any thoughts on her death?
...there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth. I wonder what the rumours could be… It’s hard to think of something worse than “he was bitten by a poisonous snake while attempting to murder his stepdaughter with it.” Though…is Watson telling us the truth? As this article states, snakes are deaf and can’t hear a whistle; and though a snake could climb a solid object, it wouldn’t be able to climb a bell-rope. And this article debunks the myth that snakes like milk—ashamed to say that it had never occurred to me that, as they’re not mammals, it’s pretty unlikely they would. Though the article does state: “When severely dehydrated, a snake might drink any liquid available.” I suppose the snake may have drunk the milk if that’s all Roylott was offering it but it wouldn’t be tempted by it otherwise.
And… there is no snake called the swamp adder! Yes. Shocking, I know.
"You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. Once again, this suggests to me that Holmes doesn’t actually dislike women. He isn’t simply being chivalrous—that pat on the arm seems a rather sympathetic gesture.
"Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was concerned with an opal tiara.” Any thoughts on this case?
In a fit of anger, however… he beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence.” Stepping out of the Game for a moment, doesn’t ACD give Roylott a rather mixed personality? He’s apparently a man who can’t control his violent temper. But the murder and attempted murder of his stepdaughters are so cold-blooded, and calmly well-planned.
“My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old at the time of my mother's re-marriage.” I wonder exactly how Miss Stoner feels about Roylott. Does she view him as a father? I suppose in most cases someone brought up by a stepfather from the age of two would think of him simply as their father. But Roylott was in prison for a long time of course, being released when the girls were in their early 20s. (Miss Stoner indirectly tells us she’s 32, and that her mother died 8 years ago, just after they returned to England—I assume the family returned immediately to England once Roylott was released.) Maybe Roylott was practically a stranger to his stepdaughters.
“Shortly after our return to England my mother died — she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe.” Any thoughts on Mrs. Roylott’s death? A previous 60 suggests it may not have been an accident…
“...a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage.” What do you think of Percy Armitage? He isn’t terribly sympathetic towards his fiancee. He doesn’t seem to me to be much of a friend, to be honest—never mind anything else.
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is where we are going." ...explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. I’m rather impressed how Holmes manages to mislead without actually lying.
"I have really some scruples as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." Why on earth doesn’t Holmes just tell Watson that a snake is likely to be coming down the dummy bell-rope? It would seem like a good idea to have him prepared for that situation—this isn’t the best time for one of Holmes’ dramatic reveals.
Next Sunday, 5th April, we’ll be having a look at The Engineer’s Thumb. Hope you can join us then.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-29 04:15 pm (UTC)I do agree about Percy - possibly an alias deliberately chosen by Dr Watson. I think myself she was desperate to leave home. There might not have been much affection on either side.
I never knew about there not being a swamp adder. Thanks.
Of the non-warning, I do think the snake was of the species smokeandmirrus watsonicus. But if I'm wrong, Holmes might not have known it was a snake to be expected. (Some sort of device? Even a method of opening the wall?)
edit re Percy, rather irrelevantly I'm insering a quote from Lawrence Durrel.Have you ever noticed (said Antrobus) that people called Percy are almost invariably imbeciles? Perhaps the name confers a fatal instability upon the poor souls; perhaps it is chosen as the most appropriate for those who, from birth, show all the signs of being lathe-turned morons...Anyway, it is a fact. Hearing the name I know I need never look at the face. I am sure of the ears spread to the four winds like banana-leaves, sure of the lustreless eyes, the drooling mouth, hammer-toes and so on...Percy is as Percy looks in my experience.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-29 07:32 pm (UTC)I would definitely agree that Helen Stoner was desperate to leave home, and that was the driving force behind wanting to get married. This isn't a grand romance. But she does describe her fiance as a dear friend - she feels affection towards him. However, it's the fact Miss Stoner has to go to Holmes to get help that makes me look askance at Armitage - surely if he truly cared about her, he'd take her seriously?
Until recently, I didn't know the swamp adder didn't exist either ^^ I refer you to this poem (http://watsons-woes.livejournal.com/1239953.html#cutid1).
I really like "the species smokeandmirrus watsonicus." ^^ But from what Holmes says at the end of the story, he apparently was pretty certain that a snake would be appearing. If Watson is telling us the truth about this, then I think Holmes should have shared his theory with Watson. Otherwise he was putting Watson in unnecessary danger.
Just suddenly remembered Percy in Blackadder... ^^ Re canon, I thought of Percy Phelps - maybe ACD associated the name a little with weakness perhaps? Although there's also Percy Trevelyan, who couldn't really be described as weak, though he is "nervous and shy".
no subject
Date: 2015-03-29 07:59 pm (UTC)By a strange coincidence: after I last edited the comment, I stumbled across an article about 'the only baboons outside Africa'. They live in Arabia. So, while I suggested in an earlier canon discussion Roylott's baboon would have been a hanuman monkey, it does seem he could have picked up a real baboon on some tip through the Red Sea.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-30 04:05 am (UTC)Ha, that's a good point, but maybe he doesn't want to seem like an idiot if a snake doesn't start coming down the bell-rope.
Or, maybe he wants to prevent Watson from needlessly panicking and drawing attention once he tells him what's likely to happen?
I think this story has some pretty hilariously silly parts, such as the saucer of milk somehow helping Holmes to deduce there's a snake involved. It's also funny that Holmes's idea of reconstructing a crime is "knowingly putting yourself in the role of the victim without taking any care to prevent the dangers." That said, the moment when they wait in the darkness is incredibly suspenseful and the story is very Gothic horror-y.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-30 09:32 pm (UTC)Stepping outside of the Game, you can see why ACD has structured things this way. Watson as the narrator brings us into the story, but he can't know everything or we'll know it too and the big reveal is spoilt.
...maybe he doesn't want to seem like an idiot if a snake doesn't start coming down the bell-rope.
But going back into the Game: on this occasion, Holmes not saying exactly what his suspicions are is putting Watson in needless danger. From what Holmes says at the end, he was pretty certain a snake would be coming through the ventilator. And Holmes shows such concern for Watson - I really can't believe he's keeping information back because he's worried he might look like a fool.
"Needlessly panicking..."? I would have thought the best way to stop Watson panicking (not that I think a former army doctor is likely to do that anyway) would be to be clear what form the danger was likely to take. Then Watson would be mentally prepared.
The saucer of milk does seem silly now. But at the time it was believed that snakes liked milk, and it's just one bit of evidence out of many that allows Holmes to build up a picture. And I suppose Holmes isn't reconstructing the crime - he needs to witness Roylott actually making an attempt on Helen Stoner's life, or else it's all circumstantial evidence. He does take some care to prevent the dangers - he has his cane and Watson has his gun. But we're back to asking: why doesn't he just tell Watson what he should be aiming at? ^^
no subject
Date: 2015-03-31 06:05 pm (UTC)Ha, I never knew it was commonly believed snakes liked milk. Ok then :)
And army doctor or not, imo the warning to expect an exotic poisonous snake slithering in from the next room might cause Watson to behave differently in the circumstances - such as try and stop Holmes from going through with the whole deliberately placing yourself in the role of the victim thing.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-31 10:34 pm (UTC)However, in HOUN, Watson explicitly states: One of Sherlock Holmes's defects... was that he was exceedingly loath to communicate his full plans to any other person until the instant of their fulfilment. Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature, which loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him. (Ie, he's a drama queen.) Partly also from his professional caution, which urged him never to take any chances. (Perhaps you're right - maybe he didn't want to look like a fool if a snake didn't appear.)
And I see what you mean - Watson may not panic on his own account but might not want Holmes to put himself at risk, if he knew exactly what was going on. That might have gone through Holmes' mind.
no subject
Date: 2015-03-30 08:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-30 08:56 pm (UTC)Yes, I suppose I can agree with that. I believe his temper is to a certain extent out of his control but that doesn't preclude him being able to carry out a long term scheme too. Both the violent attacks and the cold-blooded attacks come out of his sense of superiority.