Canon Discussion: The Empty House
Aug. 9th, 2015 08:03 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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sherlock60This week we’re having a look at The Empty House. I’ve typed up a few thoughts and questions to get the discussion going—please leave your own ideas in the comments!
It was in the spring of the year 1894... Let me say to that public… they are not to blame me if I have not shared my knowledge with them, for I should have considered it my first duty to have done so had I not been barred by a positive prohibition from his own lips, which was only withdrawn upon the third of last month. EMPT was first published in September 1903. Why does Holmes not allow Watson to tell the public about him coming back for over nine years? And as the New Annotated points out—how does Holmes manage to attract ordinary clients during that period?
A tall, thin man with coloured glasses, whom I strongly suspected of being a plain-clothes detective, was pointing out some theory of his own… Stepping outside the Game, ACD obviously puts this character in to mislead the reader into thinking it’s Holmes. But playing the Game, any thoughts on who he might be? “For that reason I turned away from you this evening when you upset my books, for I was in danger at the time…” Is he connected to the late Moriarty?
There were at least three others whose desire for vengeance upon me would only be increased by the death of their leader. They were all most dangerous men. One or other would certainly get me. On the other hand, if all the world was convinced that I was dead they would take liberties… But in FINA, we have: In three days—that is to say, on Monday next—matters will be ripe, and the Professor, with all the principal members of his gang, will be in the hands of the police... "Moriarty?" "They have secured the whole gang with the exception of him.”
“Of course, the meaning of this was obvious. Moriarty had not been alone. A confederate — and even that one glance had told me how dangerous a man that confederate was — had kept guard while the Professor had attacked me.” Once again we have that contradiction—in FINA, all the main members of the gang had been arrested; here, we have Moran free and accompanying Moriarty. And doesn’t the fact Moriarty had Moran on guard suddenly change the professor’s motivations? In FINA, he appears to be a desperate man, careless of his own life. He has nothing left. And Holmes does say in EMPT: “He knew that his own game was up, and was only anxious to revenge himself upon me.” But if he had Moran on guard, that suddenly suggests he was expecting to walk away from the fight with Holmes. That he felt he had some kind of future. And if he felt that, surely he’d prefer to kill Holmes safely from a distance, rather than risk his own life.
“...and a week later I found myself in Florence with the certainty that no one in the world knew what had become of me.” Well, apart from Moran, and any of Moriarty’s other colleagues that Moran feels like telling… This makes no sense—Holmes’ enemies know that he’s alive. It’s only everybody that cares about him that thinks he’s dead. I suppose it’s important that Moran doesn’t know where Holmes is, but this doesn’t seem a good reason for Holmes allowing the world to believe him dead.
“I owe you many apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all-important that it should be thought I was dead…” Why? If Moran and his colleagues know that Holmes is still alive, what does it matter that Watson is mourning for him? But even if Holmes had got away without anyone at all knowing he’d survived, would he have been justified in deceiving Watson in this way?
“...the trial of the Moriarty gang left two of its most dangerous members, my own most vindictive enemies, at liberty.” So, I take it when Holmes refers earlier to the three with a wish for vengeance, he’s thinking of Moran (?) and these two others. But that would mean that immediately after Moriarty’s death, when Holmes determines to let the world believe he’s dead too, Holmes knew those two men were in custody and no danger to him. He only found out the men had been released—and therefore he should run and pretend to be dead—after he had already run and pretended to be dead. (My brain hurts.) And Holmes in FINA seemed to think all the major players—apart from Moriarty—had been arrested. But he recognises Moran at the Falls so he must have known who he was and known about his importance in the gang. Why didn’t he mention to Watson in FINA that Moran too hadn’t been arrested?
“I travelled for two years in Tibet, therefore…” So is Holmes travelling simply because he’s worried about attempts on his life? “You must remember that they knew, and only they knew, that I was still alive. Sooner or later they believed that I should come back to my rooms. They watched them continuously, and this morning they saw me arrive." And do Moran and the other two men make any attempt to track Holmes down? Or do they just remain in London hoping he’ll come back?
“...and learning that only one of my enemies was now left in London…” What had become of the other two?
“...threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hysterics…” Anyone like to recreate this scene..? (Poor Mrs. Hudson—she is so loyal to the wretched man.)
In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement… When does Mary die? FINA was published in December 1893, and Watson gives no indication in it that Mary is dead. But if she did die after that, then in EMPT she must have at most died a few months ago. And Watson does not give us a portrait of a recently bereaved man. Grief takes up the whole of your mind and leaves you in your own reality, looking out. Watson is engaging with the world, and he’s fascinated by the murder.
And is “the bereavement” actually Mary? There is the theory that it’s a baby who’s died.
"I think you want a little unofficial help. Three undetected murders in one year won't do, Lestrade.” Is this why Holmes changes his mind? I tell you, Watson, in all seriousness, that if I could beat that man, if I could free society of him, I should feel that my own career had reached its summit, and I should be prepared to turn to some more placid line in life. (FINA)
“...you had not heard the name of Professor James Moriarty…” (EMPT) ..the recent letters in which Colonel James Moriarty defends the memory of his brother… (FINA) Any thoughts?
Next Sunday, 16th August, we’ll be having a look at The Norwood Builder. Hope you can join us then.
It was in the spring of the year 1894... Let me say to that public… they are not to blame me if I have not shared my knowledge with them, for I should have considered it my first duty to have done so had I not been barred by a positive prohibition from his own lips, which was only withdrawn upon the third of last month. EMPT was first published in September 1903. Why does Holmes not allow Watson to tell the public about him coming back for over nine years? And as the New Annotated points out—how does Holmes manage to attract ordinary clients during that period?
A tall, thin man with coloured glasses, whom I strongly suspected of being a plain-clothes detective, was pointing out some theory of his own… Stepping outside the Game, ACD obviously puts this character in to mislead the reader into thinking it’s Holmes. But playing the Game, any thoughts on who he might be? “For that reason I turned away from you this evening when you upset my books, for I was in danger at the time…” Is he connected to the late Moriarty?
There were at least three others whose desire for vengeance upon me would only be increased by the death of their leader. They were all most dangerous men. One or other would certainly get me. On the other hand, if all the world was convinced that I was dead they would take liberties… But in FINA, we have: In three days—that is to say, on Monday next—matters will be ripe, and the Professor, with all the principal members of his gang, will be in the hands of the police... "Moriarty?" "They have secured the whole gang with the exception of him.”
“Of course, the meaning of this was obvious. Moriarty had not been alone. A confederate — and even that one glance had told me how dangerous a man that confederate was — had kept guard while the Professor had attacked me.” Once again we have that contradiction—in FINA, all the main members of the gang had been arrested; here, we have Moran free and accompanying Moriarty. And doesn’t the fact Moriarty had Moran on guard suddenly change the professor’s motivations? In FINA, he appears to be a desperate man, careless of his own life. He has nothing left. And Holmes does say in EMPT: “He knew that his own game was up, and was only anxious to revenge himself upon me.” But if he had Moran on guard, that suddenly suggests he was expecting to walk away from the fight with Holmes. That he felt he had some kind of future. And if he felt that, surely he’d prefer to kill Holmes safely from a distance, rather than risk his own life.
“...and a week later I found myself in Florence with the certainty that no one in the world knew what had become of me.” Well, apart from Moran, and any of Moriarty’s other colleagues that Moran feels like telling… This makes no sense—Holmes’ enemies know that he’s alive. It’s only everybody that cares about him that thinks he’s dead. I suppose it’s important that Moran doesn’t know where Holmes is, but this doesn’t seem a good reason for Holmes allowing the world to believe him dead.
“I owe you many apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all-important that it should be thought I was dead…” Why? If Moran and his colleagues know that Holmes is still alive, what does it matter that Watson is mourning for him? But even if Holmes had got away without anyone at all knowing he’d survived, would he have been justified in deceiving Watson in this way?
“...the trial of the Moriarty gang left two of its most dangerous members, my own most vindictive enemies, at liberty.” So, I take it when Holmes refers earlier to the three with a wish for vengeance, he’s thinking of Moran (?) and these two others. But that would mean that immediately after Moriarty’s death, when Holmes determines to let the world believe he’s dead too, Holmes knew those two men were in custody and no danger to him. He only found out the men had been released—and therefore he should run and pretend to be dead—after he had already run and pretended to be dead. (My brain hurts.) And Holmes in FINA seemed to think all the major players—apart from Moriarty—had been arrested. But he recognises Moran at the Falls so he must have known who he was and known about his importance in the gang. Why didn’t he mention to Watson in FINA that Moran too hadn’t been arrested?
“I travelled for two years in Tibet, therefore…” So is Holmes travelling simply because he’s worried about attempts on his life? “You must remember that they knew, and only they knew, that I was still alive. Sooner or later they believed that I should come back to my rooms. They watched them continuously, and this morning they saw me arrive." And do Moran and the other two men make any attempt to track Holmes down? Or do they just remain in London hoping he’ll come back?
“...and learning that only one of my enemies was now left in London…” What had become of the other two?
“...threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hysterics…” Anyone like to recreate this scene..? (Poor Mrs. Hudson—she is so loyal to the wretched man.)
In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement… When does Mary die? FINA was published in December 1893, and Watson gives no indication in it that Mary is dead. But if she did die after that, then in EMPT she must have at most died a few months ago. And Watson does not give us a portrait of a recently bereaved man. Grief takes up the whole of your mind and leaves you in your own reality, looking out. Watson is engaging with the world, and he’s fascinated by the murder.
And is “the bereavement” actually Mary? There is the theory that it’s a baby who’s died.
"I think you want a little unofficial help. Three undetected murders in one year won't do, Lestrade.” Is this why Holmes changes his mind? I tell you, Watson, in all seriousness, that if I could beat that man, if I could free society of him, I should feel that my own career had reached its summit, and I should be prepared to turn to some more placid line in life. (FINA)
“...you had not heard the name of Professor James Moriarty…” (EMPT) ..the recent letters in which Colonel James Moriarty defends the memory of his brother… (FINA) Any thoughts?
Next Sunday, 16th August, we’ll be having a look at The Norwood Builder. Hope you can join us then.
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no subject
Date: 2015-08-09 01:17 pm (UTC)And that because ACD is so cavalier with time frames I can get away with some hand-waving myself?
I suppose it's possible an unnamed gang member could have escaped if no-one realised until later he was involved?
Colonel Moriarty was christened Nebuchadnezzar James, but for some reason preferred to use his middle name?
no subject
Date: 2015-08-09 02:26 pm (UTC)By "unnamed gang member", do you mean Moran? I know Holmes doesn't name him immediately to Watson (so we can have the big reveal at the end) but I got the impression Holmes recognised Moran at the Falls and knew exactly who he was: "...and even that one glance had told me how dangerous a man that confederate was..." And if Holmes knew who he was, then he would have given this information to the police and they would have known to include Moran in the arrests.
Colonel Moriarty was christened Nebuchadnezzar James, but for some reason preferred to use his middle name? Very amusing :P But I think you may be right in general. Both Colonel and Professor may have had a string of Christian names with James in there somewhere, and both brothers opted to use James as adults.