Sherlock Holmes

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

This is going to be a long post to read as it essentially contains all I know about Sherlock Holmes and how he fits into the genre of Detective fiction that we know today. I'll start with a brief background of the history of the character before I delve into personal opinion.

 

Introduction:

 

In the 1840's Edgar Allen Poe wrote the first accepted detective story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Mystery stories had been around since the dawn of oral tradition, but this was the first time the story centered around the analytical workings of a single man, rather then simply a clever problem.

 

Poe would go on to write two more short detective stories, the last of which The Purloined Letter is one of his best works.

 

After Poe, the detective story did not see another dominating figure for 40 years. Despite the contributions of Wilkie Collins, Vidcoq, and Charles Dickens to the field it was still regarded as a near-pornographic because of the inherent elements of crime and romanticism.

 

Enter Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

 

A Medical School student who had travelled abroad for years (including surviving falling overboard on a whaling voyage) settled down to practice in the early 1880's. His practice was floundering when he began to remember an old College professor of his, John Bell who used observation and deductive reasoning to infer the occupations of the patients. Somewhere in Doyle's mind... Sherlock Holmes was born.

 

1.) Studies and Signs

 

Doyle began work on a detective novel with the simple hope of using the profits to pay the bills. Using the same basic formula as Poe (brilliant but eccentric detective and intellegent but unimagnitive narrator), some good research, and a lot of free time, Doyle managed to crank out A Study in Scarlet.

 

To be honest, ASiS does not hold up well today, there's no real way to guess the murderer, there's a LONG section of the book devoted the the completely uninteresting motivation of the killer(which ironically was the facet of the novel he was most enthusiastic about because of his love for historical fiction), and the characters are merely sketched archetypes rather then the wonderfully human people we'd get to know in later adventures of Holmes and Watson. In spite of all this, the signs of brilliance are present, and Holmes and Watson are introduced which is a classic moment in literature.

 

It was not a smashing success.

 

The entire copyright was purchased for 25 pounds, and released to considerable apathy as a Christmas Special in 1889, I believe.

 

However, Doyle wouldn't give up. Passionate about the work and the Holmes character, Doyle tried again with The Sign of Four. This time it was different: Holmes and Watson became flawed (and thus, human) believeable characters. They begin to develop the traits that will define them: Watson the hopeless romantic; the loyal friend; the man of emotion. Holmes the cold reasoner; the arrogant and sardonic cocaine addict; the man of pure science and logic. It's a relationship that we can't help but love because we all see the world through a combination of the two viewpoints. Doyle's habit of adding far-off flavors, and well researched (but irrelevent) historical facts has not yet been purged.

 

Despite some measure of critical acclaim, TSoF wasn't that much more successful then it's predecessor. But now it didn't matter: Doyle was passionate, and now he was confident. He abandoned his practice and began turning his attention to full-time writing. He was asked by The Strand to write a Holmes short story.

 

What happened next would shock all of London

 

2.) Adventures Become Legends

 

A Scandal in Bohemia was published in the winter of 1891 (I believe). The story was part duel of wits, part homage to Poe, and part exercise in human nature. Revolving around an American woman, and an Eastern European monarch, it was everything older detective stories were not. ASiB made no apologies for what it was, and it was the first British short detective story to be of any real note. It created a monsterous stir in London, and it was percieved that detective fiction had become the latest literary fad.

 

The Red-Headed League was the follow-up to ASiB, and it is, quite simply, one of the finest short stories ever written regardless of genre. By know a definate formula had been established and there was a substantial audience waiting for the next story of Holmes and Watson.

 

The preceding two stories would be grouped with 10 others, published periodically, in the anthology The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The collection remains to this day the greaest anthology of detective fiction ever published by one author. It's an absolute masterwork and it should be read by EVERYONE who speaks and reads the English language. None of that was hyperbole.mind you, the forumla put forth in these books would continue to totally dominate detective and mystery fiction till the 1940's and the advent of hard boiled detectives. (Before anyone asks, Agatha Christie was essentially working off a bastardized form of the Doyle/Poe style of amatuer detective and her impact on the genre is mainly giving it it's cheeky undertones).

 

Everyone was happy with Doyle's success... except Doyle. As stated above, Doyle had a passion for historical fiction and intended to make his mark in that field. However, when each attempt was overshadowed by Holmes, Doyle became jealous of his own literary creation. The final straw came at his knighting. Doyle was convinced he was going to be knighted for his stunning defense of British actions in the Beor War, but it was no secret that he was getting the nod for Sherlock Holmes.

 

Doyle would do something that would rank him amongst the great villains of literature... he would murder Sherlock Holmes.

 

3.) Memoirs and Heartbreak

 

Doyle began the slow build to Holmes' death in Silver Blaze, the first story in the second anthology of Sherlock Holmes tales: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. TMoSH is generally considered fifth amongst the four novels and five collections of the Sherlock Holmes canon. It's more fascinating as an insight into Doyle's mind then anything. It's not as playful as TAoSH, but it's also considerably less macabre. This is also the volume that shows the first signs of Doyle's weakness in writing Holmes: he tends to reuse story elements and introductary passages. owever, this collection contains two stories that deal with Pre-Watson Holmes (The "Gloria-Scott" and The Musgrave Ritual) and the latter is one of the best of the series.

 

The final story in this collection is The Final Problem, Doyle's attempt at killing off Holmes. To be fair, Doyle made a very good go of it, giving Holmes about as stoic and heroic a death as possible. It also intro'd Professor Moriarty; the "Napoleon of Crime." However, Doyle underestimated the extent of Holmes' popularity, and how personally England would take the death of a character who had, by this time, become a national hero. (Grown men wore black armbands in protest, women openly wept. I SHIT YOU NOT people.)

 

Doyle made about as big mistake as a writer can make... he just didn't know it yet.

 

4.) Interlude

 

Doyle continued in earnest an attempt at a "serious" literary career. Save one book, The Lost World his efforts were met with complete apathy. The message was clear: Bring us our hero, or stop writing.

 

Doyle had learned a value lesson. A writer is a servant to his audience, he can entertain them, challenge them, belittle them, to express his creativity, but in the end, a writer should deliever on the expectations of his audience.

 

The Great Detective was about to solve the biggest mystery of all: How does one cheat death?

 

5.) The Return

 

In 1903, The Adventure of the Empty House appeared in Collier's. The title was indictive of a return to form: the old Holmes was back, and he was here to stay. The Return of Sherlock Holmes chronicled the group of stories heralding his return. It's the moodiest collection in the canon, and it'ssecond only to TAoSH.

 

The writing gives some evidence to support the theory that Doyle had come back to Holmes by choice as well as public demand. Doyle wrote TMoSH under the impression that he had nothing left to prove, this time he writes with a kind of exuberent glee. He knew his audience, and he makes a conscious effort to place Holmes and Watson in new situations and remove some of the routine from the stories.

 

After 3 collections of stories, Doyle was ready to try his hand at another novel. His first two efforts had been unsuccessful, but he was sure that this time he could do it right.

 

His faith was not misplaced.

 

5.) A West Country Legend Becomes a Magnum Opus

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles. What can I say? Everything that is good about Sherlock Holmes comes together in this story; scientific deduction, wonderful characters, a touch of horror, great villains, and a wonderful conclusion. The book's impetus was from Doyle's friend Robinson who relayed an old legend about a local moor to Doyle. It had such an effect on Doyle that he knew he had his novel, and the rest of the story fell into place.

 

THotB is the best-known, most successful, of the Holmes novels. It's insane success galvanized Doyle into further Holmes stories. This novel is also rather bittersweet because with the exception of one short story in the final volume of Holmes stories, Doyle will never reach this level again. He hit his prime, and while he never descended into mediocrity... it never gets this good again.

 

6.) Conclusion

 

This is probobly the best point to end the history lesson and just list the remainder of my opinions on Holmes. I hope this account was enjoyable to you, and you learned something from it:

 

 

Appendix A: The Sherlock Holmes Canon

 

1. A Study in Scarlet - ** 1/2

2. The Sign of Four - *** 3/4

3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - *****

4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - ***

5. The Return of Sherlock Holmes - **** 1/4

6. The Hound of the Baskervilles - *****

7. the Valley of Fear - *** 1/4

8. His Last Bow - ***

9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes - *** 3/4

 

Appendix B: 10 Best Holmes Short-Stories

 

1. The Red Headed League

2. The Adventure of the Speckled Band

3. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

4. The Musgrave Ritual

5. The Final Problem

6. The Adventure of the Norwood Builder

7. The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist

8. The Adventure of the Dying detective

9. A Scandel in Bohemia

10. The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire

 

Appendix C: Sherlock Holmes; The Particulars

 

1.) The deerstalker cap so closely associated with Holmes is rarely mentioned. In fact, Watson mentions several times what a prim dresser Holmes is. We can only assume then that he dressed in the normal Top hat, suit, and gloves that was fashionable at the time.

 

2.) The phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson" is never once uttered in a Sherlock Holmes story by Doyle. Basil Rathbone popularized it's use when he starred in films based on the character.

 

3.) Sherlock Holmes quits cocaine at some point in his hiatus because it is never mentioned after TMoSH.

 

4.) He is a music enthusist, and a brilliant violinist.

 

5.) He is an expert in botany, chemistry, criminal science, anatomy, pathology, law, martial arts, fencing, and boxing.

 

6.) He dislikes people by nature.

 

7.) He is most noted for the following quotes:

 

"Eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improboble, must be the truth."

 

"The game is afoot."

 

8.) He is an egotist, and enjoys impressing his clients. And although he dislikes the stories themselves, he enjoys the fame that come with them. (In Sherlock Holmes continuity the author of the stories is Dr. Watson. So he reads them as you do. This was a touch by Doyle to make Holmes seem real.)

 

9.) He can tell different types of tabacco ash aprt by a glance, and is a student of languages. He can speak: Latin, German, and French.

 

10.) He finds no interest in women save Irene Adler.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Guys it took me near an hour to write that... someone say SOMETHING.

[MrRant 0]

I will read it when I get home and offer comment... because I will nail you to the wall if I find something wrong with it as the Sherlock Holmes books are my favorite and I have all of them.

[Nighthawk 0]

Ah, Zsasz, where would be without you? Nice commentary.

The worst thing Sir Arthur did in my opinion was not allowing Holmes to stay dead. Like Michael Crichton in The Lost World (and I make the reference cause it's funny that ACD wrote a book with that name as well), bringing somebody back from the dead because of popular demand... it's just not right. And I have read that ACD had come to hate Holmes by this point. But then, unlike other instances of death retcon, he still got some good mileage out of the character afterwards, so I guess it had a happy ending.

And despite the apparent ditaste for women, I have found no gay subtext as yet, as least not by any reasonable stretch of the imagination. Holmes was just a bit eccentric and married to his work.

I always wanted to write a story where James Bond and Batman build a time machine and go back in time to do battle with Sherlock Holmes before discovering they're on the same side and teaming up against Ra's Al Ghul. Part satire, part personal indulgence... but you, Zsasz, like all those characters, so I thought I'd mention it.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Ah, Zsasz, where would be without you? Nice commentary.

The worst thing Sir Arthur did in my opinion was not allowing Holmes to stay dead. Like Michael Crichton in The Lost World (and I make the reference cause it's funny that ACD wrote a book with that name as well), bringing somebody back from the dead because of popular demand... it's just not right. And I have read that ACD had come to hate Holmes by this point. But then, unlike other instances of death retcon, he still got some good mileage out of the character afterwards, so I guess it had a happy ending.

And despite the apparent ditaste for women, I have found no gay subtext as yet, as least not by any reasonable stretch of the imagination. Holmes was just a bit eccentric and married to his work.

I always wanted to write a story where James Bond and Batman build a time machine and go back in time to do battle with Sherlock Holmes before discovering they're on the same side and teaming up against Ra's Al Ghul. Part satire, part personal indulgence... but you, Zsasz, like all those characters, so I thought I'd mention it.

It all depends if the characters have milage in them. Malcolm didn't do anything to warrant renewal.

 

Doyle wrote his best novel ever (Holmes or otherwise) post-Reichenbach. As with anything, it's case-specific. But I think it's evident that Holmes had plenty of milage in him.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I will read it when I get home and offer comment... because I will nail you to the wall if I find something wrong with it as the Sherlock Holmes books are my favorite and I have all of them.

Even if Sherlock Holmes is your favorite character I doubt you know as much as I do. I've been a huge fan of the Earliest Detective Stories since 5th Grade. Stuff like "The Problem of Cell 13" or Dr. John Thorndyke are second nature to me, whereas they would be... considered obscure to the average person.

[Jingus 0]

I may be incredibly wrong, but didn't Doyle write a couple of the Holmes stories after he killed Holmes, but before the resurrection? Something along the lines of "Holmes is still dead, but here's one of his old adventures that I never got around to writing before." I swear I remember something like that.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I may be incredibly wrong, but didn't Doyle write a couple of the Holmes stories after he killed Holmes, but before the resurrection? Something along the lines of "Holmes is still dead, but here's one of his old adventures that I never got around to writing before." I swear I remember something like that.

As far as I know I don't think that is the case. I do know however, The Hound of the Baskervilles was originally published as a "lost record" of Sherlock Holmes, but by then Collier's had published The Adventure of the Empty House and several other stories from TRoSH and it was obvious Doyle had given up the ghost. Incidentally, later editions of THotB removed the note about Holmes still being dead.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Here's something fun for the HARDCORE Holmes enthusiasts. The following are few examples of Doyle dropping hints at cases which we will never see. Most of these were turned into radio dramas in the 30's. These aren't perspective titles, just Watson's comments on the cases themselves.

 

- "The Madness of Colonel Warburton"

 

- Holmes' work for the King of Holland

 

- "The shocking affair of the Dutch steamer Friesland which so nearly cost us both our lives."

 

- "The Case of Wilson, the canary trainer"

 

- "The shocking affair of the red leech"

 

- "The Story of the Giant Rat of Sumatra"

 

- "The Tale of the Patterson family on the Isle of Uffa"

 

- "The Tarlington Murders"

 

- "The Adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant Society"

 

-"The singular affair of the aluminum crutch"

 

- "The tale of Ricoletti the club-foot and his abominable wife"

 

 

Kinda like the Mysteries of Harris Burdick, ain't it?

[Guest Goodear]

MMMMmmmm Holmes...

 

I basically picked up one of those collected editions of all things Holmes and its simply a whole lot of fun once you get past A Study in Scarlet (half of which is oddly dull due to the trip to Utah... Doyle just didn't translate well to a western setting.) The Red Headed League rules as does the Speckled Band... sadly when you read all of these back to back to back, they sort of run toigether. I need to do a re-reading.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

The Musgrave Ritual and The Speckled Band are my favourites...I don't think better detective stories will ever be written.

 

I read a Holmes story recently where the writer revealed SH was a super advanced man from the future, tracking Moriaty through time. Pretty silly, but good fun.

[Vyce 0]

About a decade ago BBC Radio did ALL of the canon stories with full cast dramatization. I STRONGLY recommend any Holmes fan find copies of these (they're available for purchase on audiocassette). You can buy them on the Amazon's UK site, this I know.

 

They're incredible. Brilliant work, if you ask me.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

About a decade ago BBC Radio did ALL of the canon stories with full cast dramatization. I STRONGLY recommend any Holmes fan find copies of these (they're available for purchase on audiocassette). You can buy them on the Amazon's UK site, this I know.

 

They're incredible. Brilliant work, if you ask me.

The BBC Series is very good, however...

 

The Grenada Television Sherlock Holmes Starring Jeremy Brett (IMO the finest translation of Holmes EVER in any form outside the original works) is available on DVD. GET THEM! There are 3 DVD Sets:

 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection (They're TV Movies with the TV Show Cast)

 

I hear the other 2 seasons are coming to DVD as well.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

For fans of Holmes, I recommend the following:

 

- The Uncle Abner stories by Melville Davisson Post

 

- The Father Brown stories by GK Chesterton

 

- The Hercule Poirot novels by Agatha Christie

 

- The Thinking Machine stories by Jacques Futrelle

 

- Anything written by John Dickson Carr

 

- Any of the Ellery Queen or Philo Vance stories

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Oh and the AJ Raffles series by EW Hornung (Doyle's brother-in-law)

[Dr. Tom 0]

Good work, Zsasz. I just have one minor quibble.

 

Sir Arthur's family name was not Doyle, but Conan Doyle. Thus, calling him "Doyle" is inaccurate, and he should be referred to as "Conan Doyle" when referring to him by surname.

 

Other than that, bravo.

[Firestarter 0]

Guys it took me near an hour to write that... someone say SOMETHING.

Okay.

 

It's completely impossible to tell apart different types of tobacco ash by sight.

Edited October 9, 2003 by Cancer Marney

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Guys it took me near an hour to write that... someone say SOMETHING.

Okay.

 

It's completely impossible to tell apart different types of tobacco ash by sight.

Yes, but Holmes isn't realism. If I wanted to experience the drudgery of Victorian Era criminology (what little there was) I could go to Bataille or Roughead. The Holmes stories are just a breath of fresh air. Although some of the principles exhibited by Holmes are sound (The importantce of observation and a reconstruction of the events leading to the crime for example).

[Vyce 0]

Random Vyce idiosyncrasy: After reading several Holmes stories over the past few weeks, I am seriously considering taking up pipe-smoking.

 

It just seems so much more distinguished than chain smoking cigarettes.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Random Vyce idiosyncrasy: After reading several Holmes stories over the past few weeks, I am seriously considering taking up pipe-smoking.

 

It just seems so much more distinguished than chain smoking cigarettes.

They made me want to take up the violin, but I decided against it.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I got a "Best of" Sherlock Holmes book. Made for good reading when I was in my "office". There was one case (can't remember which one) that I almost got right -- I guessed who it was, and had some of Holmes' evidence, but I missed a few things, which of course means the ACLU would have taken me to task on behalf of the criminal and a Ninth Circuit Judge would have acquitted the perp...

[Firestarter 0]

Yes, but Holmes isn't realism. If I wanted to experience the drudgery of Victorian Era criminology (what little there was) I could go to Bataille or Roughead. The Holmes stories are just a breath of fresh air. Although some of the principles exhibited by Holmes are sound (The importantce of observation and a reconstruction of the events leading to the crime for example).

True. I just always remembered that because when I read it, I didn't see how it could possibly be true. From what little I dimly remember, though, the solution to the crime in question turned on that one "fact" (AFAIK it was only used in one story) and so I felt it was cheating. Correct me if I'm wrong, though. I have a vague recollection of an outdoor scene and him hurrying Watson along at some point but I could be completely off.

[HellSpawn 0]

Excellent post Zsasz !

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Yes, but Holmes isn't realism. If I wanted to experience the drudgery of Victorian Era criminology (what little there was) I could go to Bataille or Roughead. The Holmes stories are just a breath of fresh air. Although some of the principles exhibited by Holmes are sound (The importantce of observation and a reconstruction of the events leading to the crime for example).

True. I just always remembered that because when I read it, I didn't see how it could possibly be true. From what little I dimly remember, though, the solution to the crime in question turned on that one "fact" (AFAIK it was only used in one story) and so I felt it was cheating. Correct me if I'm wrong, though. I have a vague recollection of an outdoor scene and him hurrying Watson along at some point but I could be completely off.

I remember SEVERAL stories in which it was a minor point that Holmes brought up to impress everyone. I cannot, at this time recall a single story in which it was the hinging point, Conan Doyle was a bit too imaginative for that. It IS possible to tell ash from cigars from those of pipes from those of cigarettes, and it is possible from color to differentiate the country of origin so knowing those two facts could give you a proable type of tobacco.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

One of the best things about loving this older stuff is it's all Public Domain due to it's age. So I present to fans of Sherlock Holmes now, two stories which I can assure you you will enjoy:

 

 

The Corpus Delicti by Melville Davisson Post

 

Post was able to come up with two beloved characters in mystery fiction: the charming and moral Uncle Abner, and the ruthless law shark Randolph Mason. This story concerns the latter.

 

"Corpus Delicti"

 

The Problem of Cell 13 by Jacques Futrelle

 

Futrelle (who was born and raised in Georgia) was an adventure writer who's novel The Chase of the Golden Plate intro'd his literary legacy: Augustus S.F.X. Van Dusen, The Thinking Machine. He died in the Titantic disaster when he refused a spot on a lifeboat so it could be given to someone else.

 

http://www.futrelle.com/stories/TheProblem...Cell13.html

[Firestarter 0]

It IS possible to tell ash from cigars from those of pipes from those of cigarettes

Only if it has retained its shape. And in that case, the composition of the ash itself isn't relevant.

 

it is possible from color to differentiate the country of origin

Nonsense. I checked this point with the labs when I started in law enforcement because I'd always found it incredible (I read all the Sherlock Holmes books when I was growing up). It's possible to make broad generalisations about the type of tobacco that produced a particular kind of ash, but even with all the tools of 21st century forensic science it is a practical impossibility to differentiate between 140 types. Maybe half a dozen at best. Country of origin? By colour? Good friggin' luck.

[Highland 0]

I have the book The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes and I enjoy it. I pretty much agree about the ASiS part (it's boring), but most of the other stories are very good. I also really liked how ACD may have felt that organized crime was alive and well in Victorian England, with his introduction of Moriarty.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Nonsense. I checked this point with the labs when I started in law enforcement because I'd always found it incredible (I read all the Sherlock Holmes books when I was growing up). It's possible to make broad generalisations about the type of tobacco that produced a particular kind of ash, but even with all the tools of 21st century forensic science it is a practical impossibility to differentiate between 140 types. Maybe half a dozen at best. Country of origin? By colour? Good friggin' luck.

Marney, no offense, but I'm willing to accept when I'm wrong. You don't have to lecture me at all. I know you're involved in law enforcement (not sure of specifics however) and I'm not so pigheaded that I won't admit I'm wrong.

 

Just relax, Marn. You don't have to prove yourself to anyone.

[Firestarter 0]

No offense taken. I don't have any expertise in this area myself; as I said, I called and asked the labs because I was curious. I couldn't lecture anyone on any point involved because I was just given a brief summary over the telephone of the many difficulties which make such a identification a practical impossibility, and that was a few years ago.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

No offense taken. I don't have any expertise in this area myself; as I said, I called and asked the labs because I was curious. I couldn't lecture anyone on any point involved because I was just given a brief summary over the telephone of the many difficulties which make such a identification a practical impossibility, and that was a few years ago.

By the way, do you have a favorite Sherlock Holmes story?

 

(Oh and why do you have "Cancer" in your handle? I thought it was an X-Files reference, but I wasn't sure.)