Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
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| via Wikipedia |
Obviously, concurrent explorations of mysteries, thrillers, 19th century literature and comic book source material were eventually going to lead me to Sherlock Holmes, the literary detective prototype himself. A Study in Scarlet was Arthur Conan Doyle's first Holmes story, first appearing in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. My own introduction to the character came indirectly through Sesame Street:
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| via Muppet Wiki |
In this initial tale, the narrator Dr. John Watson meets the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes for the first time. The amateur yet expert sleuth is called in to help his police friends on a murder case. As we all know perfectly well 134 years later, Holmes unparalleled gifts for observation and deductive reasoning bring him to decisive conclusions quickly.
Though not before the author takes us on a long and unexpected segue to the American West. For five chapters, we get a back story for the murderous motive set in Utah. The tale is not a bad one, though it has been omitted or at least greatly truncated in all screen adaptations ever since. Doyle's unfair and unflattering depiction of the Mormons hasn't helped much in the side narrative's long-term survival.
Speaking of adaptations, anyone familiar with Stephen Moffatt's Sherlock series would recognize similarities in the first episode, "A Study in Pink," most obviously Holmes instantaneously sussing out that Watson was a military doctor in Afghanistan (there was a war there back then, too). In truth, despite the tropes well-established before them, I couldn't help envisioning Holmes and Watson as Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman respectively in the modern update:
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I expect I'll be spending a lot of time with these two gentlemen over the next several months.
I've read a few Arthur Conan Doyle original short stories. It's not an easy style to read, but some good stories. You do have to take a lot of history and perspective into consideration, though.
ReplyDeleteAs long as he stuck with Holmes/Watson, I felt the flow was just fine. The Utah story definitely dragged AND it pulled me out of the experience. It took too long to understand what it had to do with anything. Did he get bored with England? Did he just want a break? Did he truly want to be a Western writer all along and this was his big chance? Oh no, it actually does have a connection to the main story. But really, 5 chapters????
DeleteI never read any Arthur Conan Doyle but I have watched quite a few old black and white movies of his adventures.
ReplyDeleteI never have watched the old black and whites. To this point, it's been Sherlock Hemlock and the 21st century interpretations for me. Now that I'm reading this, I'm curious about the earlier adaptations.
DeleteNot for this story, though. From what I've read, what adaptations there are differ significantly from the source.
In my long reading list is the complete Sherlock Holmes.
ReplyDeleteI'm expecting to make a decent dent this year.
DeleteYou know it was Poe who invented the mystery/detective novel, right? Doyle was inspired by him.
ReplyDeleteI've read all of Holmes.
Well, sure. But I stand by my assertion that the Holmes character is an important prototype in the genre - perhaps not the first but certainly the most famous. All those who came after - Hercule Poirot, Lord Peter Whimsey, Nero Wolfe - had Holmesian qualities. Indeed, the Holmes/Watson relationship is much imitated as well. But, of course, he had his own precedents. Nothing comes from nowhere.
DeleteAll of that said, I readily acknowledge that I don't know Poe well at all. I read one story in college and I'm not even absolutely sure which one. Again, given all of these concurrent explorations, it seems inevitable I will learn more. Eventually. At least, I hope so.