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Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia
Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia | Arthur Conan Doyle
5 posts | 3 read
"A Scandal in Bohemia" was the first of Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories to be published in "The Strand Magazine" and the first Sherlock Holmes story illustrated by Sidney Paget. (Two of the four Sherlock Holmes novels"A Study in Scarlet" and "The Sign of the Four"preceded the short story cycle.) The story is notable for introducing the character of Irene Adler, often used as a romantic interest for Holmes in later derivative works. Doyle ranked "A Scandal in Bohemia" fifth in his list of his twelve favourite Holmes stories. It was first published on 25 June 1891 in the issue of the magazine dated July, and was the first of the stories collected in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" in 1892.
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Cuilin
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Librarybelle I think, in Sherlock‘s strange way, “the woman” is a compliment. She bested him. In the Victorian man‘s way of thinking, women don‘t do that. They‘re not cunning enough. They give away too many details. But, in the end, Irene Adler played Sherlock after she realized he played her. We also know Watson felt a need to protect Mary from the last book and fell for her “Victorian” charms. 1mo
Cuilin I agree it‘s a compliment to Adler, but at the cost of every other woman. Women shouldn‘t be so smart!!! 1mo
Aimeesue I don‘t think it‘s exactly that Sherlock doesn‘t think women are smart. More that Irene Adler has the intelligence PLUS the wealth and freedom of movement (due to her career,) daring and confidence to pull this off. Plus Sherlock doesn‘t think ANYONE, male or female, is as smart as he is. THE woman is almost a nickname for his nemesis. 1mo
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IndoorDame Yes, but a sort of backhanded compliment. I think he‘s saying it like a very polite curse. Most of the things Sherlock says about women during the case itself before he knows he‘s been tricked are blatantly derogatory. 1mo
CogsOfEncouragement @aimeesue I agree Holmes thinks no one is at his level, yet Irene bested him. That makes her The Woman. When he tells the king she is on a different level he definitely means Irene is the elevated one. Holmes makes no comment about being stunned that a woman in particular could outdo him. There also seems no ill judgement on her sex life or her wearing men‘s clothes to get around the city easier. 1mo
Bookwomble @Librarybelle I was going to say something pretty much the same as you 😊 1mo
BeeCurious I think that was as close to a compliment as one could expect from Holmes, especially when aimed at a woman. Holmes could just as easily fling his sarcasm at any men he did not respect. During the Victorian era, domesticity and pious devotion to church and family were considered to be the feminine ideal, maybe that is part of the reason why Doyle chose to make marriage a central theme in this story. It also helped create a more tidy ending. 1mo
dabbe @IndoorDame I wrote a couple down: 1. When talking about being the witness to Adler and Norton's wedding Holmes states that “Irene Adler, SPINSTER, [was married to] Godfrey Norton, BACHELOR.“ Nice, Doyle, nice.
2. From SH again: “Women are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting.“ That makes ALL of us sound sneaky and sly. #ugh
1mo
IndoorDame @dabbe #ugh is right! 2 especially bothered me! That whole section about women not trusting men of business, because apparently we have no powers of judgment. 1mo
Aimeesue @dabbe Given the status of women and their roles in society at the time, probably an accurate description though, right? In order to to anything outside the “norm” women had to keep plans and secrets safe or risk the social consequences, of which there were many. Being secretive is valid straegy for achieving what you want when The Man‘s trying to keep you down. That SH doesn‘t recognize systemic sexism is pretty much of it‘s time though, yeah? (edited) 1mo
Cuilin @Aimeesue @dabbe @IndoorDame let‘s deny them any agency then complain when they‘re secretive. 🙄 and they can‘t see the connection, who‘s looking dumb now Doyle. 😂 1mo
kelli7990 “The woman”? What does that mean? I don‘t think I would want to be called that or talked about that way but men‘s attitudes towards women were different back then. I would want to be called by my name. 1mo
mom2bugnbee I realize that Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock isn't necessarily canon, but when he calls his Irene Adler "THE Woman", it is *definitely* a compliment. He thinks the world of her (in a romantic way? It's never entirely clear) & it's his way of saying that she is the standard to which he holds all women. 1mo
Cuilin @mom2bugnbee Agree, though not canon I still think Sherlock is complimenting Adler. He admires her. 1mo
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bibliobliss
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Pickpick

💪💪📚📚 The tagged book is my 2nd Sherlock Holmes adventure and I'm digging it; I liked it just as much as the first one, maybe slightly better. I'll continue with Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective 💪💪📚📚

#recentlyread #challenges #readinggoals #readingchallenge #readharder #classics #classicliterature #justfinished #ArthurConanDoyle #SherlockHolmes #fiction #mystery #SerialReader #SerialReaderapp

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Ericalambbrown
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Revisiting the Sherlock series since revisiting the original stories. So many references I didn‘t catch the first time watching the series. Moffat and Gatiss really must be fans of the source material. Fortunately Hank the Book Sniffer seems unfazed by the change of routine. He‘s watching rather intently. 😊 #hankthebulldog

BooknerdsLife I love that they are big fans of the books too! 5y
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Landslide
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Catching up on #quotsymar19
Day 9: #observation

@TK-421

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Sarah83
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When the bf asks you, if you like to watch Sherlock Holmes played by Jeremy Brett again... 💖💖💖😍😍😍

#sherlocked

Moray_Reads Always! 6y
Sophoclessweetheart Lovely 😊 6y
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