Just a couple of days ago I finished The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle. It was a fantastic experience to enjoy about 1800 pgs. of two of literature's most beloved and timeless characters. I never knew that the stories were framed as though actual publications of cases with Watson acting as Holmes biographer and after talking about Sanjaya and "English majors" I think that the role of Watson needs to be exalted. While Holmes' duty is to solve the problems and reveal them in theatrical and dramatic ways it is the duty of Watson to perform the duty of biographer and reveal the wonders to an anticipatory public.
For this class I think that the connection to epiphany comes through the revelations by Holmes to Watson and, in effect, the reader. While Holmes considers most of his amazing deductions to be simplistic and elementary (yes, he does say elementary although it never appears as the famous 'elementary my dear Watson' uttered by his celluloid phonies) the real joy in the cases come from the perspective of the narrator Watson. From this voice, that of a character who relishes a secret knowledge in these revelations, the reader is able to experience the mood of the stories in there truly sensational form. Also, I really enjoy the understanding that all those seemingly insignificant things in our everyday lives, those commonplace items, can pack so much meaning into them as to define a person; just see Holmes' astounding publication on tobacco ash.
On another note this last Christmas I know that they made a new Sherlock Holmes movie but I have yet to see it. Honestly I'm kind of scared to. I'm sure it is a decent production but it is just kind of scary to encounter more "real" interpretations of characters that you have partnered along on 60 adventures. My worry is that my image of Sherlock and Watson will have to grapple with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in an epic battle on the precipice of the Reichenbach Falls. Thank God my dear Holmes and my even more dear Watson will undoubtedly triumph!
The movie was entertaining, but not really Sherlock. I don't have any trouble with it messing with my mental image of Holmes at all, because it was so very, very off-base.
ReplyDeleteThere was a series of Sherlock TV shows that was on when I was about 6, I remember watching them...Sherlock was played by Jeremy Brett, and they were FANTASTIC. You should check those out :-)