Post #7: Book 4 Reflection

Sherlock Holmes is quite possibly the least romantic character ever created, but the epitome of a Romantic hero in literature.

A Romantic hero is a "character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has the self as the center of his or her own existence."

Sherlock Rejects the World:

He is unaware of anything that doesn't have a direct effect on his life. In A Study In Scarlet, Watson notes Sherlock's lack of knowledge of how the Solar System works, and to that, Sherlock retorts, "if we went around the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work," (21). This shows his pure passion for the work that he does, and lack of passion for much else. He has no friends or family yet mentioned, and finds joy in others failure. When Gregson and Lestrade wrongly name a suspect, Sherlock "gave a sigh of relief" (42).

He has a certain swagger that lacks humility and understanding of others. In BBC’s adaption (Sherlock), Sherlock is always smug about his talents, whereas in the books, he seems more willing to help Watson train his mind and become more like him. Yet, in the BBC version, the friendship between Sherlock and Watson is more immediate and more clearly seen. This difference, though, could be because of the difference in time period as the BBC adaptation takes place in modern London and Sherlock Holmes takes place in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s modern London of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Both versions find different ways to make Sherlock more human, but still detached from the world around him.

The World Rejects Him:

In A Study in Scarlet, readers meet Sherlock for the first time. He is cold, analytically, unemotional. While he may have been born this way, his lack of connection with the world makes the world repel him. The more people question Sherlock's methods, the more he practices them. The more he immerses himself in his work, the more the people question him. There is no winning here unless Sherlock finds a way to become more humble and patient with others.

Though not everyone knows about it, Watson mentions Sherlock's frequent drug use (mainly heroin and cocaine, both powerful drugs) to help him stay distracted when he doesn’t have a case to keep his mind occupied. This use keeps him from interacting with people and forming relationships, and knowing how to act normal in social situations, and the world hates him for it. 

No one understands how he thinks or what he does to be so insanely clever and thoughtful when it comes to crime, but so incompetent in normal life. Based on various adaptations, Watson is the one to finally connect with him.

Center of His Own Existence:

The lack of connection between himself and the world causes him to know nothing but himself. Some people admire deities, Sherlock admires himself. He makes mistakes occasionally but corrects them and always comes out on top. He lives for the thrill of others’ lives on the line and cannot function without the kind of dramatic crime that no one else can solve.

Unfortunately, Moriarty, the Lex Luthor to Sherlock’s superman, does not make an appearance in A Study In Scarlet. Moriarty (again, based on the BBC adaptation) is Sherlock’s equal and would be way more fun to analyze. Where Sherlock took his crazy to use for good, Moriarty turned evil and lives to stump Sherlock. 

Regardless of the villain, Sherlock is the ultimate Romantic hero. He may not be the most friendly neighborhood crime fighter or the best role model for children, but he gets the job done better than anyone else in London and is always up for the challenge.