Thesis Statement
This paper intends to discuss how Sherlock Holmes is defeated in stories, ‘A scandal in Bohemia’ and ‘The final problem’, and its significance.
Introduction
‘A scandal in Bohemia’ and ‘The final problem’ are two short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes is portrayed defeated in two different ways in both these stories. Both of these stories are luminous piece of literature and are highly acclaimed by the readers. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is considered the master of fictions and these stories were written by him almost a century ago but they still attract readers because of their magnificence.
Discussion - A scandal of Bohemia
When ‘A scandal of Bohemia’ begins, readers come to know that Sherlock Holmes used to regard Irene Adler, an opera singer. Being her singer did not come in the way of Sherlock Holmes and he continued liking her. At the commencement of the story, Irene was portrayed in love with bohemian king. The king is now looking to marry another woman in order to continue his legacy and kingship. He believes that he should marry someone who could assist him in continuing his royalty (Doyle).
Bohemian king wanted to marry another woman and not Irene, in order to continue his dynastic obligations. The King wanted to enter into a marriage that could further strengthen his state and give him more repute. King planned to destruct all the evidences that were suggested of his relation with his lover Irene. In order to fulfill his intentions, king hired men and assigned them this task. King even bribed servants of Irene for stealing the evidences and photographs but all in vain.
Irene had some evidences of her relation with the king and she foiled all efforts of the king due to her smartness. Irene Adler is portrayed as very clever and shrewd who did not only defeat all the efforts of bohemian king but also foiled all the efforts of Sherlock Holmes. At the end of story, when Irene Adler left for America with all that she wanted, she addressed Sherlock Holmes. She writes,
“My dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you really did it very well. You took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a suspicion. But then I found how I had betrayed myself, I began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had been told that if the king employed an agent, it would certainly be you. . . . I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind old clergyman. But, you know, I have been trained as an actress myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantages of the freedom which it gives” (Doyle 48).
Analysis
King was puzzled and then he decided to hire a shrewd detective who could bring all these evidences from Irene. King describes the detective how his several previous efforts were foiled. King also tells the detective how he utilized all his ideas but could not bring the evidences from Irene. The detective befriends with Irene and makes several efforts to gain evidences of king’s relation with her. Irene smartly thwarts all his efforts and at the end the detective fails. He praises the woman inside his heart and accepts his defeat.
In this story, author intends to create puzzles and lets the detective struggle with these puzzles. There are a number of puzzles for the detective in the story but apart from these puzzles, the story informs a lot about bohemian society. The traits, conspiracies, ditching and ambitions are portrayed in effective manner. Author is known for portraying very minute details of society and the people in his stories and the same is visible in this story.
Bohemian king has been portrayed by the author in these words, “With a thick hanging lip, and a long straight chin suggestive of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy” (Doyle 12). Irene is portrayed as a beautiful woman with a brain and the interesting aspect of this character is that no any other woman has defeated Sherlock Holmes ever except Irene Adler woman. Irene does not only defeat all efforts of Holmes but also defeats king and she writes about him, “the king may do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged” (Schuttler 31). Irene does not give any importance to the king. She says, she is loved “by a better man than he” (Schuttler 31).
Discussion- The Final Problem
The final problem holds a special position as this is the last story in series of Sherlock Holmes that is written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was written somewhere around 1893. Author intended to end the Sherlock Holmes series by writing this final story. His intention appears when Sherlock Holmes dies in this story. Killing Sherlock Holmes was neither easy for Arthur Conan Doyle nor was it easy for readers to digest the death of their brilliant and courageous detective who was literally a hero in that time.
Sherlock Holmes visited Watson one evening, asking for thinner and asking about one professor Moriarty. Detective was bleeding and one of his hands was injured. Watson replied with no and then detective told him that this professor was responsible for rampant crime of the city. Sherlock Holmes was not feeling comfortable while describing and he was looking frightened.
Detective informed his friend how Moriarty is the central figure of all criminal activities of London and how he operates across the city (Doyle). Holmes also portrayed this professor as equal of his intellectual level. Holmes describes how he knitted a net around this gang and planned to get professor and his men caught but due to some precipitated steps, his plan was foiled.
As per Holmes, professor Moriarty was very clever and he somehow became attentive of every step that Holmes rook against him. Professor had also warned him to get off or be prepared to face harsh consequences. When Holmes did not follow his advice, he was attacked almost three times and escaped very early. Hearing this all, Watson gives his words to Holmes to go together with him unless this gang along with the professor is not arrested. Watson is directed by Holmes to arrive at the railway station very next day and Holmes joins him in a masquerade of a priest.
Train starts moving and suddenly Holmes notices professor Moriarty following him and trying to board the train. Both try to throw Moriarty out of train and in this order, both get out of the train at very next station. Their luggage remains in the train and Holmes become worried as their luggage may give the professor a clue about them. Holmes with his friend travels to Strasburg where he receives a telegram about the professor and his gang. Telegram informs him that though his gang is busted, professor is at large.
Sherlock Holmes wants Watson to return to England as Moriarty may harm him but Watson is not ready to leave his friend. They continued traveling and reached to Meiringen where they planned to see Reichenbach falls in Rosenlaui. When they were about to leave, a boy came and gave Watson a note that was allegedly from his hotel owner. A help was sought in this letter in order to save a woman’s life. Watson left for the hotel after assuring Holmes to meet in Rosenlaui.
After reaching hotel, Watson realized that the letter was erroneous. He ran towards Holmes and found a letter beneath Holmes cigarette case that was written by Holmes and was addressed to Watson, wherein Holmes writes that he is going to have a conflict with Moriarty. Watson comes to know through official information that a fight took place between Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty and both of them died as they fell in gorge.
Analysis
This story portrays Holmes as a common man who can be defeated and bullied. He is portrayed as bullied by professor Moriarty who threatens him in these words, “That is not danger, said he. It is inevitable destruction. You stand in the way not merely of an individual, but of a mighty organization, the full extent of which you, with all your cleverness, have been unable to realize. You must stand clear, Mr. Holmes, or be trodden under foot” (Doyle).
Holmes is portrayed as someone who wants to assist the police in busting a very dangerous criminal gang but also is afraid about his life. He shares his fear with his friend Watson and asks him to accompany him. Holmes was injured and attacked several times in this story and such incidents made him feared.
He was aware that Moriarty is not like other villains ad he shared the same with Watson that this man is very dangerous and equally intellectual. Holmes had strong presumptions that this time he is confronting something very dangerous and fighting him is not going to be an easy task. Sherlock Holmes, on the basis of his experiences, made his judgments and they were turned to be appropriate.
Conclusion
After having observed both the stories, it is good to conclude that both the stories are very admirable and portray the character in different ways. Both stories also inform about Author’s state of mind. In one story Holmes is defeated by a woman but even then he is happy and happily accepts his defeat. In other story, he is killed by a mafia when he tries to stop his illegal activities. Both are very strong ideas and reflect different situations.
Arthur Conan Doyle has portrayed Sherlock Holmes defeated in both the stories. Sherlock Holmes is known as one of big detectives but in both these abovementioned stories, this detective is portrayed as defeated. He finds himself unable to accomplish his targets in a happier way. In ‘A scandal in Bohemia’, he is defeated by a woman while ‘In the final problem’ he is defeated and killed by a mafia.
Works Cited
Doyle, Arthur Conan. A Scandal in Bohemia. USA: BompaCrazy.com, 2012.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. Sherlock Holmes: The Final Problem. USA: Editions Artisan Devereaux, 2012.
Schuttler, Georg W. "William Gillette and Sherlock Holmes." The Journal of Popular Culture (Spring, 1982): 31–41.
