Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia

Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia | Arthur Conan Doyle

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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. 9mo

Cuilin I agree it‘s a compliment to Adler, but at the cost of every other woman. Women shouldn‘t be so smart!!! 9mo

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. 9mo

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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. 9mo

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. 9mo

Bookwomble @Librarybelle I was going to say something pretty much the same as you 😊 9mo

Librarybelle @Bookwomble 😁 9mo

SpellboundReader 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. 9mo

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 9mo

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. 9mo

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) 9mo

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. 😂 9mo

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. 9mo

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. 9mo

Cuilin @mom2bugnbee Agree, though not canon I still think Sherlock is complimenting Adler. He admires her. 9mo

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