STUD, ch. 3-4

[mightymads]

Chapter 3

- The case hasn’t started yet but Watson already suspects that Holmes shows off to impress him. Of course, as Watson will find out later, Holmes would never stoop so low as to set up his deductions. Still, Holmes does want to impress Watson and does show off;

- A very important detail: Holmes apologises for his rudeness to Watson. Yes, he has a moment of short temper but he apologises immediately;

- Watson discovers Holmes’s partiality to admiration from him. Holmes asks Watson to read aloud Gregson’s message he had just read himself. What for? To enjoy Watson’s voice, apparently;

- Gregson has a great deal of respect for Holmes, judging by the letter. He values Holmes as a talented detective whereas Lestrade remains skeptical for many years to come, until that heartfelt praise in SIXN. It’s funny that Holmes compares Gregson and Lestrade to a pair of professional beauties when Watson says something very similar about him, that he’s like a girl sensitive to compliments;

- Holmes is reluctant to take the case despite being bored! But he does so at Watson’s request. Note how excited Watson is, even though he stated earlier that he had enough of excitement and noise until the end of his natural existence. Watson is in the habit of contradicting himself from the very start XD;

- Holmes takes Watson along with him to entertain his new friend who is clearly interested in the case. Also, Holmes’s apathy is quickly dispelled whereas Watson feels down. Holmes clearly wants to distract him from brooding which is very kind;

- Holmes's artistic side shows itself: he prattles about violins, music, and uses artistic jargon to name the case. Meanwhile, Watson's grows more convinced that Holmes is a poser seeing Holmes’s theatricality. Jeremy Brett channeled it brilliantly.

- The class difference between Holmes and the police detectives: Holmes, despite being broke, virtually unknown, and younger than Gregson, is a gentleman, middle or upper-middle class whereas Gregson is working class, so Gregson addresses Holmes accordingly;

- The state of Watson’s nerves: he is shaken by the sight of death (“I have seen death in many forms, but never has it appeared to me in a more fearsome aspect”, “room, the atmosphere of which felt clearer since the removal of its ghastly inmate.”)

- Holmes’s description while on the scent: a crackpot, isn't he? With all those mutterings to himself, crawling all over the place, etc. But Watson compares him to a foxhound;

- “With which Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him.” - This is basically a Victorian equivalent of mic dropping.

The Parthian shot is a light horse military tactic made famous in the West by the Parthians, an ancient Iranian people. While in real or feigned retreat their horse archers would turn their bodies back in full gallop to shoot at the pursuing enemy. (Wikipedia)

Chapter 2

- Watson has a good grasp of the facts: he mentions all main points of the case and difficulties arising from the findings. This proves that Watson is a smart participant, not just tagalong, and Holmes praises him; 

- That epic moment when Holmes is reluctant to reveal much, fearing to lose Watson’s interest, but Watson professes his full devotion, and Holmes is all melted;

- When they visit Constable Rance, we are shown the typical living conditions of working-class people; 

- Despite Holmes’s sternness with Constable Rance, Holmes doesn’t call him “a blundering fool” in his face. Holmes is not that arrogant or bad-mannered!

Comments

[luthienberen]

I love your notes mightymads! Wonderful summary.

I was struck also by how Holmes immediately apologises to Watson for his rudeness. He has a momentof temper, but recognises that and makes amends.

Ooo thank you for your note on the Parthian shot! Fascinating.

I am amused by how Watson's admiration for Holmes' power of deduction increases immediately upon proof of its application to the former sergeant of Marines, yet simultaneously is suspicious of collusion (which one can hardly blame him for)!

Love too how Holmes already has Watson reading his notes out loud & is involving his new companion. Plus, dramatic air "I said just now that there were no criminals. It appears that I am wrong - look at this!"

Holmes already not wanting to lose Watson's interest is adorable, they so quickly form a rapport it is meant to be.

[mightymads]

How are you feeling? I was getting concerned that you didn’t feel well enough for the discussion. You mentioned having your own notes?

[luthienberen]

Hi! I am better today, had a rough week with trying to balance work and illness, but got there completely shattered yesterday 🤯

I meant to post my full notes yesterday, however we had a power cut which even after it was resolved caused Internet issues. So I posted quickly as I didn't wish you to think I was ignoring you 🙂 (and Google docs was not my friend yesterday!:O You would have had a chuckle at my expression when the power did cut out in the middle of my module. Kind of horror and what on earth..?

How are you?🥰

So! Below are my notes but tweaked a little for your post 😊

-- Our first introduction to Tobias Gregson and Lestrade happens here and with it the beginning of our mystery.

-- Gregson's message is quite polite and clear in how perplexed he is of the affair. Holmes' opinion on Gregson and Lestrade however is not so encouraging. He calls them quick & energetic but shockingly conventional.

Understandable position but slightly unfair since Holmes' own methods are yet being developed, so it is hardly as if either man could match the consulting detective.

On the other hand Holmes' reluctance to help stems not from a fit of laziness, but that his help would not be acknowledged (bad show Gregson!). I do love how Watson does prevail on Holmes to go and in exchange Holmes must have Watson accompanying him.

-- Ooo the infamous declaration!

Holmes: "No data yet...It is a capital mistake to theorise before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgement." 😀

-- I do like our second introduction to Holmes' methods in how he surveys the area outside first.

-- Gregson's description: "...a tall, white-faced, flaxen-haired man...who rushed forward and wrung my companion’s hand with effusion."

-- Lestrade's description leaves me baffled I admit: "Lestrade, lean and ferret-like as ever…"

'As ever?' Has Watson met Lestrade previously? Or is this a case of Doyle jumping the gun?

-- What I found fascinating is how near the end of Chapter 3 there is a paragraph that summarises the relationship between all four men quite well, and as you said mightymads shows how perceptive Watson is, because unlike the two policemen he already comprehends Holmes' approach:

"Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realise, that Sherlock Holmes' smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end."

I cannot add anything to the Parthisn shot because the text is terrific and your historical fact awesome!
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Chapter 4

-- Agree with you mightymads Watson shows an incredibly clear grasp of the facts. He is no mere tag along, but a highly perceptive gentleman.

Holmes praising Watson for it is lovely and not long later leads to this remarkable exchange:

(Watson) "I shall never do that," I answered; you have brought detection as near an exact science as it ever will be brought in this world."
My companion flushed up with pleasure at my words, and the earnest way in which I uttered them. I had already observed that he was as sensitive to flattery on the score of his art as any girl could be of her beauty.

😀 I wonder how often Watson used such a method to either cheer up his companion or to encourage him on a case, or in other situations?

-- The living conditions of the working class are a definite reminder of the class differences.

-- The conversation with Constable Rance is interesting because whilst Holmes learns something new and clearly perceives a lot, Watson and we are still in the dark.

-- I wish to second your observation mightymads! Holmes does not call Constable Rance a "blundering fool" to his face. He has manners and whilst he is strict with people, he tends to be harder on two proper policemen such as Gregson and Lestrade, who either should know better or be more open considering they are demanding his help, rather than a Constable unaware of such matters.

---

Well! I am really enjoying this re-eread of STUD so far. Some of the finer details I' d forgotten so it is nice to fully absorb them this time.

I may rec my favourite two adaptions of STUD next time!

[mightymads]

I hope life will get less stressful for you ❤️ I'm all right, thanks!

Watson did mention Lestrade before Lauriston Gardens, when Lestrade was one of the mysterious visitors who came to Holmes to have their conundrums solved. Mb 'as ever' refers to this?

Yes, I wonder too how many times Watson cheered Holmes up by praise. Perhaps just as many as Holmes did when he distracted Watson from brooding by some deductions :)

Great point that Holmes is harder on Lestrade and Gregson, although he never insults them either. Is this total rudeness thing a BBC Sherlock feature? Brett Holmes was occasionally rude too, but not to such a monstrous extent.

Looking forward to your recs of STUD adaptations!

Hope you feel better!

[rachelindeed]

I think the swing toward extreme rudeness probably owes a lot to the U.S. TV show House, M.D., which was a very popular mainstream show in the first decade of the 2000s and was loosely based on Sherlock Holmes. The title character, played by Hugh Laurie, was named in reference to Holmes (House is another word for Home) and his best friend Wilson was similarly inspired by Watson. The showrunners also took inspiration from the historical fact that Holmes's character was based on one of Doyle's med school teachers, Joseph Bell. House is a Holmes figure who's a doctor and runs a diagnostic department devoted entirely to solving medical mysteries no one else could figure out.

One of the main characteristics of the show was House's constant offensiveness and rudeness, which were used both for comedy and also as a sign of his unconventional genius and refusal to lie in order to be nice -- he was supposed to be a bastard, but one who would save innocent lives.

Mark Gatiss mentioned in his commentary on the first episode of BBC Sherlock that House, being the most recent and popular modern Holmes adaptation at that time, was an influence on how they pitched and wrote Sherlock.

[mightymads]

Yes, House was sort of an AU and inspired so many imitations that it basically became an archetype, a genius jerk. When House was first released the idea was rather fresh and unusual, and from the show itself it was clear that being a jerk was a double edged sword for the main character as he was deeply miserable and unable to maintain close connections without hurting people he cared about. Strangely enough, Professor Challenger is closer to that description than the canon Holmes.

But with numerous inspirations and new smart jerks on TV, the trope became disturbing, imo, because it supports the idea that it's okay to be nasty as long as you do your job well/good at something. I met such people. Interacting with them is very stressful. For some reason they think that they're better than others simply because they're experienced/older/worked here longer than you, etc.

As you said, House was a Holmes figure, but it doesn't seem that he was directly associated with Holmes and thus influenced the public perception of him. It's interesting, though, that his image influenced BBC Sherlock, who, in turn is a modern Holmes, and for a large number of people is the Holmes.

Perhaps a similar distortion of public perception happened to Watson's image due to Nigel Bruce's performance, since Rathbone films were hugely popular.

[luthienberen]

Thanks for your comment rachelindeed, really enlightening. I didn't know that BBC Sherlock took so much inspiration from House or how rude the main character is in House (never watched the show).

A pity the theme continued and has become so entrenched.

[luthienberen]

Thank you! Glad you're well too❤

Ooo good point re Lestrade! I misread that as Watson already being formally introduced to Lestrade rather than merely observing his comings and goings.

Re the rudeness, I do think BBC Sherlock is to blame (one reason of a few why I can't like BBC Sherlock!), because while Brett Holmes could be rude it was nowhere on the same scale let alone frequency .

I'll post my recs with my next post! Onto reading the next chapters this week 😀

Thanks, I took a break from the computer & phone yesterday and it was a major help in resting my eyes & head etc.

[dustbunny105]

It's always amused me how Lestrade became a much more prominent presence than Gregson despite Gregson being more favorably presented than Lestrade in STUD.

Seeing the dynamic develop between Holmes and Watson is such a delight. I'm especially weak to Holmes worrying that Watson will lose interest in his work if he reveals too much. It makes sense in the first place that someone as theatrical as Holmes would enjoy having an audience on tenterhooks and I have to imagine the lack of acknowledgement he's received for his consultations affects him, too, where his vulnerability to praise is concerned.

[mightymads]

Re: Gregson and Lestrade, it's indeed curious! For some reason ACD favoured Lestrade more over Gregson. Perhaps exactly because Lestrade was sceptical? It was a nice contrast and banter every time.

Vulnerable Holmes is my jam too. Watson definitely did a world of good for the way he felt about himself and his mental health 😊

[dustbunny105]

You're probably right re: Lestrade's skepticism! It gives his interactions with Holmes a more distinct flavor and offers more friction in the narratives, thus making him the more interesting choice between the two. Bit of a "no good deed goes unpunished" situation for Gregson and his attributes, haha.

Agreed! It's no wonder Holmes enjoys Watson's company so much.

[mightymads]

On the bright side, Gregson has a whole chapter in STUD named after him :D And a Christian name too! We never get to learn Lestrade’s first name except for the initial G.

[dustbunny105]

Very true! I suppose Gregson just hit his peak early and had nowhere else to go XD

I was just thinking last night about Lestrade's lack of a given name! Granted, I only thought of it because there's a character in the NCIS franchise who doesn't even know his own name, only that it begins with a G. Probably not related, as I couldn't find anything about the inspiration, but an amusing coincidence.

[luthienberen]

Same re Gregson & Lestrade! I quite like Gregson so far, but maybe as mightymads said ACD favoured Lestrade due to his scepticism?

Holmes and Watson's developing dynamic is fabulous because it is delightful to see how strong their fledgling relationship already is and much stronger it grows to be.

[dustbunny105]

I think so too! Still, I surprised myself remembering as I reread just how much I liked Gregson and how put-out I was when I first went through ACD canon and realized Lestrade beat him out as the go-to Yarder character. As I said above, it's a bit of a "no good deed goes unpunished" situation for Gregson and his attributes!

Absolutely. I adore how quickly the respect and affection develops between them, especially with how little Watson describes them as having to do with each other to begin with.