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victorian221bThe Adventure of the Gloria Scott
--- The story begins with Sherlock Holmes offering to share an old case of his with Watson which I find remarkable. Watson initiated telling the world of Holmes’ scientific powers of deduction, but now Holmes himself is offering up a case prior to Watson’s acquaintance - his first ever one in fact.
Further, it is a valuable piece of history and for me signifies how comfortable Holmes must be now with Watson, because Watson states he has tried eking out older cases from Holmes to no avail :).
--- I do love that we have the image of them sitting by the fire on a winter’s evening in Baker Street ~ very homely.
--- The setting of the story is when Holmes spent two years in college, informative in of itself as his family must therefore have the monetary means to secure a position in university.
---Victor Trevor we discover was Holmes' only friend during this time and not because Holmes sought him, but due to Victor’s dog froze to his ankle.
Holmes is certainly more forgiving than me, because I would (a) panic if a dog froze to my ankle and (b) avoid said owner of dog and dog forever, but then I’m afraid of dogs so…
He was also on his way to Chapel - I wonder which denomination? Perhaps Church of England?
--- Ooo we learn that Holmes has few athletic tastes (consistent with previous stories), bar fencing and boxing.
--- Holmes' description of Victor Trevor could be said to be similar to Watson (i.e. complete opposite to Holmes in some ways):
"He was a hearty, full-blooded fellow, full of spirit and energy, the very opposite to me in some respects; but we found we had some subjects in common…"
I wonder which subjects these were - chemistry perhaps?
--- They become close enough that Victor invites Holmes to his family home in Norfolk.
If anything, this is again counter to the popular image of a cold aloof Holmes. He doesn't go out of his way to be social, but enjoys friendship when he does forge bonds with the right fellow.
--- Mr Trevor, father to Victor and a Justice of the Peace is astonished when Holmes applies his system of observation and inference to his person - all due to his friend Victor chatting about his methods.
Interestingly Holmes notes he has used them on two trivial feats that he declares Victor has exaggerated.
--- Vitally Holmes hasn't yet considered how this system would apply to his life and it is Victor's father who sets him on the path, by stating: "...Mr Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and fancy would be children in your hands. That's your line of life, sir, and you may take the word of a man who has seen something of the world."
Fascinating, makes me wonder how otherwise Holmes would discover his current profession without his friendship with Victor, then through him his father...who only said this after disbelieving his son's account of Holmes' deductions.
--- Mr Trevor fainting at Holmes' observation of the acquaintance of J.A. who he no longer wished to know is the beginning of the strange events to follow.
--- Holmes' compassion: Sterling example: Holmes is far more concerned over his host's health than this revelation of a profession. A poignant illustration of how Holmes places value on human life and is consistent across canon.
Indeed, Holmes is so concerned about causing continual discomfort to Mr Trevor he draws a close to his visit earlier than planned.
--- The case itself. A fascinating if tragic one.
We meet an old sailor, Hudson, and the name Mr Beddoes. We learn Mr Trevor was shipmates with Hudson and later they find him drunk.
Holmes leaves with an "ugly impression" of the event and aware of how Victor must be embarrassed by it.
--- Seven weeks passes of holiday term and the autumn is far advanced when Holmes receives an urgent telegram from his friend. Holmes, a true friend, drops everything and hastens to Norfolk.
--- The death of Victor's father is horrifying for Victor and which is keenly felt by Holmes - for his friend and for the loss of Mr Trevor.
--- While Victor is upstairs Holmes begins considering the problem and I love his initial reflection on the facts (or observations) and his inferences from them.
--- By the time Victor rejoins Holmes, our detective has sat debating the affair and is shown the evil note that caused Mr Trevor's death.
--- It is bewildering, but Holmes' burgeoning system is up to the task! :)
--- When Holmes solved the riddle of the note it reveals that the sailor Hudson has power over both Mr Trevor and Mr Beddoes.
--- The statement left by Mr Trevor is illuminating, but I picked out a few areas I found interesting
:D
#Barque ship - a sailing ship with three or more sails:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barque
#The Gloria Scott set sail on 8th October 1855 to arrive at her destination 6th November 1855. So this is quite some time ago for the two young men Victor & Holmes.
#It is hard to have much sympathy for Mr Trevor or Mr Beddoes though they did abandon the slaughter eventually. That said, they did turn their lives around which counts for something.
--- I suspect Holmes is correct in how the tale ended with Beddoes finishing Hudson & fleeing.
--- Poor Victor, it is great he moved to the Terai to plant tea and hopefully he has found peace and joy.
It is curious that Holmes knows how Victor is faring, yet claims to Watson another time he has no friends bar Watson. Perhaps the tragic circumstances of the case made it too painful to remain friends?
--- We never have Watson's reaction to Victor Trevor or the case beyond Holmes mentioning he was equally bewildered on reading the note. I wonder what Watson thinks both of Holmes' first case and Victor Trevor?
--- The story begins with Sherlock Holmes offering to share an old case of his with Watson which I find remarkable. Watson initiated telling the world of Holmes’ scientific powers of deduction, but now Holmes himself is offering up a case prior to Watson’s acquaintance - his first ever one in fact.
Further, it is a valuable piece of history and for me signifies how comfortable Holmes must be now with Watson, because Watson states he has tried eking out older cases from Holmes to no avail :).
--- I do love that we have the image of them sitting by the fire on a winter’s evening in Baker Street ~ very homely.
--- The setting of the story is when Holmes spent two years in college, informative in of itself as his family must therefore have the monetary means to secure a position in university.
---Victor Trevor we discover was Holmes' only friend during this time and not because Holmes sought him, but due to Victor’s dog froze to his ankle.
Holmes is certainly more forgiving than me, because I would (a) panic if a dog froze to my ankle and (b) avoid said owner of dog and dog forever, but then I’m afraid of dogs so…
He was also on his way to Chapel - I wonder which denomination? Perhaps Church of England?
--- Ooo we learn that Holmes has few athletic tastes (consistent with previous stories), bar fencing and boxing.
--- Holmes' description of Victor Trevor could be said to be similar to Watson (i.e. complete opposite to Holmes in some ways):
"He was a hearty, full-blooded fellow, full of spirit and energy, the very opposite to me in some respects; but we found we had some subjects in common…"
I wonder which subjects these were - chemistry perhaps?
--- They become close enough that Victor invites Holmes to his family home in Norfolk.
If anything, this is again counter to the popular image of a cold aloof Holmes. He doesn't go out of his way to be social, but enjoys friendship when he does forge bonds with the right fellow.
--- Mr Trevor, father to Victor and a Justice of the Peace is astonished when Holmes applies his system of observation and inference to his person - all due to his friend Victor chatting about his methods.
Interestingly Holmes notes he has used them on two trivial feats that he declares Victor has exaggerated.
--- Vitally Holmes hasn't yet considered how this system would apply to his life and it is Victor's father who sets him on the path, by stating: "...Mr Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and fancy would be children in your hands. That's your line of life, sir, and you may take the word of a man who has seen something of the world."
Fascinating, makes me wonder how otherwise Holmes would discover his current profession without his friendship with Victor, then through him his father...who only said this after disbelieving his son's account of Holmes' deductions.
--- Mr Trevor fainting at Holmes' observation of the acquaintance of J.A. who he no longer wished to know is the beginning of the strange events to follow.
--- Holmes' compassion: Sterling example: Holmes is far more concerned over his host's health than this revelation of a profession. A poignant illustration of how Holmes places value on human life and is consistent across canon.
Indeed, Holmes is so concerned about causing continual discomfort to Mr Trevor he draws a close to his visit earlier than planned.
--- The case itself. A fascinating if tragic one.
We meet an old sailor, Hudson, and the name Mr Beddoes. We learn Mr Trevor was shipmates with Hudson and later they find him drunk.
Holmes leaves with an "ugly impression" of the event and aware of how Victor must be embarrassed by it.
--- Seven weeks passes of holiday term and the autumn is far advanced when Holmes receives an urgent telegram from his friend. Holmes, a true friend, drops everything and hastens to Norfolk.
--- The death of Victor's father is horrifying for Victor and which is keenly felt by Holmes - for his friend and for the loss of Mr Trevor.
--- While Victor is upstairs Holmes begins considering the problem and I love his initial reflection on the facts (or observations) and his inferences from them.
--- By the time Victor rejoins Holmes, our detective has sat debating the affair and is shown the evil note that caused Mr Trevor's death.
--- It is bewildering, but Holmes' burgeoning system is up to the task! :)
--- When Holmes solved the riddle of the note it reveals that the sailor Hudson has power over both Mr Trevor and Mr Beddoes.
--- The statement left by Mr Trevor is illuminating, but I picked out a few areas I found interesting
:D
#Barque ship - a sailing ship with three or more sails:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barque
#The Gloria Scott set sail on 8th October 1855 to arrive at her destination 6th November 1855. So this is quite some time ago for the two young men Victor & Holmes.
#It is hard to have much sympathy for Mr Trevor or Mr Beddoes though they did abandon the slaughter eventually. That said, they did turn their lives around which counts for something.
--- I suspect Holmes is correct in how the tale ended with Beddoes finishing Hudson & fleeing.
--- Poor Victor, it is great he moved to the Terai to plant tea and hopefully he has found peace and joy.
It is curious that Holmes knows how Victor is faring, yet claims to Watson another time he has no friends bar Watson. Perhaps the tragic circumstances of the case made it too painful to remain friends?
--- We never have Watson's reaction to Victor Trevor or the case beyond Holmes mentioning he was equally bewildered on reading the note. I wonder what Watson thinks both of Holmes' first case and Victor Trevor?
no subject
Date: 2020-12-01 05:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-01 07:29 pm (UTC)Comments
Date: 2020-12-02 12:52 pm (UTC)I imagine Victor quite different from Watson, though. Yes, Watson is a man of action, but he is also soft-spoken and often quiet--has a grand gift of silence which Holmes values dearly--whereas Trevor seems to be very boisterous, a bundle of energy, judging by the descripton.
Wholeheartedly agree about Holmes being a devoted friend. He may not make friends easily, but when he does, he is values friendship deeply.
As for Trevor Senior nudging Holmes into the direction of his future career, I think that Holmes would have chosen that way eventually even without this particular occasion. Holmes is too artistic to follow conventional paths, so he was bound to create one for himself.
Holmes's compassion and sensitivity are as clear as ever in this story. He reacts by no means as an emotionless reasoner. On the contrary, this case is quite an emotional rollercoaster for him. He is delighted to be praised for his skills; one can imagine how akward and painful it was for him to have become a source of embarrassment for his host; very likely it was upsetting for him that Victor didn't contact him during the two months Holmes was London, especially considering that Holmes's departure from the Trevors was an uneasy one; he drops everything at Victor's first call and he is horrified by the developments there.
I too feel little compassion towards Trevor Senior. He had blood on his hands. His logic that killing armed soldiers is more honorable than the helpless shipmates is twisted. The soldiers did their duty and died doing so while he became a murderer and a mutineer. Perhaps he didn't have much choice--had he not agreed to participate, his fellow thugs would have killed him, but he shows no remorse in killing people.
It's very likely that Holmes and Trevor Junior did not maintain any connection or it was very sparse: maybe an occasional letter in several years? Holmes did receive a message that Victor was doing well in Terai.
Watson's reaction would have been nice indeed. But Watson is secretive; maybe he chose not to comment deliberately? :)
Re: Comments
Date: 2020-12-03 06:32 pm (UTC)I do agree with what you say re Watson, though I do find it amusing how Holmes seeks people who compliment him: either by being boisterous or active yet quiet when needed.
Media needs to reread the books so we can have more adaptations showing how devoted and compassionate Sherlock Holmes is to friends and others.
Agree - this story really a fine example of Holmes' compassion and anxiety to help. Oh, I like your idea that he must have been fretting over leaving Victor under such a cloud! Fits the story well and with how fast Holmes returns to Victor
I'm glad not to be alone re feeling little sympathy for Mr Trevor. Killing those soldiers was hardly just and the whole affair was sickening. I concur he probably had little choice, but the lack of remorse is telling in my opinion.
Hmmm I think an occasional letter sounds right.
Oh certainly, Watson has his reaction hidden somewhere in a journal ;)
Notes
Date: 2020-12-03 05:33 am (UTC)- Oxford or Cambridge?
Dogs are not allowed in either Oxford or Cambridge. As far as I gathered, in Cambridge undergraduates live off campus while in Oxford vice versa.
"However, the plot immediately thickens, because neither Oxford nor Cambridge allowed dogs on campus when Holmes was there in the early 1870s. This gets Sherlockians into arguments about students breaking rules, Holmes living on or off campus, Townie real estate abutting Gowned quarters and other possibilities. By the way, it’s cited that Townies and Gownies of the era often got into rowdy disputes." It's from meta on Holmes' College Days, very interesting stuff.
- Victor's deceased sister. This detail bears no significance for the case, but perhaps it was Doyle's Easter egg about Birmingham?
"The story's internal evidence places Holmes at Donnithorpe "more than twenty years" after The Gloria Scott episode of 1855.
Thus, in late 1892, Doyle writes essentially of Hoare's Birmingham which had endured an outbreak of diphtheria in 1871-2 and was currently bracing for a steep rise in fatalities that would peak in 1895." (source)
- "Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old lovers are the worst." My favorite quote in this story from a shipper's pov. Was it a clever diversion on Trevor Senior's part? Or was it Watson's clever commentary on Sherlock's past relationship with Victor?
- Hudson arrives to blackmail Victor's father 30+ years later. Why didn't he do it before if he "knows where all his old friends are"? Or maybe he discovered their whereabouts just recently?
- Timing. Given that Victor is at the university, he is about 20 years old. His father's adventures took place more than thirty. It took about a decade for Vitor's father to earn his fortune in Australia, then come back to England, marry and have children. Seems quite right. If he was 23 when he escaped, he was in his thirties when he had Victor. By the time of the events of the story he should be in his sixties.
BUT. He states that he was convicted in 1855. Which places GLOR in 1885--impossible, if Holmes was born in 1854. Besides, by 1885 Holmes lived with Watson in Baker Street and was not a student. It seems like the events of GLOR took place at least ten years before, in 1875 or so. Doyle has never been particularly consistent with dates, but from an in-unverse pov, it's another instant of Watson's clever obfuscsation of dates too keep the real identities of the participants private.
- Holmes says that after leaving the Trevors he went to his London rooms. But if he was a student at Oxford or Cambridge, why rent rooms in London? Some scholars believe that Holmes studied at the University of London instead. OR perhaps Sherlock went to stay with Mycroft during the summer holidays?
- "The kindly, charitable, good old governor" It's clear that Victor is very fond of his father and very much affected by the ugly story Trevor Senior was involved in. It must have been very shocking indeed to learn that the man he respected and loved had a rather shady past and was actually a cutthroat--he did kill soldiers who guarded him. I suspect that it wasn't only the shock of finding this out which drove Victor away from the country. Whom exactly did Hudson inform? The authorities? Suppose after that Beddoes did away with Hudson. The main witness was silenced, and Trevor Senior was dead, but the scandal remained. Perhaps the main reason for Victor to leave the university and go to Terai was fleeing from scandal.
- The Hotspur could have been a nice reference to Horatio Hornblower, but the first Hornblower book was published in 1937 :)
Re: Notes
Date: 2020-12-05 11:46 am (UTC)---I always wonder about this too, because 10 days is quite long to be laid up...
---Oxford vs Cambridge hmmm...I think the evidence (at least here) is too thin for an educatied guess. Most likely Doyle just added the dog because it served the plot and the rules -what rules?- were discarded.
---Ooo that is an intriguing point regarding Birmingham!
---I think the commentary can go either way which is quite nice for shippers and non-shippers alike.
---Interesting re the time period for the story. Doyle being inconsistent with dates strikes again! Though it adds a mysterious Watson flavour where he utlises obfuscation in his narrative ;)
---Waiting 30+ years for revenge is baffling, because who could guarantee that any of the three men would still be alive? In a world where disease is prevalent and crosses all class boundaries, to wait seems perilous. If Hudson didn't know where they were it makes sense, but if he did know...bizarre.
---I headcanon that Holmes stayed in London due to his brother being nearby. It may also be possible that his rooms at Oxford or Cambridge were closed during the summer for students? Or of course, Holmes went to University in London. Doyle left many options open for us fans 😀
---I concur with you: discovering that the father he adored committed such heinous acts and still showed no remorse must have been devastating to Victor. That and even the rumour of scandal must have caused Victor to flee to the Terai for better new life.
---Awww retrospective link!!!