The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

In general, Conan Doyle’s women are pretty and have good instincts but lack reasoning powers. They can also be brave and resourceful, as in the case of Violet Hunter and Irene Adler, but ultimately remain within the Victorian womanly ideal: modest, quiet, unassuming, and nurturing.

Holmes rarely expresses an opinion on women, but when he does, it is not usually flattering. He claims that “[w]omen are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting,” in connection to Adler (21). He is also convinced of their inability to see and accept an undesirable truth, as in the case of Mary Sutherland. However, Holmes does not habitually comment on their appearance or behavior, unlike Watson.

In this volume, Watson rather than Holmes makes judgments about women: Violet has a “bright, quick face” and “the manner of a woman who has had her own way to make” (232); Mary Sutherland displays a “preposterous hat” and a “vacuous face” (57); and Miss Turner is “one of the most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life” (74). Most female victims or clients are of the upper classes and are described as young and attractive, save Mary Sutherland, the one representative of the working class. Additionally, women are rarely the main criminals, and their illegal or immoral actions are usually the result of their love for a male character. Mary Sutherland’s mother, the German woman, the stepmother in “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches,” and the banker’s niece all engage in some kind of bad behavior but are not described as the masterminds behind the crime.

Despite the narrator’s and Holmes’s attitudes toward women, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is not as misogynistic as it might seem. Several female characters, such as Adler, Hatty, and Violet are presented quite positively. Adler is extremely intelligent and resourceful, Hatty is honest and honorable, and Violet is brave. Moreover, the various untenable situations women find themselves in are a testament to the oppression of women in Victorian England.

Irene Adler is the character who exemplifies the most positive view of women, as she acts with courage and intelligence to advance her interests. She even outperforms Holmes and beats him at his own game. Adler refuses to stay within the limits imposed on women by society and refuses to be controlled by men. “A Scandal in Bohemia” is a story about the unsuccessful attempts by various men to direct and suppress Adler’s desires and interests. However, such a strong and independent woman cannot be the product of a British upbringing, so she is given American roots. Additionally, despite her intellect, she is ultimately swayed by love and voluntarily gives up on her original goals after marrying her beloved. In this, Holmes remains superior, at least by Victorian standards.