“A Scandal in Bohemia” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
When we watched Sherlock Homes a while back, I mentioned that it made me want to reread the Sherlock Holmes adventures. I started with “A Scandal in Bohemia” simply because Irene Adler was featured so prominently in the movie.
“A Scandal in Bohemia,” the first of 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories, was published in The Strand Magazine in July 1891. In the story, the King of Bohemia hires Holmes to recover a photo for him. He is engaged and afraid that the photo of him and his former lover, the adventuress Irene Adler, will ruin his future if it is sent to his fianceé’s family. I won’t tell you the ending, in case you don’t know, but Irene Adler is one of the few people, male or female, who manages to outwit Holmes.
Irene herself is as sexy as she was portrayed in the movie. She’s a singer, prima donna of the Imperial Opera of Warsaw, retired from the stage, a world traveler. Taking into consideration that this was published in the 1890s, she was obviously a woman of mystery, just on the basis of the brief description. Her past was vague, she was beautiful, her morals were on the ambiguous side. She’s also able to disguise herself and is an intelligent, capable woman.
Although readers met Holmes in A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, as the first of the short stories this serves as a wonderful introduction to Holmes, idiosyncrasies and all, and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson. The story is short, but shows Holme’s famous deductive reasoning capabilities and Watson’s awe of them, his drug habit and his ability to thoroughly disguise himself.
The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime.
“A Scandal in Bohemia” also sets the standard formula that most of Doyle’s stories will follow to at least some degree. The action begins at Baker Street with Holmes showing off. There are references to other cases, but without any real explanation of what happened. The problem is introduced, but of course there is very little evidence to go on until the client arrives. Then comes the adventure and finally the explanation. It’s all there.
Okay, I admit I love Sherlock and have since I was a teenager. I read this story in a book I’ve had for years, The Baker Street Dozen edited by Pj Doyle and E. W. McDiarmid, published in 1989.
John hosts a Short Story Monday at The Book Mine Set. Head over there to see what he and others have been reading.
Were you picturing Rachel, Robert and Jude in these roles?
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve never been much of a Sherlock fan.
This was mine: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2010/02/she-wasnt-soft-by-tcboyle.html
Interesting. I’ve not read a Holmes story either, but as I was was watching the movie I wished I had. I;ll have to look and see if they have these on audio.
I’ve never read any Sherlock Holmes, but said I was going to after seeing the movie. This sounds like a good one to start with.
I’ve never read Sherlock Holmes either… will need to remedy that soon!
I have yet to read any Sherlock Holmes, but I think I might try a few (if I ever finish my TBR books LOL).
Actually, I have watched the shows with Jeremy Brett so many times, that he’s the actor I associate with the character, but the picture in my head when I’m reading them is neither,
I have Never read anything! Shameful really.
Then again he might not be for me
I really need to reread Sherlock Holmes! I’ve read them all and have an omnibus of (I think) all the stories, but I should read at least one or two randomly during the year. They’re so fun 🙂
I missed reading this post last week but glad I found it now. I think I’m one of the few who really love Sherlock Holmes, the movie. I also vowed to re-read some of his stories. I liked the character of Irene in the movie so I’m going to see if I an find this story. Thanks for sharing.