Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"forbear from crossing the moor in those dark hours" [HOUN]     One of the most iconic characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories is not a character at all. It's Dartmoor. As Holmes himself said of it, "Never been there? Ah, well, I don't suppose you will forget your first visit."    Dartmoor is a land that's filled with beauty, mystery, and intrigue. In other words, the perfect setting for a Sherl...

   " Title and money—who could carry them better  than she? " [ABBE]    We've investigated which women were influential in their own right in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and then those who had to work for a living. Next up, we look at women with titles. In her article in  The Sherlock Holmes Journal , Vol. 10, No. 3, Pat Dalton reviewed some such ladies.   Of course the term "lady" is a title gra...

" Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession " [SPEC]    When he was facing off against Dr. Grimesby Roylott, Sherlock Holmes asserted "When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession."   Claiming that Roylott struck even deeper, we wondered: just what did Palmer and Pritch...

" Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, " [FIVE]  Sherlock Holmes called Professor Moriarty "a genius, a philosopher, and abstract thinker" in "The Final Problem." But what did Holmes know about philosophy? According to Watson's initial list titled  Sherlock Holmes—His Limits , his knowledge of philosophy was "Nil."   But Holmes called out a few philosophers by name, and had an...

"once a clergyman, always a clergyman" [SOLI]    We see influences of religion here and there in the Sherlock Holmes stories. From Biblical references in "The Crooked Man" to the then-mysterious religion of Mormonism, we see the world of Holmes and Watson as it occasionally intersects with these influences.    But what about the men of the cloth we encounter? Who were they? Which stories did they...

"in the capacity of governess" [SIGN]  Sherlock Holmes had a number of clients who were women, and in certain cases, they were gainfully employed. In her article in  The Sherlock Holmes Journal , Vol. 10, No. 2, Patsy Dalton takes us through some of these clients.   What was the status of the "working girl" at the time, and what range of professions do we see from them? How do these roles bear on...

"My old friend Charlie Peace was a violin virtuoso" [ILLU]    No, Charlie Peace was not a colleague of Norman Neruda or  Sarasate . He was a notorious criminal, convicted of killing a policeman and the husband of a neighbor with whom he became obsessed.   How did Sherlock Holmes know him? Were they acquainted through the world of music, or perhaps in the underground world of crime? Come with us: i...

"I have made a small study of tattoo marks" [REDH]  Tattoos. A rare topic in the Sherlock Holmes story, yet they're key in helping Sherlock Holmes to discern a little more about a few individuals.   How common were tattoos in Victorian England? Where did they originate? And who in the Canon had them? It's just a Trifle.     Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: T...

"there never was a man who deserved punishment more" [IDEN]  There are certain instances in the Sherlock Holmes stories where the villain is so foul, so deserving of punishment, that it's a relief to see them get theirs. It's justice served.   We can think of a couple, off the tops of our heads. Perhaps you have others in mind? It's just a Trifle.     Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts:...

"This is unworthy of you, Holmes" [SIGN]  Sherlock Holmes wasn't an easy man to live with. Still, it's impressive that Watson didn't unload on him more frequently. Or perhaps he did and just didn't report it... What is it about Holmes's personality that made him caustic? And about Watson's that allowed him to endure it. It's just a Trifle.   Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to...

"accomplished, a wonder woman in every way" [ILLU]   Each month, we look at a piece of Sherlockian or Holmesian scholarship that might be outside of your ken, and discuss its merits or faults. This month, we look at Mollie Hardwick's "Women of the Canon: 1 - Women of Influence" from  The Sherlock Holmes Journal , Vol. 10, No. 1 (Summer, 1972). Hardwick thought it was worth delving into who some of...

"I do not feel justified in doing it" [HOUN]    In the last episode, we talked about the uncertainty of justice at the conclusion of some stories. Did the perpetrators find justice raining down on them? In some cases, it was left up to the reader's imagination.   This episode we're looking at some instances of justice that may not have been in proportion to the crime – or non crime, as the case ma...

"It's every man's business to see justice done" [CROO]    Everyone likes a neat ending. The case is solved, the criminal is caught, and justice is served.   But what about those Sherlock Holmes stories where the criminals escape? When the final action happens off-page or off-screen? There's not the same resolution there as when a Scotland Yard inspector claps handcuffs on the accused. Or is there?...

"the writer was on board of a ship." [FIVE]  We were inspired by two articles in the Baker Street Journal, some forty years apart. Each made a study of ships' names in the Sherlock Holmes stories.   Of the named sailing vessels, what can we infer from those named after women? Unlike some of the other ships in the Canon, they're not listed in Lloyd's Register. Was it a Watsonian influence regarding...

"an historical curiosity" [MUSG]  It's the third week of the month, which means it's our regular feature in Season 4: Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist, the episode in which we investigate an old piece of Sherlockian scholarship and offer our commentary. This month, we feature "The Historicity of Sherlock Holmes" by Prof. Dirk J. Struik. Presented to the Speckled Band of Boston, it first appeared i...

"I have never loved" [DEVI] When you think of crimes in the Sherlock Holmes stories, many of them were crimes of passion. In a 1981 article in The Baker Street Journal, Julie Maynard makes the case that as many as twenty-five percent of the Canon involves adultery or implied adultery.  What was going on here? Was it an unconscious attempt from Conan Doyle? Or perhaps a conscious one? It's just a T...

"Indeed, if I may make a full confession to you" [FINA]   They say confession is good for the soul. It's also good for the detective story. Sherlock Holmes found the suspects he sought in many cases, but he didn't have the backstory for all of them. The solution? A confession. Driven by fear, love or finality, a number of characters in the stories have reasons for confessing. And one was extracted...

"It may give him a sleepless night" [FIVE]   Have you had trouble sleeping lately? You're not alone. There were plenty of people in the Sherlock Holmes stories who struggled to sleep as well. Whether it was because they were horrified by something that happened to them, troubled by something they did, or were determined to crack a problem, they lost sleep over it. It may not seem like it to you, b...

"Billy advanced and drew away" [MAZA]   We're used to reading about Mrs. Hudson ushering clients in and out, and providing various domestic services for Sherlock Holmes. But now and again, we find ourselves in the presence of young Billy, the page. What was a page? And was Billy the only one at 221B Baker Street? In Vol. 2, No. 3 of  The Sherlock Holmes Journal , G.B. Newton made an assessment of...

"we have got a foeman who is worthy of our steel" [HOUN]   There are a handful of cases where Sherlock Holmes meets an opponent who is formidable and antagonistic, but where he later turns out to be an ally. Who were some of these individuals? Which stories did they appear in? And just what was it that made them seem as if they were on he wrong side of the case? It's just a Trifle. Have you left u...

"a highly sensational and flowery rendering" [SIXN]    Flowers appear in a handful of spots in the Sherlock Holmes stories. More than the famous rose scene from "The Naval Treaty," they literally dot the countryside and color the scenery. From a flower that lent its name to one of the stories and a country house, to an obscure statesman, you may be surprised to discover the botanical connections i...

"the Colonel's manner has been just a trifle cavalier" [SILV]   Having spent the last episode discussing the unusual setting and Holmes and Watson's friendship as displayed in "The Reigate Squires," our minds turned toward their host, Colonel Hayter. Or rather, of his fellow ranking military officers in the Canon. In fact, we realized that in the Sherlock Holmes stories, the title "Colonel" usuall...

"the fellows are still at large" [REIG]  In "The Reigate Squires," we find Sherlock Holmes ill and uprooted — staying in a country house — which, although it's a bachelor establishment, isn't quite what he's accustomed to. Although it may not be one of Holmes's truly great cases, there is much to love in this story.  Watson was right there to back up Holmes in every way: reacting in horror to Holm...

"Your hand stole towards your own old wound" [CARD]  Watson returns from Afghanistan, recovering from a wound in the shoulder and the aftereffects of disease. But we later discover that he had a leg wound as well.  Could it be the delirium that caused him to misstate his injuries? Or was there another reason for his error? Two old pieces of Sherlockian scholarship – one from the 1940s and another...

"the best and only final clue" [3STU]  In "The Adventure of the Three Students," Holmes has a litany of clues at his disposal. From balls of doughy clay to a tear in the leather of a desk, and more. And yet, he's fixated on this one clue that he claimed was "the best and only final clue." What was it? And was it truly the definitive clue in the story? It's just a Trifle.   Have you left us a ratin...