Holmes character babble
Oct. 7th, 2008 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elabyI wrote this some weeks ago and I keep forgetting to post it - some very informal character analyses. Just thoughts, really, centering on relationship stuff. I wrote these long before I finished reading all of the stories, but they still hold true to my opinions, I think.
It's hard to tell, with Holmes and Watson, which one of them is the more attached to the other. At first glance, you'd think it was Watson, since Holmes is the logical, single-minded, unemotional one. But it's Holmes who is despondent when Watson marries and moves out, and it's Holmes who finds some distant relative to put up a ridiculous amount of money to buy Watson's practice so Watson will move back in with him. It's also Holmes who is constantly grabbing Watson, dragging Watson around, inviting Watson on walks in the park and to the theatre and to dinner and on holiday to the continent. It's sometimes hard to reconcile this, because Holmes is just as often (if not more often) terribly harsh with Watson. He's just so damn smart that anyone else whose brain runs slower than his drives him crazy. It is telling that most other people who Holmes deems less intelligent than himself either get constant outright contempt or polite condescension, whereas he only berates Watson when it seems he's in a particularly grouchy or focused mood. He also doesn't stay oblivious about his poor treatment in many cases, at least not when it's obvious he's hurt Watson's feelings. Unless he sees it as a teaching moment or an opportunity to show off ("Your deductions were excellent but completely wrong. Here, let me show you how awesome I am by correcting you!"), he usually makes some sort of apology. And as far as he can, being Holmes, he shows a great deal of consideration for Watson's feelings. I just don't think he considers Watson's feelings before he says anything – only after. On one hand, this speaks to how comfortable he is around Watson, but on the other hand, it shows just how socially oblivious he can be. Even if he's entirely charming around his clients, he doesn't always know how to interact with someone who's a constant part of his life. As observant as he is, he's single-minded, and his mind is almost always on solving whatever case he's working on. He'll notice every tiny detail as it relates to the problem, but he doesn't notice until afterwards (if at all) if he's said something kind of nasty. But even though he doesn't compliment Watson very often, he always wants him by his side, which is significant for somebody as antisocial as Holmes.
Watson may not be as brilliant as Holmes (not luminous, but a conductor of light!) but he's certainly a lot less emotionally repressed. I also think he's a lot less in denial about how much he cares for Holmes. My interpretation of Canon Watson is kind of in between David Burke's Watson and Michael Williams's Watson (who is, I'm noticing, a lot like Edward Hardwicke's Watson). David Burke's Watson wants to please Holmes SO badly. He wants to use Holmes's methods so that Holmes will praise him, and he's absolutely desperate for Holmes's approval. They have the right kind of camaraderie, but it seems more of an unequal relationship than in the stories. Michael Williams's Watson, on the other hand, is utterly Holmes's equal, even if Holmes may not think so. He's quite assured of his own worth and of how much he means to Holmes. We only get his voice, but he goes so delightfully (and easily) from utterly exasperated to fond and affectionate. This makes their bickering much less uncomfortable than it is with David Burke's Watson, where the distance between them seems to gape when they fight. Watson as I read him in the stories is in the middle. He really wants Holmes's approval and is sustained by whatever small words of praise he gets. He also has some reasonable doubts as to his own capabilities, but he knows and understands Holmes better than anyone and he's aware of that privileged position. When he gets angry at Holmes, they seem the closer for their argument. He knows how he feels about Holmes, which is more, I think, than you can say about Holmes. He may be oblivious to all sorts of details Holmes immediately notices, but he's aware of Holmes's every mood, every change in his body language and expression. He's lived with Holmes long enough that he doesn't have to put him on a pedestal, but he certainly wishes for a little more recognition, of his affection as well as his writing and crime-solving assistance.
It's been said of Watson's marriage to Mary Morston that he turned to her when he realized he wasn't going to get very much emotional fulfillment out of his relationship with Holmes. I think that that has a lot of weight to it, though I don't know if I believe he was consciously thinking of that. I think it was more of "Oh, she's pretty, she's personable, I like her, and she seems to like me, so since it's what people do, let's get married!" And then he moved out and found himself split between a woman I feel he was genuinely attached to and his best (only) friend of the past seven years. We get practically nothing of Mary after The Sign of the Four, but from what we do get, my impression is that she understood only too well that her husband was far more interested in running off with Mr. Holmes than he was with settling down and having an average family life with her. I don't think she particularly minded, either. She seemed a woman with a strong enough self-image that she would have been perfectly happy with her independence. She also seemed (conveniently for the stories) to encourage Watson to go off with Holmes whenever he wanted to, which was always. She was also away an awful lot. People have speculated that they got married to mask the fact that they both were interested in their own gender, that they were estranged, that they got divorced because of Watson's neglect. While I don't feel there's really enough evidence to say either way, I'd rather think of them as just a conveniently married couple who were friendly, but otherwise occupied with other people. I imagine their arrangement was quite an independent one, with little to no jealousy on either side. It would kind of have to be XD
*points to icon* The man has the best expressions EVER XD This is probably what Holmes would say to me, were he to read this.
It's hard to tell, with Holmes and Watson, which one of them is the more attached to the other. At first glance, you'd think it was Watson, since Holmes is the logical, single-minded, unemotional one. But it's Holmes who is despondent when Watson marries and moves out, and it's Holmes who finds some distant relative to put up a ridiculous amount of money to buy Watson's practice so Watson will move back in with him. It's also Holmes who is constantly grabbing Watson, dragging Watson around, inviting Watson on walks in the park and to the theatre and to dinner and on holiday to the continent. It's sometimes hard to reconcile this, because Holmes is just as often (if not more often) terribly harsh with Watson. He's just so damn smart that anyone else whose brain runs slower than his drives him crazy. It is telling that most other people who Holmes deems less intelligent than himself either get constant outright contempt or polite condescension, whereas he only berates Watson when it seems he's in a particularly grouchy or focused mood. He also doesn't stay oblivious about his poor treatment in many cases, at least not when it's obvious he's hurt Watson's feelings. Unless he sees it as a teaching moment or an opportunity to show off ("Your deductions were excellent but completely wrong. Here, let me show you how awesome I am by correcting you!"), he usually makes some sort of apology. And as far as he can, being Holmes, he shows a great deal of consideration for Watson's feelings. I just don't think he considers Watson's feelings before he says anything – only after. On one hand, this speaks to how comfortable he is around Watson, but on the other hand, it shows just how socially oblivious he can be. Even if he's entirely charming around his clients, he doesn't always know how to interact with someone who's a constant part of his life. As observant as he is, he's single-minded, and his mind is almost always on solving whatever case he's working on. He'll notice every tiny detail as it relates to the problem, but he doesn't notice until afterwards (if at all) if he's said something kind of nasty. But even though he doesn't compliment Watson very often, he always wants him by his side, which is significant for somebody as antisocial as Holmes.
Watson may not be as brilliant as Holmes (not luminous, but a conductor of light!) but he's certainly a lot less emotionally repressed. I also think he's a lot less in denial about how much he cares for Holmes. My interpretation of Canon Watson is kind of in between David Burke's Watson and Michael Williams's Watson (who is, I'm noticing, a lot like Edward Hardwicke's Watson). David Burke's Watson wants to please Holmes SO badly. He wants to use Holmes's methods so that Holmes will praise him, and he's absolutely desperate for Holmes's approval. They have the right kind of camaraderie, but it seems more of an unequal relationship than in the stories. Michael Williams's Watson, on the other hand, is utterly Holmes's equal, even if Holmes may not think so. He's quite assured of his own worth and of how much he means to Holmes. We only get his voice, but he goes so delightfully (and easily) from utterly exasperated to fond and affectionate. This makes their bickering much less uncomfortable than it is with David Burke's Watson, where the distance between them seems to gape when they fight. Watson as I read him in the stories is in the middle. He really wants Holmes's approval and is sustained by whatever small words of praise he gets. He also has some reasonable doubts as to his own capabilities, but he knows and understands Holmes better than anyone and he's aware of that privileged position. When he gets angry at Holmes, they seem the closer for their argument. He knows how he feels about Holmes, which is more, I think, than you can say about Holmes. He may be oblivious to all sorts of details Holmes immediately notices, but he's aware of Holmes's every mood, every change in his body language and expression. He's lived with Holmes long enough that he doesn't have to put him on a pedestal, but he certainly wishes for a little more recognition, of his affection as well as his writing and crime-solving assistance.
It's been said of Watson's marriage to Mary Morston that he turned to her when he realized he wasn't going to get very much emotional fulfillment out of his relationship with Holmes. I think that that has a lot of weight to it, though I don't know if I believe he was consciously thinking of that. I think it was more of "Oh, she's pretty, she's personable, I like her, and she seems to like me, so since it's what people do, let's get married!" And then he moved out and found himself split between a woman I feel he was genuinely attached to and his best (only) friend of the past seven years. We get practically nothing of Mary after The Sign of the Four, but from what we do get, my impression is that she understood only too well that her husband was far more interested in running off with Mr. Holmes than he was with settling down and having an average family life with her. I don't think she particularly minded, either. She seemed a woman with a strong enough self-image that she would have been perfectly happy with her independence. She also seemed (conveniently for the stories) to encourage Watson to go off with Holmes whenever he wanted to, which was always. She was also away an awful lot. People have speculated that they got married to mask the fact that they both were interested in their own gender, that they were estranged, that they got divorced because of Watson's neglect. While I don't feel there's really enough evidence to say either way, I'd rather think of them as just a conveniently married couple who were friendly, but otherwise occupied with other people. I imagine their arrangement was quite an independent one, with little to no jealousy on either side. It would kind of have to be XD
*points to icon* The man has the best expressions EVER XD This is probably what Holmes would say to me, were he to read this.
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-09 12:21 pm (UTC)I think while I might greatly admire Holmes' intelligence, I might want to knock him on the head a bit. ;) On the other hand, I think I want to pat Watson. ;)
I would imagine that a lot of married couples of this era had marriages that operated in much the same manner that Watson's and Mary's did. Marriage had a lot to do with convenience and social standing at that time, and very little to do with actual love or passion, at least in a lot of cases. People (especially women) were lucky if they ended up marrying someone who was good to them and that they could stand. Of course, in a lot of cases, the relationship developed into a love of sorts, but I think it may have been more of a companionable love than a romantic one.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-09 10:20 pm (UTC)Oh, thank goodness! I sometimes wonder if my babbling gets really old, but then I remember that I'm posting it for the people who care and for myself, not for anybody else, so :) But I'm REALLY glad you like reading it!
I think while I might greatly admire Holmes' intelligence, I might want to knock him on the head a bit. ;)
Hahaha, YES XD Caitirin is always going "Gah, he's such a bad boyfriend!" He's just... he has different priorities than Watson. But it's so obvious how much he needs him.
On the other hand, I think I want to pat Watson. ;)
Totally! Especially in the first seasons of the show, he's just so pathetically adorable. And while I really like the later show and radio play Watson, who is very capable and kind of like e_e at Holmes when Holmes is jerkish, Watson in the books is somewhat more desperate for approval and affection. I want to hug him.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-09 03:03 am (UTC)Thank you for talking about Mary! Good grief, but that woman gives me headaches. I like her more and understand her less every day. But this...
my impression is that she understood only too well that her husband was far more interested in running off with Mr. Holmes than he was with settling down and having an average family life with her. I don't think she particularly minded, either. She seemed a woman with a strong enough self-image that she would have been perfectly happy with her independence.
...was tremendously reassuring to me, because I've been worried that I'm writing her as too much of a modern woman, and it's wonderful to hear that you see the same traits I'm playing with.
[And now I'm going to stop the nonstop babbling at you for the night, I promise :) Though it's entirely your own fault, you know, for writing such wonderful things...]
no subject
Date: 2009-06-09 11:07 pm (UTC)I think one thing Mr. Brett did unbelievably well is expose Holmes' vulnerablilty without ever for a moment betraying the character as written.
Yes, oh god, and this is why I'll love and respect him forever. Those little under-the-surface parts are so important to Holmes's character, and no one else has gotten them in quite the same way. Clive Merrison has nailed them, but the medium is different so I can't really compare their skill that closely.
I've been worried that I'm writing her as too much of a modern woman, and it's wonderful to hear that you see the same traits I'm playing with.
I'm glad my thoughts were reassuring! I feel like Mary is dreadfully underused in the canon, and I wish we knew more about her. However, she does seem like one of the more self-sufficient female characters, while still staying within that "decent pattern" of Victorian womanhood. She's smart, and level-headed, and perceptive enough that I wouldn't think she'd freak out at much of anything.
Your comments have made my night! It's so nice of you ^_^ And it gets my Holmes-brain churning again, which is good, because I kind of had 70's detectives refusing to move out. And as much as I love them, I needed a break.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-10 03:27 pm (UTC)I think it's for the better, really, that they worked in different media. Because I do love them both so much, but their interpretations would get in each other's way in my mind if they were both on-screen or both on radio. As it is, though, they're separate and distinct and each is amazing.
She's smart, and level-headed, and perceptive enough that I wouldn't think she'd freak out at much of anything.
She's a puzzle, and no mistake. That's up there is my general impression too, but as I've started rereading SIGN, I keep coming across weird moments that don't fit with that characterization-- as she takes her seat at Baker Street she is described as "trembling" and "quivering," for example. Although maybe that's just a side effect of her initial exposure to Watson's irresistible sex appeal XD But then when she's telling about the disappearance of her father, "She put her hand to her throat, and a choking sob cut short the sentence," which seems a bit much as a reaction to a tragedy a decade old. So is she acting, trying to play to their sympathy? Or does she really have a strain of flutteriness in her nature? And which makes for a more interesting, sympathetic and real character? It's appalling how much of my daily ration of brainpower goes towards attempting to unsnarl Mary Morstan...
no subject
Date: 2009-06-10 11:27 pm (UTC)This is a good point, because I have a definite Holmes-and-Watson-in-my-head for the BBC radio Holmes and Watson, even separate from the books, but closer to the books than any other medium.
So is she acting, trying to play to their sympathy? Or does she really have a strain of flutteriness in her nature?
This is fascinating (although I do like the Watson's sex appeal explanation XD). She does seem like this thing with her father really affects her, since she breaks down once she gets into the cab with Watson (though she holds it together while they're in public). I tend to think (with much less thinking about this than you've done) that her father's death is a trigger for her, but she's not easily upset by other things. The idea that she's acting is really interesting too, though. Hmm.