Ah, such beautifully handled angst. I take it this is all very canon then? The drug use and Watson's leaving/marrying? (You'll have to excuse my newbie status here :))
I enjoyed reading this, thanks for sharing! Peace, Campapse
Holmes/Watson canon angst reply - part 1daylynAugust 4 2007, 08:18:13 UTC
Following is a rather long answer to your simple question (encompassing two reply comments). The bottom line is that there is a lot of wonderful angst potential in Sherlock Holmes canon.
I take it this is all very canon then? The drug use and Watson's leaving/marrying?
Yes (although Watson leaving because of Holmes’ drug use is certainly an interpretation). Holmes definitely had a cocaine (and morphine) habit, and Watson gets married and moves out, although it’s assumed that his wife died during The Hiatus (more on that later).
The Sign of Four (the second Holmes story published) begins with Watson complaining to Holmes about his drug use:
… I suddenly felt I could hold out no longer
( ... )
Holmes/Watson canon angst reply - part 2daylynAugust 4 2007, 08:19:24 UTC
Skip ahead a few years to 1891 when we get to The Final Problem. In this story, Holmes is pitted against arch-rival, the brilliant criminal Moriarty. Watson believes that both fall to their death at Reichenbach Falls. Supposedly Doyle killed off Holmes because he was tired of writing the stories.
There was a great public outcry and a demand for more stories, and a few years later Doyle published The Hound of the Baskervilles, still insisting that Holmes was dead but that this story took place before he died.
More public outcry, more demands for stories. Finally, Doyle gave in and resurrected Holmes in The Empty House. This story takes place in 1894, three years after Holmes’ supposed death. Holmes has basically been on the run the whole time since Moriarty’s associates are trying to kill him. Watson believed him dead, and faints when Holmes reappears. This three year period of Holmes’ travels is known as The Hiatus, and the moment Holmes comes back is The Return
( ... )
Re: Holmes/Watson canon angst reply - part 2cs_whitewolfAugust 4 2007, 18:35:53 UTC
And now I have told you more than you probably ever wanted to know about Holmes and Watson. Hope I haven’t bored you terribly.
Oh not at all! Quite the opposite in fact. I'm finding the relationship between both men very fascinating! And have to thank you so very much for taking the time to reply with such detail :D
I can see, from what you've told me, that there is a rather wide scope for slashing these men (as if simply living/spending most of their time together wasn't incentive enough!). I know from the tv series that the characters have a great relationship together, and I can't wait to properly start exploring the fandom. Thanks for the link to the online canon, that'll be getting printed/read at some point soon, and those essays too, because everyone loves subtext! heh.
Wonderful little angsty piece of work. Cuts right thru' me. *sighs*
(I presently tend to a patient at the ward who had an overdose of cocaine. Big unbelievably sad dark eyes staring into nothingness... I wonder whether he had the same thoughts about this...)
Thanks so much. There's nothing quite like late-night inspired angst. This came to me and I just had to tell the story.
Your poor patient. I do hope he gets better. I think one of the tragedies of addiction is the pain and emotional anguish that it causes to both the addict and his/her family and friends. Everyone is impacted, everyone is hurt, but the hold of the addictive substance is so powerful.
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Very angsty indeed. Hope your creative juices keep flowing; you're really on a roll!
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Hope your creative juices keep flowing
Me too!
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Glad you liked my late night ramblings. :-)
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I enjoyed reading this, thanks for sharing!
Peace,
Campapse
Reply
I take it this is all very canon then? The drug use and Watson's leaving/marrying?
Yes (although Watson leaving because of Holmes’ drug use is certainly an interpretation). Holmes definitely had a cocaine (and morphine) habit, and Watson gets married and moves out, although it’s assumed that his wife died during The Hiatus (more on that later).
The Sign of Four (the second Holmes story published) begins with Watson complaining to Holmes about his drug use:
… I suddenly felt I could hold out no longer ( ... )
Reply
There was a great public outcry and a demand for more stories, and a few years later Doyle published The Hound of the Baskervilles, still insisting that Holmes was dead but that this story took place before he died.
More public outcry, more demands for stories. Finally, Doyle gave in and resurrected Holmes in The Empty House. This story takes place in 1894, three years after Holmes’ supposed death. Holmes has basically been on the run the whole time since Moriarty’s associates are trying to kill him. Watson believed him dead, and faints when Holmes reappears. This three year period of Holmes’ travels is known as The Hiatus, and the moment Holmes comes back is The Return ( ... )
Reply
Oh not at all! Quite the opposite in fact. I'm finding the relationship between both men very fascinating! And have to thank you so very much for taking the time to reply with such detail :D
I can see, from what you've told me, that there is a rather wide scope for slashing these men (as if simply living/spending most of their time together wasn't incentive enough!). I know from the tv series that the characters have a great relationship together, and I can't wait to properly start exploring the fandom. Thanks for the link to the online canon, that'll be getting printed/read at some point soon, and those essays too, because everyone loves subtext! heh.
Reply
(I presently tend to a patient at the ward who had an overdose of cocaine. Big unbelievably sad dark eyes staring into nothingness... I wonder whether he had the same thoughts about this...)
Reply
Your poor patient. I do hope he gets better. I think one of the tragedies of addiction is the pain and emotional anguish that it causes to both the addict and his/her family and friends. Everyone is impacted, everyone is hurt, but the hold of the addictive substance is so powerful.
Reply
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