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.
Sometime during The Hiatus, it is assumed that Mrs. Watson died since (a) Watson no longer has a wife, and (b) Watson states: In some manner he [Holmes] had learned of my own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in his manner rather than his words.
After The Return, Watson moves back in with Holmes (who used his own money to have a distant relative buy Watson’s medical practice, unknown to Watson - yes, really), and they continue to solve crimes. This goes on for quite some time (a decade or so).
There’s a possibility that Watson married again later in life. In The Blanched Soldier, which takes place in 1903 and is one of only two (out of approximately 60) stories told from Holmes’ point of view, we learn that Holmes has retired to the country and that The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone. Of course slashers can conveniently disregard this as a clever ploy to hide the fact that they were living together in the country. Or they can write a very angsty story regarding their break-up.
The final story chronologically is His Last Bow which takes place in 1914 on the eve of World War I. Holmes has been acting as an undercover agent and traveling for the prior two years in an attempt to capture a German spy. The story ends with Holmes and Watson standing together, two old friends reunited briefly before the current world events would force them apart again, not knowing if they would survive or ever see each once more.
Whew! That was certainly a long-winded synopsis of the potential for angst in the Holmes/Watson relationship.
If you’re interested in reading the canon, it’s all available online:
And for an additional interesting read, nekosmuse has written a series of essays that examine the subtext in the canon for indications of a Holmes/Watson relationship. These can be found at:
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.
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.
Sometime during The Hiatus, it is assumed that Mrs. Watson died since (a) Watson no longer has a wife, and (b) Watson states: In some manner he [Holmes] had learned of my own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in his manner rather than his words.
After The Return, Watson moves back in with Holmes (who used his own money to have a distant relative buy Watson’s medical practice, unknown to Watson - yes, really), and they continue to solve crimes. This goes on for quite some time (a decade or so).
There’s a possibility that Watson married again later in life. In The Blanched Soldier, which takes place in 1903 and is one of only two (out of approximately 60) stories told from Holmes’ point of view, we learn that Holmes has retired to the country and that The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone. Of course slashers can conveniently disregard this as a clever ploy to hide the fact that they were living together in the country. Or they can write a very angsty story regarding their break-up.
The final story chronologically is His Last Bow which takes place in 1914 on the eve of World War I. Holmes has been acting as an undercover agent and traveling for the prior two years in an attempt to capture a German spy. The story ends with Holmes and Watson standing together, two old friends reunited briefly before the current world events would force them apart again, not knowing if they would survive or ever see each once more.
Whew! That was certainly a long-winded synopsis of the potential for angst in the Holmes/Watson relationship.
If you’re interested in reading the canon, it’s all available online:
http://camdenhouse.ignisart.com/main.htm
And for an additional interesting read, nekosmuse has written a series of essays that examine the subtext in the canon for indications of a Holmes/Watson relationship. These can be found at:
http://nekosmuse.dannyandmartin.com/sherlockholmes/subtext.htm
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.
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
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