Personality and habits Sherlock Holmes

1 personality , habits

1.1 drug use
1.2 finances
1.3 attitudes towards women

1.3.1 irene adler

personality , habits

sidney paget illustration adventure of golden pince-nez

watson describes holmes bohemian in habits , lifestyle. described watson in hound of baskervilles having cat-like love of personal cleanliness, holmes eccentric no regard contemporary standards of tidiness or order. in adventure of musgrave ritual , watson says:

although in methods of thought neatest , methodical of mankind ... [he] keeps cigars in coal-scuttle, tobacco in toe end of persian slipper, , unanswered correspondence transfixed jack-knife centre of wooden mantelpiece ... had horror of destroying documents ... month after month papers accumulated, until every corner of room stacked bundles of manuscript on no account burned, , not put away save owner.

in many of stories, holmes dives apparent mess find item relevant mystery. detective starves himself @ times of intense intellectual activity, such during adventure of norwood builder —wherein, according watson:

[holmes] had no breakfast himself, 1 of peculiarities in more intense moments permit himself no food, , have known him presume upon iron strength until has fainted pure inanition.

maria konnikova points out in interview d. j. grothe holmes practices called mindfulness, concentrating on 1 thing @ time, , never multitasks. adds in predates science showing how helpful brain.

sidney paget, illustrations in strand magazine iconicised holmes , watson.

although chronicler not consider holmes s habitual use of pipe (or less frequent use of cigarettes , cigars) vice per se, watson—a physician—occasionally criticises detective creating poisonous atmosphere of tobacco smoke. holmes acknowledges watson s disapproval in adventure of devil s foot : think, watson, shall resume course of tobacco-poisoning have , justly condemned .

his companion condones detective s willingness bend truth (or break law) on behalf of client—lying police, concealing evidence or breaking houses—when feels morally justifiable, condemns holmes manipulation of innocent people in adventure of charles augustus milverton .

holmes derives pleasure baffling police inspectors deductions , has supreme confidence—bordering on arrogance—in intellectual abilities. while detective not actively seek fame , content let police take public credit work, holmes pleased when skills recognised , responds flattery. police outside london ask holmes assistance if nearby, during vacation. watson s stories , newspaper articles reveal holmes s role in cases, , becomes known detective; many clients ask instead of (or in addition to) of police that, watson writes, 1895 holmes has immense practice .

government officials , royalty among serves. prime minister , king of bohemia visit 221b baker street request holmes s assistance; government of france awards him legion of honour solving case; holmes declines knighthood services may perhaps day described ; king of scandinavia client; , aids vatican @ least twice. detective acts on behalf of british government in matters of national security several times. shooting practice during period of boredom, holmes decorates wall of baker street lodgings patriotic vr (victoria regina) in bullet-pocks revolver.

while detective dispassionate , cold, during investigation animated , excitable. has flair showmanship, preparing elaborate traps capture , expose culprit (often impress observers).

except of watson, holmes avoids casual company; when watson proposes visiting friend s home rest, holmes agrees after learning establishment bachelor one, , allowed fullest freedom . in adventure of gloria scott , tells doctor during 2 years @ college made 1 friend, victor trevor: never sociable fellow, watson, rather fond of moping in rooms , working out own little methods of thought, never mixed men of year; ... line of study quite distinct of other fellows, had no points of contact @ . detective described stamford in study in scarlet.

holmes relaxes music in red-headed league , taking evening off case listen pablo de sarasate play violin. enjoyment of vocal music, particularly wagner s, evident in adventure of red circle .

drug use

1891 sidney paget strand portrait of holmes man twisted lip

holmes uses addictive drugs, in absence of stimulating cases. uses cocaine, injects in seven-percent solution syringe kept in morocco leather case. although holmes dabbles in morphine, expresses strong disapproval when visits opium den; both drugs legal in late-19th-century england. watson , holmes use tobacco, smoking cigarettes, cigars, , pipes, , detective expert @ identifying tobacco-ash residue.

as physician, watson disapproves of friend s cocaine habit, describing detective s vice , , concerned effect on holmes s mental health , intellect. in adventure of missing three-quarter , watson says although has weaned holmes drugs, remains addict habit not dead, merely sleeping .

finances

during career, holmes works powerful monarchs , governments of europe (including own), wealthy aristocrats , industrialists, , impoverished pawnbrokers , governesses. although when stories begin holmes needed watson share rent residence @ 221b baker street, time of final problem , says services government of france , royal house of scandinavia had left him enough money retire comfortably. detective known charge clients expenses , claim reward offered problem s solution; in adventure of speckled band says helen stoner may pay expenses incurs , asks bank in red-headed league reimburse him money spent solving case. holmes has wealthy banker client in adventure of beryl coronet pay costs of recovering stolen gems, , claims reward posted recovery. in problem of thor bridge , detective says, professional charges upon fixed scale. not vary them, save when remit [omit] them altogether . in context, client offering double fee, , implied wealthy clients habitually pay holmes more standard fee.

the detective tells watson, in case of identity , gold snuff box received king of bohemia after scandal in bohemia , valuable ring given him dutch royal family; in adventure of bruce-partington plans , receives emerald tie pin queen victoria. in adventure of priory school , holmes rubs hands glee when duke of holdernesse mentions ₤6,000 fee, amount of surprises watson (at time annual expenses rising young professional in area of ₤500). however, in adventure of black peter , watson notes holmes refuse wealthy , powerful if cases did not interest him.

attitudes towards women

1904 sidney paget illustration of adventure of charles augustus milverton

as doyle wrote joseph bell, holmes inhuman babbage s calculating machine , fall in love . holmes says in valley of fear, not whole-souled admirer of womankind , , in adventure of second stain finds motives of women ... inscrutable .... how can build on such quicksand? trivial actions may mean volumes ... extraordinary conduct may depend upon hairpin or curling tongs . in sign of four, says, not tell them much. women never entirely trusted—not best of them . watson calls him automaton, calculating machine , , detective replies: of first importance not allow judgement biased personal qualities. client me mere unit—a factor in problem. emotional qualities antagonistic clear reasoning. assure winning woman ever knew hanged poisoning 3 little children insurance-money .

at end of sign of four, watson reveals holmes miss morstan has done me honour accept me husband in prospective.

he gave dismal groan.

feared much, said he. cannot congratulate you.

i little hurt.

have reason dissatisfied choice? asked.

not @ all. think 1 of charming young ladies ever met, , might have been useful in such work have been doing.

she had decided genius way; ... love emotional thing, , whatever emotional opposed true cold reason place above things.

i should never marry myself, lest bias judgement.

watson says in adventure of copper beeches detective inevitably manifested no further interest in client when once had ceased centre of 1 of problems . in lion s mane , holmes writes, women have seldom been attraction me, brain has governed heart, indicating has been attracted women on occasion, has not been interested in pursuing relationships them. ultimately, however, in adventure of devil s foot , claims outright have never loved .

despite overall attitude, holmes adept @ effortlessly putting clients @ ease, , watson says although detective has aversion women , has peculiarly ingratiating way [them] . watson notes in adventure of dying detective mrs. hudson fond of holmes because of remarkable gentleness , courtesy in dealings women. disliked , distrusted sex, chivalrous opponent . in adventure of charles augustus milverton , detective manages become engaged under false pretenses in order obtain information case, abandons woman once has information requires.

irene adler

irene adler retired american opera singer , actress appears in scandal in bohemia . although appearance, 1 of notable female characters in stories: woman has ever challenged holmes intellectually, , 1 of handful of people ever bested him in battle of wits. reason, adler frequent subject of pastiche writing. beginning of story describes high regard in holmes holds her:

to sherlock holmes woman. have seldom heard him mention under other name. in eyes eclipses , predominates whole of sex. not felt emotion akin love irene adler ... yet there 1 woman him, , woman late irene adler, of dubious , questionable memory.

five years before story s events, adler had brief liaison crown prince of bohemia wilhelm von ormstein while prima donna of imperial opera of warsaw. engaged daughter of king of scandinavia , fearful that, if fiancée s family learned of impropriety, marriage called off, ormstein hires holmes regain photograph of adler , himself. adler slips away before holmes can succeed, leaving photograph of herself (alone) , note holmes not blackmail ormstein.

her memory kept alive photograph of adler holmes received part in case.