The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Availibity

Project Gutenberg/various digital formats

pdf file

A Study in Scarlet is the first Sherlock Holmes book written by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was first published in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887, though it was at the time not very popular, and later reissued in novel format.

History

A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which was first published in 1887. It is the first story to feature the character of Sherlock Holmes, who would later become one of the most famous and iconic literary detective characters, with long-lasting interest and appeal. The book's title derives from a speech given by Holmes to his companion Doctor Watson on the nature of his work, in which he describes the story's murder investigation as his 'study in scarlet': "There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."

Conan Doyle wrote the novel at the age of 27. A general practice doctor in Southsea, England, he had already published short stories in several magazines of the day, such as the periodical London Society. The story was originally titled A Tangled Skein, and was eventually published by Ward Lock & Co. in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887, after many rejections. The author received £25 in return for the full rights (although Conan Doyle had pressed for a royalty instead). The novel was first published as a book on July 1888 by Ward, Lock & Co., and featured drawings by the author's father, Charles Doyle. A second edition appeared the following year and was illustrated by George Hutchinson; a year later in 1890, J. B. Lippincott Co. released the first American version. Numerous further editions, translations and dramatisations have appeared since.

The story, and its main character, attracted little public interest when it first appeared. Only ten copies of Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887 are known to exist now and they have considerable value. Although Doyle wrote fifty-six short stories featuring Holmes, A Study in Scarlet is one of only four full-length novels in the original canon.

The novel was followed by The Sign of the Four, published in 1890.

Inconsistencies

There are several minor inconsistencies in the story which are incompatible with later stories. Dr Watson provides a short autobiography of himself at the start. In this, he is invalided out of the army after being wounded in the shoulder in the Second Afghan War at the Battle of Maiwand. In later stories, his wound has moved to his leg. However, one could always assume that he was wounded in the leg as well as the shoulder. Indeed, this last assumption may make more sense; for one bullet alone, whether in the shoulder or the leg, might not have left Watson so close to death as he came, but two bullets together,the one in the shoulder and the other in the leg, almost certainly would have, for then his loss of blood might have been more severe.

Controversy

According to a 1994 Salt Lake City newspaper article, when Doyle was asked about his depiction of the Latter Day Saints' organisation as being steeped in kidnapping, murder and enslavement, he said, "All I said about the Danite Band and the murders is historical so I cannot withdraw that". However, Doyle's daughter has stated, "You know, Father would be the first to admit that his first Sherlock Holmes novel was full of errors about the Mormons". Years after Doyle's death, Levi Edgar Young, a descendant of Brigham Young, and a Mormon general authority, claimed that Doyle had privately apologized. (copied from Baker Street Wiki)

Yes, the "Mormon" elements made me rather uncomfortable when I read it. A lot of my friends growing up (and one close family member) were LDS.