Friday, January 6, 2023

On The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger and The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, From The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes As They Enter the Public Domain

On The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger and The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, From The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes As They Enter the Public Domain

These two tales [VEIL, SHOS] were the final tales of the canonical 60 (56 short stories, four novels) written by Arthur Conan Doyle to enter the public domain as the ball dropped upon the year of our Lord '23. In all other countries, this had already occurred varying times ago, so with this, the completed works are world-wide sans that said protection. Those said protections.

"Marry him, kill him, or do what you like with him." Thus spake Arthur Conan Doyle himself to William Gillette as the later prepared his stage production involving the famed character. Since then, Holmes has become the single most portrayed and adapted character in history. This might beg the question 'Then what's the big deal about him hitting the public domain now?'

There have been decades upon decades of ado surrounding the use of Doyle's creation in adaptations for stage, screen, and radio. There have been parodies and pastiches in the written form. There has been Solar Pons. Much has occurred and many a fight has been fought or at least many a licensing payment paid in the name of ease if nothing else. For a history of that, I'd recommend "Sherlock Holmes in the Public Domain" a podcast episode from I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere (LINK).

Upon listening to that, you'll know at least as much as I as to the legal particulars. Relating all that is not the reason for this article. I simply wanted to cling desperately and curmudgeonly to the canon by taking another look at these two installments and sharing some of what I've previously written regarding them. You see, the main thing you can expect insofar as 'ramifications' of Holmes being out of copyright protection is even more being done with and to the character. So as a self-noted fuddy-duddy of a canon-hugger, I will be that within the confines of this article.

I prefer the writings of Sir Doyle and the writings on the writings of the man, to be clear. With that, here is my feeble aforementioned attempt at adding to the latter. A nice place to begin would be with a short, rather light-hearted article I wrote some time ago in which these two tales both appeared, A Brief Set of Cases for the Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (Making a Case for the Case-Book). Below is a pertinent snippet, for a link to the full work (and links to others) look further below under the FURTHER Kaplowitz Media. READING header.

The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
Circus folk, a lion attacks, and a murderous love triangle!

The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place
H and W go fishing, then to the ponies, and then to a crypt!

Now let's take them separately for a couple-few paragraphs of thoughts per...

THE ADVENTURE OF THE VEILED LODGER [VEIL]

This one is book-ended with or by points of interest. At its onset, we get a clean 23-year total as to the length of Homes' years in practice (seventeen with Watson in tow). More of note than even that, however, is that we're told these years are in the "late Victorian era." This particular tale was penned in 1927. Some 26 years removed from that point in or of time.

Perhaps my aforementioned 'more of note than even that,' is subjective. Okay, it most assuredly is. Nevertheless, from The Return of Sherlock Holmes on through His Last Bow, and Case-Book (and The Valley of Fear) all are written outside of the Victorian era yet are predominantly set there. I recall years ago being hit with the epiphany that Sherlock Holmes is a period piece. Forgive me, I was young. Younger than I am now. Okay, it was a couple of months ago.

Vincent Starret did make it clear in his immortal 221B poem that it is, indeed, "Always eighteen ninety-five."

The other end of this not-really-mystery, but it does clearly state 'Adventure' (a common discernment commonly ignored) is a quite Godly or at least potentially God-fearing Holmes. He who "Pointed with some pride to a small blue bottle upon his mantelpiece." That, of course, the Prussic acid he talked the woman out of ingesting. "Your life is not your own,' he said. 'Keep your hands off it." Ah, the kinder version of Holmes we hear so much about in this later canon.

THE ADVENTURE OF SHOSCOMBE PLACE [SHOS]

Oh, yes. The easily second-most popular Holmesian adventure involving horse racing and a dog, the other being Silver Blaze, naturally. A nice story, this one. Again, I wrote about a particular instance therein which you can find a link to below (a Curious Exchange). One other thing jumps out at me as a potential differentiation from earlier Holmes characteristics. "My name is Sherlock Holmes,' said my companion. 'Possibly it is familiar to you. In any case, my business is that of every other good citizen - to uphold the law."

Perhaps he is just posturing here but this attitude seems a far cry from the fellow who thumbed his nose at Scotland Yard (although mutual respect did begin to grow earlier in canon and throughout) and broke laws and also let loose a good few criminals from his net in the name of justice over law per se. Character development is never a bad thing. Although in cigars that could be seen as 'transitions' and not all those are good. Mainly though, cigars bitter and sour via progression (if bad) and we clearly see Holmes go the other way towards the sweetness of honey and its bees, and the eventual keeping thereof.

Also, some cigars just peter-out. Some people do one or somehow both of these things as well. Be they writers or their fictional creations. In closing and be all that as it may, I humbly and stubbornly ask you to read more canon, or at least begin there and dwell long enough to get a firm grounding. One of the niceties of public domain-hood is it'll be all the more available to readily do-so, as the door is flung fully open to reproductions of all sorts. Know the character before marrying or killing him--or even reading of such things done.

It's about respect, innit?

::: very :::

FURTHER Kaplowitz Media. READING

A Brief Set of Cases for the Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (Making a Case for the Case-Book)

The Heavy Mustache of Leonardo (and a Limerick in Ode to the Mustache Cup) | Also All About the Handlebar

On The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, Particularly on a Curious Sherlock Holmes Exchange Therein