Plot Overview and Narrative Structure
Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the short story “A Scandal in Bohemia” to recount the adventures of Sherlock Holmes in solving a photography crisis. The King of Bohemia hired him to retrieve photo evidence of his affair with Irene Adler, which could potentially ruin his impending marriage to a King’s daughter. The story is divided into three sections, creating considerable suspense for readers who are compelled to anticipate the next move by the characters. Additionally, the narrative is told in the first person by Watson, who plays a minor role in the story. Subsequently, this provides readers with insight into the characters’ personalities.
Characterization of Irene Adler
Characterization is embodied throughout the tale as Adler displays a round personality by the end of the story, while the narrator remains flat. Watson follows through on the tasks given to him by Holmes and remains loyal to him. On the other hand, Adler is perceived differently at the beginning and end of the story.
Initially, she is portrayed as immoral because of her affair with the King, who is worried about being exposed and his plans destroyed. However, at the end of the story, she gets married and expresses her disinterest in ruining the King by telling Holmes, “As to the photograph, your client may rest in peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he.” (Doyle, 1981, pp. 12 -13). She leaves the photo for the detective to take to the King, who is surprised that Alder loves someone else and is married.
Challenging Victorian Gender Stereotypes
The author’s characterization of Irene Adler challenges the Victorian age’s conventions of women’s expectations. She is witty and can solve problems quickly, making her a match for Holmes’ problem-solving ability and thoughtfulness. She outwits the detective’s skills and follows him disguised as a man, undermining the era’s stereotypes that hold that women are intellectually inferior to men.
Additionally, Adler has an impressive opera singer career, and she intrigues many men. At the end of the story, Watson says that Holmes “used to make merry over the cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late” (Doyle, 1981, p. 13). The author wanted readers to see how some stereotypes can be incorrect and detrimental to a person because they undermine the abilities of others. Additionally, the story highlights the evolution of men’s perceptions of women.
Reference
Doyle, A. C. (1981). A Scandal in Bohemia. In The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (pp. 5-29). George Newnes.