Sherlock Holmes isn't Who You Think He is
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the enduring enigma of Sherlock Holmes, exploring whether his character is merely a 'brain' or if there's more depth beneath the surface. It challenges the notion that Holmes is solely defined by his logical intellect, suggesting that his complexities, personal habits, and emotional moments contribute to his iconic status. The script also hints at a deeper investigation into the man behind the myth, Arthur Conan Doyle, through a companion show called 'Worldsmiths,' offering a unique perspective on the creative process.
Takeaways
- 🔍 Sherlock Holmes is considered an iconic character, renowned for his logical reasoning and dedication to solving mysteries.
- 🧠 Holmes is often described as a 'brain', with his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, emphasizing his inhuman, logical intellect.
- 📚 The speaker questions whether Holmes' enduring appeal is solely due to his logical intellect or if there's more to his character that captivates readers.
- 🎻 Holmes has a surprising appreciation for the arts, especially the violin, which he plays with passion and emotion.
- 🕵️♂️ Despite his claim of having no room for 'useless pursuits', Holmes shows a flair for the dramatic and the performative, enjoying the applause of his audience.
- 👮♂️ Holmes is not strictly bound by the law; he has his own code of chivalry, sometimes choosing to protect individuals over strict legal adherence.
- 🏠 Holmes is depicted as an untidy individual with personal habits that drive his fellow lodger, Watson, to distraction.
- 💊 The character's personal life is in disarray, including his health and social life, with Holmes being a cocaine addict and displaying periods of hyperactivity and laziness.
- 🤝 Despite his flaws, Holmes has genuine friends who love and mourn him, showing that he is more than just a brain to those who know him.
- ❤️ In a rare moment, Holmes reveals a deep capacity for loyalty, feeling, and love, contradicting his usual cold and calculating demeanor.
- 🌹 Holmes's appreciation for the beauty of life, such as flowers, suggests that there is more to his character than just his intellect and detective work.
Q & A
What is the main character of the video script, and why is he considered an icon?
-The main character is Sherlock Holmes, who is considered an icon due to his status as a logical reasoning machine and an eternal character known for his ability to unravel complex mysteries and outsmart criminals.
What does the script suggest about Sherlock Holmes' character beyond his logical intellect?
-The script suggests that there is more to Holmes than just his logical intellect. It hints at a deeper mystery within his character, including aspects of his personal life and habits that may contribute to his enduring appeal.
What is the 'mystery of character' referred to in the script?
-The 'mystery of character' refers to the enigmatic nature of Sherlock Holmes as a person, beyond his role as a detective. It involves exploring how much of his character lies within the readers and how they perceive him beyond his professional persona.
How does the script describe Holmes' approach to his work and other aspects of life?
-The script describes Holmes as being fully dedicated to his work, considering anything outside his occupation as 'mere extras appendixes.' He is also depicted as having personal habits that are untidy and chaotic, contrasting with his methodical approach to detective work.
What is the significance of the violin in Holmes' life as mentioned in the script?
-The violin represents an exception to Holmes' strict focus on his detective work. It shows that despite his claim of having no room for 'useless pursuits,' he has a flair for the artistic and dramatic, and it serves as a means for him to express a more emotional side.
How does the script contrast Holmes' public persona with his private character?
-The script contrasts Holmes' public persona as a logical and calculating detective with his private character, which includes untidy habits, a love for the violin, and a capacity for loyalty, feeling, and love, as revealed in the incident with Watson and the criminal killer Evans.
What is the 'extra' that Holmes admits to having in his life, according to the script?
-According to the script, the 'extra' that Holmes admits to having in his life is his appreciation for the violin and the artistic, which contrasts with his otherwise strict dedication to his detective work and logical reasoning.
How does the script describe the relationship between Holmes and Watson?
-The script describes the relationship between Holmes and Watson as one of genuine friendship and mutual respect. Watson is shown to be both amazed and concerned by Holmes' character traits, and their bond is highlighted by Watson's concern for Holmes' well-being and Holmes' protective reaction to Watson's injury.
What is the 'Worldsmiths' show mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to the main content?
-The 'Worldsmiths' show is a separate series that delves into the lives, influences, methods, and personal stories of artists, including authors like Arthur Conan Doyle. It relates to the main content by providing additional context and insights into the creators behind the art, enhancing the understanding of characters like Sherlock Holmes.
What is the promotional offer mentioned in the script, and how can viewers access it?
-The promotional offer mentioned in the script is a deal for the Curiosity Stream Nebula bundle for $14.79 a year, which is less than $1.25 a month. Viewers can access this offer by visiting curiositystream.com/tailfoundry and using the code 'tailfoundry' to sign up.
How does the script suggest that readers' perceptions of Holmes evolve over time?
-The script suggests that readers' perceptions of Holmes evolve from seeing him as a simple, plot-driven character to recognizing the depth and complexity of his personality, which includes his untidy habits, artistic flair, and hidden capacity for loyalty and love.
Outlines
🕵️♂️ The Enigma of Sherlock Holmes
This paragraph delves into the enduring character of Sherlock Holmes, questioning whether his appeal lies solely in his logical intellect or if there's more to his character that captivates readers. It challenges the notion that Holmes is merely a 'brain' and suggests that his depth and complexity might be the true reasons for his timeless popularity. The script also introduces a secondary show called 'Worldsmiths,' which explores the lives and influences of artists, including a recent video about Arthur Conan Doyle, providing context to the discussion on Holmes.
🎻 The Multifaceted Personality of Sherlock Holmes
The second paragraph explores the complexities of Sherlock Holmes beyond his reputation as a logical reasoning machine. It discusses Holmes's aversion to emotions, which he considers detrimental to clear reasoning, and his indifference to societal norms and love. However, it also highlights exceptions to this persona, such as his appreciation for the violin and his flair for the dramatic. The paragraph reveals Holmes's flexibility in his moral code, showing instances where he has chosen to act outside the law for the sake of justice, and his untidy personal habits that contrast with his methodical thinking.
💔 The Unexpected Humanity of Sherlock Holmes
This paragraph uncovers the hidden humanity of Sherlock Holmes. Despite his self-proclaimed status as a mere brain, the narrative reveals moments of loyalty, feeling, and love, particularly in his relationship with Watson. It provides an account of Holmes's protective reaction to Watson's injury, suggesting a depth of character that goes beyond his analytical prowess. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on Holmes's appreciation for beauty and the 'extras' in life, hinting at a capacity for sentiment beneath his cold exterior.
🌹 The Artistry and Life of Arthur Conan Doyle
The final paragraph shifts focus to the author behind Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, and promotes a video on the 'Worldsmiths' show that explores his life and inspirations. It discusses the creative process and the sources of Doyle's iconic stories, encouraging viewers to understand the artist behind the art. The script also addresses the challenges of content creation on platforms like YouTube and praises the supportive environment of Nebula, a streaming platform for creators. The paragraph concludes with an offer for viewers to access both Nebula and Curiosity Stream at an affordable price, highlighting the value and variety of content available on these platforms.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sherlock Holmes
💡Logical Reasoning
💡Character Archetype
💡Mystery
💡Intellect
💡Appendix
💡Emotional Attachment
💡Artistic Flair
💡Chivalry
💡Untidy Habits
💡Human Love
Highlights
Sherlock Holmes is described as an iconic, eternal character known for his logical reasoning and dedication to solving mysteries.
Holmes is often seen as a 'brain', with his life's work being more important than any personal relationships or emotions.
The speaker questions whether Holmes' enduring appeal is solely due to his logical intellect or if there's more to his character.
The video discusses the possibility of a deeper mystery within Holmes' character, beyond his role as a detective.
Watson's first impression of Holmes sets the tone for how most people perceive him, as a man of extraordinary deductive abilities.
Holmes is portrayed as having narrow and concentrated habits, with little interest in anything outside his detective work.
The character of Holmes is revealed to have a surprising appreciation for the violin, showing a softer side to his personality.
Holmes is shown to have a flair for the dramatic and performative, despite his claims of indifference to anything outside his detective work.
The video explores Holmes' complex relationship with the law, as he sometimes takes it into his own hands based on his own sense of justice.
Holmes' personal habits are described as untidy, contrasting with his methodical approach to detective work.
Despite his flaws, Holmes is shown to have friends who genuinely care for him, revealing a human side to his character.
A pivotal moment in the series reveals Holmes' deep loyalty and love for Watson, contradicting his cold and calculating persona.
The speaker suggests that Holmes' enduring appeal may be due to the human qualities that lie beneath his detective persona.
The video also discusses the author Arthur Conan Doyle, hinting at a deeper connection between the creator and his creation.
A call to action is made for viewers to explore the character of Holmes further, likening the process to a detective investigation.
The video promotes a streaming platform called Nebula, which hosts additional content about Doyle and other artists.
A special offer is presented for a bundle deal between Curiosity Stream and Nebula, providing access to a wealth of content for a low monthly price.
Transcripts
heads up next week's video is already out waiting to be watched over on nebula stay tuned for more
details Sherlock Holmes is an icon an eternal character who we all know and love Maura's
symbol to most of us than a person he is a brain a logical reasoning machine a man who's dedicated
himself more fully to his life's work than almost any other he lives to unravel puzzles plots
conundrums intrigues he sniffs out the diamond Thief he deciphers the Sinister message written
in a code of dancing stick figures he foils the elaborate plans of the thieves tunneling into the
bank right under the noses of the police more than once he outsmarts the cunning schemes of
his own would-be assassins I am a brain Watson he says to his friend the rest of me is mere appendix
even his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said in an 1892 interview Sherlock Holmes is utterly inhuman
no heart but with a beautifully logical intellect but after wearing down my own home's collection to
a stack of dog ears rounded corners and yellowed pages I have to wonder is that really true is
Sherlock Holmes really just a brain was it really only the beauty of his pure logical intellect that
made Holmes one of the most enduring characters of the last century is it his unchanging static
familiar nature that makes us love him so much I'm not so sure I know him too well at this point
to just accept that idea I can't help but think there's something else here another deeper mystery
perhaps the longest running most important most interesting question in all of Sherlock Holmes's
Adventures is something a bit less spectacular maybe it isn't the ominous puzzle of the Hound of
the Baskervilles or the search for the scandalous photo of the king of bohemia or the race against
the malevolent schemes of his greatest opponent the criminal mastermind Moriarty maybe Holmes's
greatest mystery is himself the mystery of this man who is only a brain of the life
that is mere appendix the mystery of character and how much of it lies within us the readers
[Music]
did you know that we make more than YouTube videos it's true we actually make an entire second show
called worldsmiths we talk a lot about art on this channel but worldsmiths is where we peel
back the pages and enter the worlds of the artists themselves their influences their methods their
lives in fact just earlier today we released a video about Arthur Conan Doyle the author behind
Sherlock Holmes it'll honestly give a lot of context on this video that you're watching right
now you can also see next week's tail Foundry video on nebula right now it's already up waiting
to be watched no need to wait a whole another week sign up for the Curiosity stream nebula bundle
deal for just 14.79 a year that's less than 125 a month and get more tail Foundry than you've ever
had before visit curiositystream.com tailfoundry and use code tail Foundry to get started
Watson's first impression of Holmes Really forms the foundation for everyone's impression of the
character how are you he said gripping my hand with a strength for which I should have hardly
given him credit you have been in Afghanistan I perceive how on Earth did you know that I asked
an astonishment Holmes chuckled his powers of deduction are clear right from the start it's
the first thing we know about him and the most obvious thing about him forever after over the
years Watson comes to no homes as a man of habits narrow and concentrated habits chances are if it
isn't somehow related to the art of detection he isn't concerned with it in fact Holmes
himself is known to refer to anything outside his occupation as mere extras appendixes trivialities
you see he explains I consider that a man's brain is originally like a little empty attic and you
have to stock it with such Furniture as you choose a fool takes in all the lumber of every sword he
comes across her skillful Workman is very careful indeed it is a mistake to think that that little
room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent it is of the highest importance therefore
not to have useful facts elbowing out the useful ones to Watson and I'm sure to every reader
in the audience the revelation of how little Holmes knows outside his incredible skill set
was at least as profound as the discovery of his expertise what a shock to learn that Holmes the
inimitable sleuth one of the cleverest characters in all fiction doesn't even know that the Earth
travels around the Sun but the deuce is it to me says Holmes you say that we go around the Sun if
we went round the Moon it would not make a penny worth a difference to me or my work and it's not
just information home sees this way emotional attachments and all forms of society are also
just extras to Holmes the emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning he says
in Watson's words grit in a sensitive instrument or a crack in one of his high power lenses
would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his and I suppose
somewhat predictably following all of that he's especially averse to the Grand emotion of love
you really are an automaton a calculating machine Watson cries one day at his flatmate
flabbergasted by Holmes's indifference to a visit from the most Charming young lady he'd ever seen
there is something positively inhuman in you at times
according to Holmes he is his mind and his mind is detective work I am a brain Watson the rest of
me is mere appendix honestly that's kind of what he looks like to the Casual reader that's what I
thought of him at first that's what I thought of him before I ever picked up one of his stories
through second-hand Impressions and pop culture osmosis I know Holmes as the brain the icon the
Paragon of all genius detective characters I went into page one expecting a plot-driven adventure
about a two-dimensional simple monolithic character with a single face but as I made
my way through the stories I began to recognize a subtle Force driving me forward something distinct
from all the individual mystery plots that deeper mystery I mentioned at the video start
I was drawn in and rather than getting stale it was getting more and more fun the further I went
I very quickly began to realize that homes cannot just be a brain he is a brain but there's too much
Nuance there too much depth too much complexity he was rapidly becoming more than this archetypal
greatest detective without Ever Changing going through a character Revelation or Arc he was
evolving before my very eyes although Holmes declares no room in his mental attic for useless
Pursuits he makes a striking exception for the violin oftentimes Watson hears him scraping away
with the instrument on his knee lost in thought he recalls one seeing Holmes in a concert hall
wrapped in the most perfect happiness gently waving his long thin fingers in time to the
music his gently smiling face and his languid dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes the
sleuth Hound Holmes the Relentless keen-witted ready-handed criminal agent as it was possible
to conceive despite his proclamation of strict indifference to anything outside his field of work
Holmes clearly has a flair for the artistic the dramatic and the performative according to Watson
Holmes is as sensitive to flattery on the score of his art as any girl could be of her beauty
at times when his friends applaud a particularly brilliant deduction or solution he even blushes
and gives a bow like the master dramatist who receives the homage of his audience it was at
such moments that for an instant he ceased to be a reasoning machine and betrayed his human love for
admiration and Applause and that's not the only place we see him making a little extra room in his
carefully arranged mental attic at times Holmes has been known to take the law into his own hands
yes he's largely on the side of the police but his sense of right and wrong is less a matter of Law
and more like a code of chivalry he's kept secrets that would have served as really good evidence
just to protect the reputation and happiness of the families involved in the crimes he's
investigated he's allowed criminals to walk free when he believed that the expected punishment was
undeserved more than once he stepped outside the bounds of what would strictly be considered legal
where's your warrant asks the man home suspects of kidnapping
Holmes half draws a revolver from his pocket this will have to serve till a better one comes
why you're a common burglar so you might describe me says Holmes cheerfully my
companion is also a dangerous Ruffian and together we are going through your house
so despite his buttoned up psyche The Selective space of his mind we know he's a bit of a thespian
and we know he's a bit of a rogue but more shocking than either of these he's also according
to Watson the very worst tenant in London although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and
most methodical of mankind he was nonetheless in his personal habits one of the most untidy men
that ever drove a fellow lodger to distraction Holmes keeps his cigars in the call settle his
tobacco at the toe end of a Persian slipper and his unanswered correspondence transfixed by a
jackknife into the very center of his wooden mantelpiece he plays music at strange hours
conducts malodorous scientific experiments he even to Watson's grief decorates the wall opposite his
armchair with an array of aesthetic bullet pox it's not just his home he's untidy with either
it's his habits his health his social life all of these things exist in a shocking state of disarray
he's a cocaine addict he operates at a hyperactive Pace punctuated by periods of catatonic laziness
he's possessed of a certain insensitivity and a sardonic lack of patience with any intellect
lesser than his own which is most of them in one story he remarks to Watson I cannot at the
moment recall any possible blunder which you have omitted even with all of that perhaps the most
telling thing of all is that he has friends at all Watson and the long-suffering landlady Mrs Hudson
do genuinely love him and they're among those who mourn his death in the Fatal confrontation with
Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls they're also the ones who Rejoice upon his miraculous return they
see just as the reader comes to see that Holmes is more than just a brain that there is something
within him Beyond his work beyond the archetype we all know that is worthy of admiration and love
make no mistake Holmes is everything he claims he is a brain he is an automaton he is narrow and
mechanical and calculating but I'm not convinced that those are the things which have entrenched
him in our minds and our hearts as readers I'm not sure that his status is world's greatest detective
is what makes you read all four novels and all 58 short stories I think the mystery of Holmes is the
human being that lurks beneath those things and it's our task as readers to detect and uncover it
Holmes himself whose scoffs at all things of the heart would probably mock this sentiment however
there is a single moment late in the series where he reveals himself as a definite hypocrite
he and Watson have cornered their suspect the infamous criminal killer Evans stands at the
end of their pistols trapped then suddenly Evans fires off two shots one grazing Watson's leg I
felt a sudden hot sear as if a red Iron had been pressed to my thigh recounts Watson there was a
crash as Holmes's pistol came down on the man's head then my friend's wiry arms were around me
and he was leading me to a chair you're not hurt Watson for God's sake say that you are not hurt
it was worth a wound it was worth many wounds to know the depth of loyalty and love which
lay behind that cold mask the clear hard eyes were dimmed for a moment and the firm lips were
shaking for the one and only time I cut a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a Great Brain all
my years of humble but single-minded service had culminated in that moment of Revelation
it's nothing Holmes a mere scratch a glimpse of a great heart as well as a great brain
when I first read that I myself felt like a patient detective whose long-abiding suspicion
had finally been confirmed by hard evidence aha I thought to myself I've got you Holmes you do
have a heart you are more than a brain for one time and one time only we see that last piece
of Holmes's puzzle revealed the true depth of his capability for loyalty feeling and love we
see The Man Behind the icon the brain and the Heart [Music] what a lovely thing a rose is
Sherlock Holmes once said in a poetic mood our highest Assurance of the goodness of Providence
seems to me to rest in flowers all other things our powers our desires our food are all really
necessary for our existence in the first instance but this Rose is an extra its smell and its color
are an embellishment of life not a condition of it it is only goodness which gives us extras and
so I say again that we have much to Hope from the flowers Holmes's brain his intellect is the
only element of his character that's really necessary to the main plot of his stories
detectives solve crimes the rest of him his many quirks and complexities are by his own admission
extra Amir appendix and as he says it is only goodness which gives him these qualities they
color and embellish him not merely functional but lovely he is an icon he is that Eternal character
we've all seen countless times before in countless incarnations he is the brain the crime-solving
automaton those things stay the same over the course of all his stories unlike in so much
media we as readers aren't drawn in and compelled to read further by the changes he undergoes as a
person along his journey or compelled by the change in our own perspective as we watch him
by the secret Dimensions within this apparently flat iconic symbol of a character his heart is a
mystery left up to the audience to solve and that detective is the most interesting investigation
in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes but it's not everything there's another dimension to Holmes we
didn't touch on here at all Holmes is basically just his author Arthur Conan Doyle and boy is
that man interesting as writers and creatives I think we have a lot to learn from looking at how
he lived his life how he found the inspiration for his art the surprising places from which he
drew these some of the most iconic of all Tales so we made a whole video about it it's actually part
of a series we make outside of YouTube called worldsmiths We tend to focus more on the art
than the artist here on tail Foundry this show is really about encouraging you to go out and make
your own art to take the ideas and techniques of great artists and find new things to do with
them but worldsmiths is where we peel back the pages and enter the world of the artist behind
the art see how and why they do the things that they do you'll be surprised how much you learn
about yourself in the process we've already done a video on Clive Barker and we've got plans to cover
plenty of other authors and artists too like Terry Pratchett Neil Gaiman Ursula caliguin and so much
more you can watch all of it over on our streaming platform nebula if you're not familiar nebula is
just a paradise for video creators YouTube is kind of a crazy place to make content don't get
me wrong I'm happy to have this platform but you have to be so so careful careful about your topic
choices your packaging what you include in your videos you just start to feel like you're walking
on eggshells nebula doesn't have any of those concerns nebula really takes care of its creators
making sure we have all the love and support we need to make what we really want to make it's
honestly so nice because sometimes you just get tired of all the fuss sometimes you just want to
be an artist and nebula lets us do that and here's the really fun part you can get nebula for cheaper
than almost any other streaming platform on the internet like less than 125 per month that cheap
we want you to have access to worldsmiths and all our other nebula content so we teamed
up with another streaming platform called curiositystream who will give you a whole
year of nebula for free when you sign up with them so basically two streaming services and an
entire second Hill Foundry show worldsmiths for less than 125 a month and I cannot say
enough about how much I love curiosity stream as its own platform quality documentaries are
hard to find but quality documentaries about the things I care about myths and monsters
literature The Madness of creative minds yes yes this is where I want to be curiositystream has
documentaries about everything it'll definitely get your imagination working so here's how to
see our new show worldsmiths including that new episode about Arthur Conan Doyle all of nebula
and all of curiosity stream for less than 125 per month all you have to do is click the link
in the description or go to curiosity stream.com tail Foundry and sign up for one year using the
code tail Foundry that's it and that first year is only going to be 14.79 which again comes out
to less than 125 per month frankly I'm not quite sure how they can afford to do this for us but
I'm definitely not complaining seriously take advantage of this offer while it's still going
I don't think any better one exists in the world of streaming once you do come back and tell us
what you think of our new show I cannot wait to hear your thoughts anyway that's all for this one
keep your eyes peeled stay curious and as always keep making stuff up I'll see you next time bye
[Music]
[Music]
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