Did Sherlock Holmes celebrate Valentine's day?
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to look back on Sherlock Holmes’ love life.. or lack of for that matter. Although we adore Sherlock’s witty sense of humour and mysterious ways, it seems that the ladies of his time weren’t quite so enamored with his unique personality.
Or perhaps it was Sherlock who wasn’t interested in following and finding a significant other as he’d already found his one true love - solving mysteries.
He’s just not that interested in you… or anyone?
There is much speculation around Sherlock’s sexuality, with the majority of Sherlockians concluding he was asexual. With little to no relationship history and hardly any mention of romance in any of the original stories this could be viable.
Fellow Sherlockians have implied that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle intentionally avoided references to Sherlock’s love life to further cement his character’s personality. With many assuming he was, in fact, a loner, and of course workaholic it makes complete sense that he simply did not have the time, desire, or empathy to ever hold down a relationship.
Benedict Cumberbatch who plays Sherlock in a recent BBC drama also believes he is this way inclined: “He’s asexual. He doesn’t want any, and it’s very purposeful on his part. I think he’s been burnt in the past. I think he also realizes he can’t beat female intuition; he can’t. So to embroil himself where he might be enslaved through adoration or sexual desire or any kind of power or chemistry to do with love is too big a risk for him.”
The one that got away?
On the other hand, many Sherlockians enjoy his whirlwind ‘romance’ with Irene Adler, labeling her as the only woman he ever shows interest in. Although she is only featured in one of the short stories ‘ A Scandal in Bohemia’, she does have quite a hold on him. Her incredible wit and cunning ways leave Sherlock completely charmed by her - had he finally met his match?
It is clear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing that his love is rooted in feelings of respect rather than affection, referring to her as ‘the women’, rather than using her name.
In more recent adaptations of the stories, however, Adler often adopts the role of Sherlock’s main love interest, always being played by beautiful Hollywood actresses. It is understandable why they wanted to add elements of romance to the story but we aren’t convinced she was the one who got away for Sherlock.
Partners in crime!
On the surface, Sherlock and Watson are one of the best crime-fighting duos in literacy history. For lots of fans, however, it goes a lot deeper than this. Many speculate that their bond is more than friendship. It is clear from all of the original stories how much love and trust they have for one another, but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never mentions, or even hints at it being anything more.
‘Johnlock’ as it is commonly known, has left many fans and even actors feeling unimpressed and frustrated by this platonic partnership. Although Sherlock is confused when Watson asks if he will be his best man in his marriage to Mary, we don’t think this is because he is heartbroken, more by the genuine offer to be someone's best friend.
Whether you believe them to be soul mates or not, it is completely up for interpretation!
Motherly love
Another notable character that Sherlock cares deeply for, particularly in recent depictions of the original stories, is his Landlady Mrs. Hudson. Her warm and welcoming personality, paired with the way she cares for Sherlock, cleaning up after him, and worrying about his health has resulted in a mother /son bond.
Although Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not detail much about their bond. We adore seeing Sherlock’s fondness for Mrs. Hudson in more modern work, often witnessing him being polite, considerate, and gentle towards the character, feelings that don’t often come naturally to him.
Throughout the years we have seen Sherlock’s character, and his relationships, grow. Have a theory regarding Sherlock’s loves? We’d love to hear from you!
Show your loved ones that you care this Valentine’s day with a Sherlock Holmes Tartan product.