From Damsel in Distress to Dominatrix: Women in Sherlock Holmes Stories

Abstract

My thesis examines the portrayal of women in three specific short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Case of Identity," "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" and "A Scandal in Bohemia." I look into the way women are portrayed in the stories and how they reflect on the Victorian societal norms and expectations towards women. I also analyze a BBC adaptation based on the short story "A Scandal in Bohemia" titled "A Scandal in Belgravia" and shed light on how the differences of the TV show episode and the short story affect the most progressive character, Irene Adler's portrayal.