2.
The women in the stories, “ A Scandal in Bohemia” and “ The Adventures of the
Speckled Band” have contrasting personalities. The stories were set in the Victorian Era which was from 1837 to 1901 when Queen Victoria was in power. This period is known for its strong ethics. In the Victorian Era, women were supposed to concentrate their lives on their husband and children. Sherlock Holmes has varying opinions of the two women in the stories. He has more respect for Irene Adler, from “A Scandal in Bohemia,” then he does for Helen Stoner, from
“The Adventures of the Speckled Band.” Irene Adler and Helen Stoner are two very different women, and Holmes has unlike opinions of them.
In “A Scandal of Bohemia,” Watson says that Holmes always refers …show more content…
Holmes also interrupts her multiple times to make sure she’s telling the story correct, (page 158). This shows that Holmes views himself as superior to not only her but all women.
The two women in the stories are very different characters. Like Holmes, Irene Adler is very smart and independent, however, from what one knows about Helen Stoner, she is not very independent and not as smart as Holmes and Adler. Irene Adler shows bravery when she boldly leaves a note for Holmes saying she has left. This is brave because she didn’t know what Holmes would do and if he would come after her or not, but she took the risk. Helen Stoner, on the other hand, came straight to Holmes when she thought that she may be in jeopardy. This does not show signs of bravery because she looked for help at the first sign of danger. Doyle is trying to show that although women were seen as less superior and intelligent than a man, women are actually capable of the same things as men. He showed the change of Holmes’ opinion between the two women after one outsmarted him.
During the Victorian Era, the setting of the stories, women were seen as supposed to be in the household to care for their husband and children. How the women are treated in the