City in most urban gothics tend to be a labyrinth of mystery, a source of corruption and evil. The role that the city plays in creating evil is not limited to the labyrinth nature of the city which protects the crimes of antagonists and villains. The creation of evil and is association with the city is also influenced by the early Victorian perception of the city and the crimes that occurred in the city. Irene Adler the primary antagonist and villain, in the Arthur Conon Doyle’s “Scandal in Bohemia” (1891), outwits Sherlock Holmes – One of the greatest detectives and brilliant minds in literature to date. The nature in which if she operates, is helped by the nature of the city which encourages, promotes and even hide the criminality and violence. …show more content…
But the question rises why London has been the centre for mystery in many of these gothic fictions. The answer lies in the mindset of an era clouded by construction, smoke and novelty – the Victorian era. London is even to date, a world within its own and during the Victorian era, London was a source of major construction and a source extreme development of certain industries. New buildings and affluent developments went hand in hand with the overcrowded slums of London where the worst living conditions possible manifested within themselves. The Golden age of steam and coal mining also spelled the beginning of pollution which in turn led to a number of social costs including Dehumanisation of work, child labour starting at tender ages of 3 and four, to extreme pollution and disease. Though the conditions worsened for some, the middle class grew, and those well-off in society were ignorant of the suffering in the slums. Thus the London population was not of distinct social class and these societal differences brought fourth fear of these of other classes that quietly inhabited the city. Another factor that made London the perfect location for urban gothics was the fear of cities in the Victorian mindset -especially of London. The skyrocketing crime rates were also a major source of concern and fear for the Victorian society London. The pollution in London created thick fogs that made crime possible even during the daylight hours, and the unlit corridors and streets were notorious for its crimes. The sense fear created by theses violent crimes and by the different societal interactions made cities strange, a threat, and a hunting ground for crime in the Victorian society. This lead to the belief that the cities were inherent sources