"Watson Was A Woman?" by Rex Stout (G)

[periwinkle27.livejournal.com]

Fandom: SHERLOCK HOLMES
Pairing: Gen
Length: 3,000 words
Author on LJ: no
Author Website: none

Why this must be read:
Just for something a little different, I present this. Never fear, I'll also post a review of a slash story tonight.

Rex Stout, in addition to being the author of the Nero Wolfe mysteries was a well-known member of the Baker Street Irregulars (the Sherlock Holmes readers group.) At one meeting he gave a slightly tongue-in-cheek presentation entitled "Watson Was A Woman."  He goes through the canon (Doyle's stories) to find quotes that sound feminine and presents them in his paper. The speech, which did not go over well with the group, was later printed in a magazine.

He demonstrates through the use of numerology, acrostics and other "proofs" the name of Holmes's wife and the details of their marriage.  I like it because it gets a little over-the-top and I find it a good parody of several books I've read that profess to find hidden messages in some item.

Stout maintained for many years that Holmes and Irene Adler were involved and had a child. He wrote articles defending his theory that their child was Lord Peter Whimsey.

Also, from that one page I regarded the question of the Watson person's sex as settled for good. Indubitably she was female, but wife or mistress? I went on. Two pages later I found:

. . . his powers upon the violin . . . at my request he has played me some of Mendelssohn's Lieder. . .

Imagine a man asking another man to play him some of Mendelssohn's Lieder on a violin!


Watson was a Woman?

Comments

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember reading this the first time! Had no idea it was available on line. Thanks for the link!

[periwinkle27.livejournal.com]

boy you are quick!

You know, I'm really tempted to see how many people who are Man From U.N.C.L.E. fans are also SH fans - there seems to be a lot of cross-over.

[argosy.livejournal.com]

Oh how awesome. Thank you for this!

[periwinkle27.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome.

[mikes-grrl.livejournal.com]

Oooo! I'm not a huge Homles fan, so while I've heard ref. to this essay, I've never read it. Thanks for the linky!

*dashes off to read*

[periwinkle27.livejournal.com]

I am also a huge Nero Wolfe fan, so I came onto the essay that way. I thought it was fun.

[lite-bright.livejournal.com]

Man, this fandom is so great. I had forgotten about this essay!

[vamysteryfan.livejournal.com]

That was such a classic essay. And I loved the rejoinder, where someone parsed Arthur Conan Doyle and found "Nuts to Rex Stout." Bhahahaha. Must find that essay

[periwinkle27.livejournal.com]

I had heard that the second person rearranged the title names to get that quote. I haven't been able to find a reference to it, but you might enjoy this Time Magazine article from 1944
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,885484,00.html

[vamysteryfan.livejournal.com]

Many thanks!