THE COLD WAR
“There’s an east wind coming all the same, such a wind as never blew on England yet. It will be cold and bitter, Watson, and a good many of us may wither before its blast. But it’s God’s own wind none the less and a cleaner, better stronger land will lie in the sunshine when the storm has cleared.”
So says Holmes in HLB, probably speaking of the World War, but it could also be of the new that advances, of the progress, of the new ideas. Thinking of BBC Sherlock as a rereading, an interpretation of the Canon, what significance could the Moffits have attributed to the wind of the east?
Let’s say that the theme of homosexuality is central. Let’s say that the fact that practically all the villains are homosexual is neither politically incorrect, nor caused by bad writing, hipocrisy, or a bad joke (although I can very well understand that it may not be appreciated at all, they are running on a line that is definitely too thin). It happens damn intentionally and that there is a reason behind it ( I think )
. In the period in which the Canon was written, homosexuality was a bad thing, at least it was considered a criminal thing. Even now it is not universally accepted. In BBC Sherlock many of the villains have ties to the east, Moriaty in the first place. We have the case of the Chinese circus, the Czech gallerist and also the Golem was from Czechoslovachia. There is the boy from Minsk to who Sherlock denies his help and there are the killers in TRF. During his “death” Sherlock, as well as Holmes, travels exclusively in East and in Serbia is captured and tortured. After his return the villains lose their ties with the east, they gradually become closer. There is Magnussen from Scandinavia, but then Culverton is English. But at that point, Eurus, the east wind, has arrived. Even the mess of AGRA happens in the East, Mycroft is always solving some international drama, Korea is mentioned, also in connection with Moran. Watson himself is no stranger to the joys and sorrows of the East. He was in Afghanistan from where he returned wounded in body and spirit (In the canon aboard the ship Orontes, name of a river that is known to flow in reverse). Everything that comes from the East is negatively connoted, but for Sherlock also the emotions are considered negatively. We are seeing reality from his point of sight. Contrary to the West there is repression. Mary is probably a former CIA agent, CIA agents intervene when Sherlock meets his sexuality, Irene. In America, Dr. Frankland began his studies on the HOUND project, an homophobic fog that can alter your behavior and change what you are and feel. Mrs. Hudson (whom I think represents Sherlock’s heart) was married to a dissolute man involved with drugs… perhaps a reference to a possible promiscuous past of Sherlock when he used drugs. But his heart was not involved, he just typed. Whatever it is, it’s been over, it’s been over in America. We are facing the most classic Cold War’s deployments. East against West. Waiting for the wind from the east to blow so strong as to break the wall (or the glass) and run free. I want to be free, said Moriarty. Small bonus, during the World War II, the code name for the invasion of the Soviet Union by the Axis was Operation Barbarossa (Readbeard). And someone used the same code to monitor the possible invasion of the east wind * usual quote about the coincidences * @ebaeschnbliah @gosherlocked @possiblyimbiassed @sagestreet @sarahthecoat @tjlcisthenewsexy @tendergingergirl @devoursjohnlock @loveismyrevolution @sherlockshadow
interesting thoughts!
Yes, very interesting thoughts, @raggedyblue What spontaneous comes to mind after reading this:
Jim Moriarty (the Hound of the Holmes?) and the East Wind, Eurus, ‘got on like a house fire’ (TFP). I have the feeling that, on a metaphorical level, everything related to places east of GB, represents Sherlock’s past, his repressed and resurfacing memories, the family history. Everything that made him the man he is today. On one sub-level this seems to deal with the charakter evolution of Sherlock inside this story. On another sub-level it seems to outline the history of the character Sherlock Holmes - his common representation - from past to present. Changing the one character in this story - Sherlock - might lead to a change in the perception of the character Sherlock Holmes as a whole.
The boomerang …. comes from Australia … that’s very far east of GB. A bommerang is a thing that comes back to the one who throwes it. The term ‘boomerang effect’ is also used as a description for something that goes wrong, for something that ‘backfires’ … something that leads to ‘unintended consequences’. The car in ASIB backfires the same moment the boomerang comes flying back and so the ‘blunt instrument’ killes the distracted hiker. That action definitely backfired in more than one way. And this 'backfiring’ case is the prelude for the appearance of Irene - the Woman - Adler. Mrs. Sex, who is instructed by Jim Moriarty, Mr. Sex, how to play the Holmes boys.
Me too … * usual quote about the coincidences * :)))))
Forgot to mention a main point: the changing of the character Sherlock Holmes seems to be done by Sherlock himself in this story. By taking on his own case - the pink one - and by investigating, deducing and evaluating himself. :)
The boomerang, right @ebaeschnbliah, when I had made the mental list of places to the east I had also thought about John’s trip to New Zealand but then I forgot about it. A trip made to get away from Sherlock, with a girlfriend, but I wonder how, he came back single, after a engine’s arrest metaphorical… but after all he traveled to the ends of the east, what would he ever expect? However, yes, the East can correspond to both Sherlock’s past and homosexuality, because the two are in some way connected and repressed. The emotions, his story, what he really is as a character in the series but also at the literary level.
Let’s say he’s solving the most important case in his life.
Very interesting thoughts, @raggedyblue and @ebaeschnbliah. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever disentangle the whole web of allusions and symbolism in this show. The whole East (Wind) metaphor goes far deeper than a lost sister. And I only just realised the clue about “getting on like a house on fire” which ties Eurus and Jim to Musgrave Hall and 221b as well.
Absolutely, @gosherlocked And I remember very well your wonderful meta 'Set this house on fire’. The 'house’ representing the human body. Translating this to the above mentioned words from Eurus, the East Wind … 'we got on like a house on fire’ …. doesn’t this mean that Mr.Sex (Jim) together with Eurus (East Wind) made a body burn? And isn’t LOVE called a 'burning thing' ?
The more wind, the higher the flames. :)))) And with that I’m back at '666 the number of the beast’ and the Great Burning of London in 1666 … the East Wind had a big role in that one as well. Also Isaac Newton, prisma and the colour of rainbows. :)))))
wow, VERY interesting discussion. I like the association of irene with the boomerang and the backfiring, because it feels like it confirms my headcanon that irene switches from team jim to team sherlock after he saves her at the end of ASIB. On the subtext level where she represents his libido, of course. But i like the idea for the surface level too.