Sherlock Holmes, a character invented by Arthur Conan Doyle, changes notably in many versions from different regions, times, and media. This review looks at two Sherlock Holmes versions: the original display from Conan Doyle’s writings and the feminist view in Enola Holmes (2020). Every version of Sherlock Holmes shows distinct social norms and cultural changes—especially regarding gender, skill, and role. This review explores how these displays drift from usual clichés, the norms they encourage in everyday life, their mental or behavioral effects, and the public responses to these shifts.
When it comes to similarities in both versions, both characters are very smart and brilliant detectives who use logical reasoning to solve mysteries. Also, in both versions, the characters are awkward in social settings, detached and quirky while finding it hard to follow everyday social rules and norms. Both versions mostly take place in London, centering on untangling complicated cases. For the supporting character, Doctor Watson is present in both versions to balance out Holmes’s smart ideas with human warmth.
The setting, characters, and themes of Sherlock Holmes adaptations differ. Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes, who lived in London in the 19th century, is a rational, distant investigator who relies on chemistry and disguise. He is modernized as a tech-savvy, socially isolated genius using forensic tools to solve crimes in the BBC’s Sherlock (2010). Enola Holmes (2020) highlights women’s independence in a patriarchal society by focusing on Sherlock’s teenage sister. While Sherlock’s cycles prioritize justice, logic, and modernization, Enola Holmes offers a new take on the Holmes heritage by examining identity and empowerment.
The classic example of the traditional investigator who just uses reasoning is shown in the original Sherlock Holmes. He is made more socially isolated but smart in the digital era by the BBC’s Sherlock. By examining the roles of gender and narrating the event from the viewpoint of a young woman, Enola Holmes adopts a novel approach that makes the story a journey of discovering oneself rather than merely solving crimes.
The adaptation transforms the detective genre by putting Enola Holmes at its core and providing young women with a strong, self-reliant character who is on level with Sherlock. This change highlights female intelligence and agency while challenging the conventional Holmes narrative, which emphasizes male intelligence.
While Nancy Springer’s character Enola Holmes defies Victorian gender stereotypes by claiming her independence, Sherlock Holmes represents the stereotypically masculine detective—logical and emotionless. According to Flegar (2023), Enola reinvents the detective job by defying social norms and embracing “girl power,” which is in line with current debates over gender representation in the media.
Enola Holmes and Sherlock both have exceptional deductive abilities, but society views them differently. Enola must overcome prejudices that undervalue women’s intelligence, whereas Sherlock is respected as a male investigator. As Gülsever (University of Bamberg) points out, Enola establishes her own specialty as a missing people detective, highlighting the gendered obstacles she must overcome to build her credibility.
The characteristics of Sherlock and Enola Holmes are greatly impacted by age, which shapes their viewpoints and experiences. While Enola, as a teenager, offers a new perspective that appeals to a younger demographic, Sherlock, as an experienced adult, gives authority and knowledge to his investigations. Because of her youth, the story can examine topics of personal development and self-discovery. According to Flegar, the movie adaptation “engages varied source material and generic conventions,” making it suitable for a younger audience. Their research techniques are influenced by this age gap, which also expands the breadth of their stories (SpringerLink).
The personalities and storylines that Sherlock Holmes and Enola Holmes are a part of are significantly shaped by their age differences. Sherlock is a well-known character in detective fiction because he is frequently portrayed as an experienced adult who adds a wealth of authority and knowledge to his investigations. Because of his age, he can approach issues with sophisticated logic and a profound comprehension of human nature. Enola, on the other hand, presents a novel viewpoint on the world as a teenager. Because of her youth, the narrative can examine issues of maturation, self-discovery, and personal development. Younger listeners find Enola’s viewpoint more compelling since they can identify with her struggles and changing identity.
This generational divide affects the kinds of stories that are told as well as how they handle investigations. The story can handle subjects that are pertinent to today’s audience by drawing on contemporary issues and sensitivities, especially through the figure of Enola. According to Flegar, the movie adaptation “engages varied source material and generic conventions,” making it suitable for a younger audience. By comparing Enola’s young viewpoint with Sherlock’s experience, the stories are given a different point of view, which improves their methods of investigation and the breadth of their stories.
References
Flegar, Ž. “Mediating Girl Power: A Cognitive Approach to Enola Holmes on Page and Screen.” Children’s Literature in Education 54 (2023): 585–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-022-09506-8.
Gülsever, G. Enola Holmes and the Detective Fiction Genre: A Comparative Analysis of Gender Roles in Detective Fiction. University of Bamberg. https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/9c00c5bf-1fd1-4be7-aef6-129d0f6291b5/content.
Azis, N. R., & Sunra, L. (Year). Gender Stereotypes in Enola Holmes: A Film Analysis of the Main Character. [https ://ojs.unm.ac.id/Eliterate/article/download/40696/19489]
Ajay Ajay
This criticism successfully compares Sherlock Holmes and Enola Holmes and highlights striking differences between gender, age, and cultural expectations. The author effectively shows how they are both excellent detectives but treated differently based on their identities. They also explain how Enola Holmes defies gender stereotypes, making her story more about empowerment and self-discovery than strictly crime-solving. The strongest facet of the analysis is gender. The author aptly illustrates the way in which Sherlock is acclaimed for being bright and Enola has to build herself in comparison to social expectations. This contention is supported through academic evidence in the form of Flegar (2023) and Gülsever (University of Bamberg), both of which focus on the presentation of gender through detective novels. Their comparison of the ages is also effective, explaining how Enola’s relative youthfulness makes her more relatable to modern-day audiences and how Sherlock’s age lends him credibility. A weakness of the essay is that it does not go all that deeply into the historical or cultural background of the characters. The writer does mention that Enola Holmes provides a feminist interpretation, but they could explain how that represents wider media and social change. More of the main points of the sources used would also strengthen the analysis. Also, the two images included (Sherlock and Enola) are effective at illustrating the dialogue, showing the contrast between the old-fashioned male detective and the new female version. Overall, this is a thoughtful and well-crafted analysis, but could be improved by investigating the more universal social implications of these character changes.