06.23.2022 - By However Improbable
A young woman named Mary Morstan comes to Baker Street with a most unusual problem… kicking off a tale of treasure, murder and romance. The Sign of Four blends decadence, imperialism, dark family secrets and literal buried treasure with an almost genre-bending romantic air and some interpersonal drama.
This is part 1 of 2 on our episodes covering Doyle's second novella. Today, we're building a theoretical backbone for this story, and examining what Holmes's actions and conflicts symbolize. We discuss Holmes's drug use as a symbol for London as a whole, what Doyle might have been trying to say about empire and power, and how SIGN is kind of like a noir.
Content warning: Drug use, murder, and serious themes of imperialism and racism. So much racism.
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