This short paper is trying to show in how far Sherlock Holmes in the BBc version could be an exaggeration of something that we might call typical Englishness.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Britishness and English Identity
2. Analysis of Humour in BBC’s Sherlock
3. Social Interaction and the Question of Mental Disorder
4. Sherlock’s Perception and Environmental Relativity
5. Conclusion on Identity and Human Behaviour
Objectives and Core Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to examine the concept of "typical Englishness" through the lens of the BBC series Sherlock, investigating whether the protagonist serves as a realistic representation or an exaggerated stereotype of English cultural traits.
- The construction and hegemony of Englishness within the broader British identity.
- The function of irony and understatement as pillars of traditional English humour.
- The analysis of social dis-ease and the challenges of interpersonal communication in a modern cultural context.
- The relationship between environmental perception and the social labelling of "madness" versus genius.
Excerpt from the Book
BBC’s Sherlock - illustrating typical Englishness?
Great Britain and England are often confused because the stereotypes towards the British seemed to be compatible with those referring to English people. Britishness, however is a construction for the sake of uniting England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. “Britishness was defined as a ‘common identity’ which was founded in the imperialist project.” (Wachinger, 24) The definition of an English identity is narrowly bound to Britishness because “Englishness […] was not simply contained as just one part of the essential pluralist shape of Britishness. As a more narrowly defined identity Englishness exercised and always has exercised hegemony.” (Wachinger, 24) Since the Scots and the Welsh became more independent and the power of England was diminished (cf. Berger, 24) the identity of the English was questioned because there were clearly distinguishing cultural identities that separated the Welsh and the Scots from the concept of being British but English identity is still an abstract thing and rather a result of diversity within regional, social and historical past. (cf. Berger, 25) According to Freud „members of a group identify with the same object and therefore enter into a common identification with each other.” (Easthope, 16) Objects that refer to this definition are customs, behaviour and simple things like humour. The following analysis BBC’s Sherlock is my tool to analyse typical Englishness but this analysis goes beyond describing the tea drinking habits of Mrs Hudson. Sherlock does not only reflect a typical Englishman but seems to be an exaggeration of Englishness towards the level of a
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to Britishness and English Identity: This chapter establishes the theoretical distinction between Britishness and Englishness, highlighting the historical and cultural development of English identity.
2. Analysis of Humour in BBC’s Sherlock: This section explores how Sherlock Holmes utilizes irony and understatement as specific indicators of English culture and character.
3. Social Interaction and the Question of Mental Disorder: This chapter examines the protagonist's difficulties with social norms and non-verbal communication, questioning if these traits align with clinical conditions like ASD or represent "social dis-ease."
4. Sherlock’s Perception and Environmental Relativity: This part focuses on how Sherlock's unique way of processing information distinguishes him from others and influences his interactions with his environment.
5. Conclusion on Identity and Human Behaviour: The final chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that Sherlock reflects the relative nature of human behaviour and the influence of cultural norms on perception.
Keywords
Englishness, Britishness, Sherlock, Humour, Irony, Understatement, Social Dis-ease, Identity, Perception, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hegemony, Cultural Studies, Behaviour, Relativity, Mental Disorder
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper focuses on the cultural construction of Englishness and uses the BBC series Sherlock as a case study to identify how specific English personality traits are depicted.
What are the primary themes discussed in this work?
The central themes include the nature of English humour, the complexities of social interaction, the challenges of navigating social conventions, and the relationship between individual perception and cultural identity.
What is the main research question?
The research asks how the character of Sherlock Holmes reflects "typical Englishness" and whether his unique social behaviours should be classified as indicators of a mental disorder or as an exaggeration of English cultural traits.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The work applies a cultural studies analysis, referencing theoretical frameworks regarding national identity and behavioural norms alongside a close reading of selected episodes from the first two seasons of the show.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the analysis of English irony, the protagonist's "social dis-ease" regarding communication, his "mind palace" as a cognitive tool, and his general lack of empathy toward social conventions.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Englishness, Britishness, irony, social dis-ease, identity, perception, and behavioural relativity.
How does the author interpret Sherlock's rudeness?
The author interprets Sherlock's behaviour not merely as arrogance, but as a failure to conform to social conventions due to his unique way of processing the world, which deviates from standard social interaction patterns.
What role does the "Mind Palace" play in the author's argument?
The "mind palace" serves as an example of Sherlock's prioritization of cognitive efficiency over standard social activities, which the author links to the tendency of the English to rely on intuition and individual senses.
- Citation du texte
- Jennifer Schulte (Auteur), 2014, BBC's Sherlock. Illustrating typical Englishness?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/429010
