| Modern audiences, film makers, and producers appear to see Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as comedic figures. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's canonical literature may be funny, there seems to be a significant difference between the humor of the canon and the humor of more current adaptations. Throughout this thesis, I explore the evolution of wit in Sherlock Holmes by examining various adaptations, beginning with the original stories and ending with the most current pop culture production (BBC Sherlock, Season 4, 2017). Ultimately, I argue that there has been an evolution of humor and wit through several iterations of the stories. By excavating the textual unconscious, today's directors have arrived at a Sherlock Holmes who, unlike his early predecessors, is deliberately funny. The argument that follows addresses the question: by what mechanisms has Sherlock Holmes become funny in the one hundred and thirty years since he was first created?... |
