A Scandal in Bohemia

“A Scandal in Bohemia” depicts one of Holmes’s few failures as an amateur sleuth. The story shows Holmes outwitted by his female adversary Irene Adler and unable to complete his mission—retrieve a photograph for the King of Bohemia. Watson begins the short story with a description of Adler and how Holmes deeply admires her. In fact, Holmes regards her as the only woman of note: “And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman” (75). Watson’s description of Adler serves to highlight the dynamic relationship between Holmes and Adler as well as to foreshadow the role Adler will play in besting Holmes. Adler is a beautiful, intelligent, and artful woman. She is so extraordinary that the King of Bohemia imparts that she would be a formidable queen, if only she were of higher social status. Adler’s consistent ability to outwit men, and Holmes in particular, develops the theme of The Subversion of Victorian England Gender Stereotypes. Clever Adler, like Holmes, uses disguise to transverse social and class spheres. False identity and disguise is a key motif that also supports the theme of