Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories to the BBC Adaptation Sherlock.“
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DIPLOMARBEIT / DIPLOMA THESIS Titel der Diplomarbeit / Title of the Diploma Thesis „The Familiar and the Strange: Transmedial changes in serial narration from Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories to the BBC adaptation Sherlock.“ verfasst von / submitted by Amra Hodžić angestrebter akademischer Grad / in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magistra der Philosophie (Mag. phil.) Wien, 2019 / Vienna, 2019 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt / degree A 190 344 299 programme code as it appears on the student record sheet: Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt / degree UF Englisch, UF Psychologie und Philosophie programme as it appears on the student record sheet: Betreut von / Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sylvia Mieszkowski, MA Declaration of Authenticity I hereby declare that the present paper was conceived and composed all by myself. Verbatim quotations as well as any ideas or passages borrowed and paraphrased from the works of other authors are truthfully acknowledged and identified in the paper. References to primary and secondary sources are all fully and clearly stated in the bibliographical section. Vienna, 2019 Amra Hodžić Acknowledgments To be quite frank, this last year of finishing my studies and writing my diploma thesis has been the most challenging time of my academic career so far. In stressful times like these, it is important to have a supportive environment, which is why I would like to dedicate these words to those people who helped me accomplish my goal and finish my studies. First and foremost, I cannot even begin to express the gratitude I feel towards my family. Mom, you have not only enabled a carefree education for me, which I will never take for granted, but you have also been my safe haven whenever times got rough. Words are not enough to describe how thankful I am for everything you are and everything you helped me become. To my brother Amir, I am endlessly grateful for all the times you brought me back to reality when I was about to lose my head. You were the one to pick me up and dust me off when I fell down. You always had the right words to boost my motivation when I needed it the most, even if sometimes I felt like one of your patients (just kidding). You are so much more than my brother, you are everything to me. Dad, I wish nothing more than for you to be here and see your little girl graduate from University. You are the fixed star on my horizon and I carry you in my heart for eternity. A special thanks is also necessary to all of my friends who listened to me whine about all the work I had to do and still never judging me for postponing my deadline approximately a hundred times. You are the real MVPs. Moreover, I would like to thank my friend Nicole who was the first to proofread my thesis and thereby had the hardest job trying to make sense of my confusing first try. But more importantly, I would like to thank Amila for editing my final version and helping me give my thesis the last touch it needed. Last but definitely not least, I would like to express my gratitude towards my supervisor Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sylvia Mieszkowski, MA. I sincerely admire your passion for literature and appreciate the enthusiasm you showed for my topic as well as the effort you put in every detailed and thorough feedback. During this past year, you pushed me to limits I did not know I had, which I honestly appreciate for it helped me give my everything and put it in the 94 pages to follow. Without your help, your knowledge and your eye for both detail and the bigger picture, my thesis would not be what it is today. Table of Contents Table of figures .................................................................................................................. 7 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 8 2. ADAPTATION STUDIES ....................................................................................................... 12 2.1. Different perspectives ................................................................................................ 12 2.2. Adapting written work into film ................................................................................ 15 2.3. Television studies, streaming platforms & detective stories ..................................... 17 3. NARRATION AND SERIALISATION ...................................................................................... 21 3.1. An Introduction .......................................................................................................... 21 3.2. Narrative structure – series, serials, and narrative complexity .................................. 27 3.2.1. Narrative toolkit for a transmedia analysis......................................................... 34 3.2.2. Analysis .............................................................................................................. 37 3.2.2.1. A Study in Scarlet vs. “A Study in Pink” ........................................................ 37 3.2.2.2. “A Scandal in Bohemia” vs. “A Scandal in Belgravia” ................................. 48 3.2.2.3. “The Final Problem” vs. “The Reichenbach Fall” ......................................... 55 3.2.2.4. “The Adventure of the Empty House” vs. “The Empty Hearse” ................... 61 3.2.2.5. Interpretation .................................................................................................. 68 4. FAMILIARITY, INNOVATION AND ITS PLEASURES............................................................... 70 4.1. Idyllic world – the familiar pattern and its infinite character .................................... 72 4.2. Never change a winning team – recurring (main) characters .................................... 78 4.3. Memento – How forgetting is crucial for remembering ............................................ 86 5. FANDOM ............................................................................................................................ 94 5.1. Stereotypical Fan culture ........................................................................................... 95 5.2. Participatory Culture in Convergence Media - how the fans shape the story ......... 100 6. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 105 7. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 110 7.1. Primary sources ....................................................................................................... 110 Original stories by Conan Doyle .................................................................................... 110 BBC adaptation .............................................................................................................. 110 7.2. Secondary sources ................................................................................................... 110 Appendix ............................................................................................................................ 114 Abstract English ............................................................................................................. 114 Abstract German ............................................................................................................ 115 Table of figures Figure 1: Sherlock Holmes Silhouette (http://booksoulmates.blogspot.com/2012/05/discussion-characters-to-remember.html) 27 Figure 2: Reciprocity of production, reception, distribution and serial text (Fröhlich 20) 28 Figure 3: Freytag’s pyramid (https://problogservice.com/2017/08/17/understanding- freytags-pyramid-content-marketing/) .............................................................................. 31 Figure 4: Structural visualisation of episodic series and serials (Fröhlich 76) ................. 32 Figure 5: Type and narrative techniques combine to cliffhangers (Fröhlich 258) ............ 35 Figure 6: Sherlock Holmes & Dr Watson ......................................................................... 47 Figure 7: Sherlock's jump .................................................................................................. 59 Figure 8: Sherlock's silhouette in the finale cliff............................................................... 60 Figure 9: Sherlock's first reappearance ............................................................................. 63 Figure 10: new criminal mastermind ................................................................................ 66 Figure 11: First appearance of Sherlock Holmes .............................................................. 80 Figure 12: Sherlock mirroring Moriarty's mimic .............................................................. 83 Figure 13: Moriarty & Sherlock "shaking hands in hell" .................................................. 83 Figure 14: Irene Adler Close-up ........................................................................................ 84 Figure 15: Sherlock & Irene Adler .................................................................................... 84 Figure 16: Anderson .......................................................................................................... 96 Figure 17: Fan club member ............................................................................................. 97 Figure 18: Anderson's nervous breakdown ......................................................................