Wild, dark business: The Sign of Four discussion, Part 1

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.  Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-sign-of-four https://twitter.com/improbablepod