Basic information

Abbreviation: SCAN (J. F. Christ, 1947)
Word length: 8.599 (C. E. Lauterbach, 1960)
First published: Strand Magazine, July 1891

Discussion Questions

• When Holmes comments “Wedlock suits you,” do you think he is being serious or sarcastic? Why?
• Why do you think Holmes doesn’t seem to take the case seriously at first? What changes his mind?
• How is Watson’s marriage relevant to the story? Is it relevant at all?
• Holmes calls Irene Adler "the woman" because she is unlike any other women he's met and she is able to outmatch him in intelligence and wit. Do you think this title is a compliment? What does his title for Adler say about Holmes general attitude towards other women?
• Why is Irene Adler’s intelligence depicted as “surprising?” How does this impact the story and the reader’s perception of her?
• What role does royalty play in the story?
• How is the theme of marriage and intimate relationships explored in the story?