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January 17, 2017 10:05 am  #1


Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

This post - and probably any replies - will contain huge spoilers from season 4, just so you are aware.

I've noticed a trend with Sherlock that intrigues me a bit - he is forgiving to the extreme to those people he like, or where he can see and understand the reason behind their actions.

- He still helps save Irene's life and keep in touch (-ish) after she tricked him, drugged him and beat him up.
- He fully supported and helped Mary after she shot him, threatened him and even drugged him again later.
- He was fully supportive and helpful towards John in his grief, even when John didn't want him around AND beat him up in the most horrific way.
- He hugged, helped and is still visiting (and brought the rest of his family) Eurus after she put him through the most horrific psychological mind game/torture ("vivisection").

I find this quite fascinating, as we know Sherlock has no qualms of being both cold, distant, rude, violent or even kill if he finds it necessary. In some instances - particularly with John - we know that his low self-estreem an own guilt also comes into play. But I don't tink that explains it all.

I think this is a good example of Sherlock's own, slightly different, moral compass. He simply doesn't hold grudges like normal people do, and it seems he doesn't really care much about what is being done towards his own person if he finds the person interesting(likeable, and - as mentioned - if he can understand and in any way himself support the reasoning behind the actions.

What do you guys think?


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January 17, 2017 10:14 am  #2


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

These are beautiful examples, Vhanja.
I think Ben gave the most succint explanation: love conquers all. And Sherlock is the most loving character of the whole show.


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January 17, 2017 10:24 am  #3


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I am not sure if this is any kind of moral compass. In the beginning I thought, maybe that is his low self esteem in regard to emotions and relationships... he isn't willing to loose people (which he wouldn't admit), even if they hurt him, he wants them to stay around him, so he is forgiving even if they hurt him. I thought it a bit unhealthy.

I think he holds grudges, though. He definitely pouts, even if he pretends not too. But, what I think is amazing, how very much he always tries to resolve issues. He isn't okay with letting people walk away, he goes after them - if he cares.

I see two cold sides of Sherlock: the one where he hides his emotions so he won't be hurt, and the other, where he deliberately is cruel to gain information or to solve a case.

Even if the first might be overcome now, the second will still be there, I think. Which I find interesting, because as we see with Mycroft in TFP, compassionate people find it rather hard to kill or to be cruel.

 


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January 17, 2017 10:54 am  #4


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I completely agree, Vhanja.  But first of all, I've got to say, I keep reading about how Irene drugged and beat Sherlock without a mention of the circumstances.  At that point she makes it clear that she will die if he takes her phone.  She tries to reason with him, and when that doesn't work, does pretty much the minimum physically to get him to give it up.  Was she just supposed to politely accept that she was going to die, because she didn't want to hurt Sherlock in any way?   Anyway, I think this one Sherlock clearly understands and forgives immediately - and is probably glad it happened (he didn't really want her to die).   The awful thing Irene does is tricking/seducing Sherlock into deciphering the code, and then sending it to Moriarty.  Sherlock forgives that too ... I think he realises that Irene is all about trying to protect herself.  And when she can't, he does it for her (I think he secretly likes the hero role too).

Had to get that off my chest, but yes I agree, Sherlock is very forgiving.  But I think that is partly because he can see straight to the heart of the issue.  As with Irene - her motivations are not vindictive, that we know of.   
It looks as if Mary never had any ill-feeling towards Sherlock and shot him to protect herself, not because she wanted to cause him pain/death. 
With John, I think he understands why John blames him, and feels guilt himself.  
With Eurus, I wonder if there's a little bit of guilt about not including her as a child - but also, I think he is compassionate.   And although Eurus is very extreme, and dangerous and did absolutely terrible things, her main motivation seemed to be that she wanted attention from Sherlock, rather than to hurt him.  She has a terrible life, locked in that prison, and Sherlock gives her a little bit of human connection. 

 

January 17, 2017 12:37 pm  #5


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

Sherlock Holmes is very humane and forgiving. This is pretty much ACD canon. He's sympathetic to people, even criminals. He lets some of them go free (I'm thinking of The Abbey Grange and The Boscombe Valley Mystery). But I think our BBC Sherlock has learned compassion over the years that we've watched him grow, he was fairly  cold and cruel in A Study in Pink.

 

January 17, 2017 1:21 pm  #6


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I think he was actually extremely self-sacrficing from the end of TRF on.  He doesn't fake suicide and disappear for two years for the fun of the game, I don't think, but to save people, at cost to himself.  (And now we know that his motivation/drive came from trying to save Victor and failing, then losing his sister, even if he doesn't remember). 

 

January 17, 2017 1:47 pm  #7


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

Good posts, guys. I especially agree with this.

Liberty wrote:

IBut I think that is partly because he can see straight to the heart of the issue. 

 


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January 17, 2017 2:27 pm  #8


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

Liberty wrote:

I think he was actually extremely self-sacrficing from the end of TRF on.  He doesn't fake suicide and disappear for two years for the fun of the game, I don't think, but to save people, at cost to himself.  (And now we know that his motivation/drive came from trying to save Victor and failing, then losing his sister, even if he doesn't remember). 

This is a really heartbreaking thought.

I also see Sherlock as a very forgiving person towards those he cares for.

Think of how he treated the FBI agent who hurt Mrs Hudson. There was nothing forgiving in him.

I wonder how easily he can forgive himself. Any thoughts about that?


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January 17, 2017 2:38 pm  #9


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I do think he struggles with forgiving himself, especially later on when has become more in touch with his emotions. For instance, how he struggled with Mary's death.


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January 17, 2017 2:57 pm  #10


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I think he's much less forgiving with himself than other people.  I agree about Mary's death - he completely accepts blame.  I'm not a fan of the beating scene in the mortuary, but it's clear that Sherlock thinks he deserves it and feels responsible.  It takes John to absolve him later.   And I wonder how much of that self-blame comes from not managing to find Victor - he knew the song was the key, but didn't work it out.  Although Eurus calling him "drowned Redbeard" suggests that it's already too late.  He didn't save Carl either, come to think of it. 

 

January 17, 2017 11:43 pm  #11


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

Schmiezi wrote:

Think of how he treated the FBI agent who hurt Mrs Hudson. There was nothing forgiving in him.

CIA agent, actually.  The man wasn't from the FBI.
 

 

January 18, 2017 4:35 am  #12


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

kgreen20 wrote:

Schmiezi wrote:

Think of how he treated the FBI agent who hurt Mrs Hudson. There was nothing forgiving in him.

CIA agent, actually.  The man wasn't from the FBI.
 

Right. Still, that doesn't change a thing I think. Sherlock is forgiving with those he loves and relentless if they get harmed.

I'm already kind of sorry for Rosie's first date. ;-)


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I still believe that love conquers all!

     

"Quick, man, if you love me."
 

January 18, 2017 7:30 am  #13


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

He'd probably screen the boyfriends like he did the guests at Mary's wedding!

 

January 18, 2017 11:44 am  #14


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

He'll have the same conversations with them as he did with Mary's ex. 


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January 18, 2017 4:54 pm  #15


Re: Sherlock and generousity/forgiveness (all seasons)

I definitely think the team managed to show the evolution of Sherlock into a generous and forgiving man.
He was usually harshest on Mycroft, although that was often the drugs talking.
I hope they have now come closer together, Sherlock did speak up for Mycroft during the confrontation with Daddy and Mummy.
The final scenes with Sherlock and Euros are so touching and fully show what a good man Sherlock has become.


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