Sherlock Holmes, A.S and Bipolar
Ok, so the term Asperger's Syndrome was coined in 1981. And bipolar....uh, I don't know very much about that...
But, does anyone know who the first person/or people were to look at the character of Holmes and think: He has A.S like characteristics.
I have the same question about bipolar disorder.
When did all these debates start?
I have heard of people with A.S being misdiagnosed with Bipolar and vice versa. Why is that? And is it a similar reason as to why people seem to say that Holmes has A.S, Bipolar, mixture of both? (Or none at all - he's a fictional character!)
Thank you.
Also, I apologize if I've posted in the wrong forum. I was differing between this one and Random Topics.
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jamieevren1210
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Hey. Well, I think he's definitely AS or at least BAP depending on what adaptation you're referring to.
Here's what I think: it depends on which adaptation you're referring to.
In the Canon, well I'm not sure because I can't figure out whether his behavior is simply Victorian-Bohemian (whatever...) or if he really has an ASD/is bipolar. (Speaking of bipolar, I think the differences are quite obvious to the trained eye.)
In the first few T.V. adaptations...same as Canon. Jeremy Brett's Holmes is so far the only Holmes who I perceive to be more bipolar than ASD.
In the BBC version, Cumberbatch plays a bored aspie Holmes who happens to be quite (adorably) conceited. He's what I would expect a 21th century aspie to look like.
In Guy Ritchie's two films the Downey Holmes appears to be ASish with random sparks of social grace and can be tactful if he tries. The sensory overload thing is emphasized in various scenes but that could be simply a part of the special effects.
I don't know when these debates started but I'd say they started a long long time ago, probably when the general public began to learn about AS.
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Hi,
I agree with all your points.
As to the Canon Holmes I have heard the Holmes experts (if only I can be paid to be a Holmes expert!) say that Doyle apparently based a lot of Holmes' behaviours and characterisitics on a friend, who in retrospect sounded like he may have had Asperger's. I think that this friend was not Dr Joseph Bell, but another friend. I could be wrong about that.
I like Brett and as you wrote he seems more bipolar than Aspie to me. I wonder if this is because Brett was also bipolar and clearly suffering a lot in the final episodes. I always feel a little sad to seem him bloated by the lithium tablets he was on.
I think that Cumberbatch's Sherlock is the most Aspie-ish Holmes so far.
I'm not too fond of Downey Jr's Holmes. I feel like the sensory overload moments have just been forced into the movie to show off the special effects. If Holmes was feeling overloaded then it hardly shows on his face.
Do you have a favourite Holmes?
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jamieevren1210
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Well, I got hooked with Downey's Holmes but expanded my horizons to include other adaptations.
Now I can hardly decide!
I think there was a scene in the movie in which Downey Holmes experienced a clear overload...wait...
Here it is!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=388-rOzD9SM[/youtube]
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