Masculinity In Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign Of Four

British empire in the 19th century was flourishing and no colony was more important to the British than India, which the story refers to, in the form of the unsuccessful 1857 Indian rebellion against British rule. Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four follows Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they try and solve the mystery Miss Morstan’s disappeared father and mysterious pearls she receives. In Conan Doyle’s depiction of London an influence of imperialism and Britain’s colonies is present in the décor of the home of Thaddeus Sholto, in the form of artwork, rugs, tapestries or according to the story “eastern luxuries”. There many possible themes to use in this book by Conan Doyle but the one in particular being gender roles and masculinity

“What was I, an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking-account, that I should dare to think of such things? If my future were black, it was belter surely to face it like a man than to attempt to brighten it by mere will-of-the-wisps of the imagination”. Watson being in a better status position society being a doctor was perhaps is confortable on first meeting Miss Morstan knowing she is a mere governess. The way she is described upon her arrival to present the case gives the sense she is a woman of limited means. Watson’s attitude soon changes when he finds out Mary may be the heiress of a fortune, causing him to question his masculinity and any chance he has with Mary. “Was it fair, was it honorable, that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker?” The treasure has Watson questioning what he could offer Mary if she did become that wealthy, what he could offer her if she jumped him in social standing and wealth. Watson regains his masculinity and Mary returns to a traditional gender role after the treasure is no longer looming over

“The treasure is lost,” said Miss Morstan calmly. As I listened to the words and realized what they meant, a great shadow seemed to pass from my soul. I did not know how this Agra treasure had weighed me down, until now that it was finally removed.” Miss Morstan’s calm attitude about the treasure being lost, she has the opportunity of a traditional role of being a wife. The way Watson celebrates it in the book it makes the value of the treasure and gaining a wife the same. The treasure almost created a role reversal for Watson and Miss Morstan and as the discovery that the treasure was gone the traditional roles are established and Miss Morstan goes from being a governess to the wife of Dr. Watson. “It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no sign of elation at the prospect. On the contrary, she gave a toss of her proud head, as though the matter were one in which she took small interest.” Conan Doyle returns to a traditional role of a common woman in England who marries to attain some form of status for those who were not