Hyde-ing Between Holmes and Watson An Examination of a Homosocial Bond Through a Freudian Analogy of Jekyll and Hyde

Abstract

The relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson is one of the most famous male friendships in modern literature. Using the two novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s extensive canon about the extraordinary detective and his companion, this essay examines the bond between Holmes and Watson through Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s theories about male homosocial desire. Furthermore, it aims to illuminate their interdependency with the help of a Freudian Jekyll/Hyde analogy that also highlights the psychological balance they provide for each other. The result of the analysis indicates that Holmes and Watson need and complement each other, and that is the reason their friendship endures.