Well, at least they had John pull Sherlock up on it: 'You think he's gay because he puts product in his hair?' What are you on, Sherlock? Good old John. (I have no idea what they were going for in this scene. Maybe trying to show that Sherlock uses stereotypes to make his assumptions about people? I don't know.)
Sherlock, though, is very posh (and by posh, I mean middle class). Sherlock and Benedict both, actually.
Accent and name aside, you can tell that Benedict is posh from the following information on wikipedia: Cumberbatch was educated at two independent schools: first at Brambletye School in West Sussex, and then at the prestigious Harrow School in northwest London, where he began performing as an actor. After graduation, he took a gap year to teach English in a Tibetan monastery. - Public school? Harrow? Tibetan monastery? It all screams middle class to me.
And Sherlock? Well. You can tell that Sherlock is posh for a number of reasons:
a) The name. The name. Now, while it would be very odd for someone to be called Sherlock in 2010, back in ACD's day, I doubt it would have been that odd at all. It seems like there was a fad amongst the upper and middle classes in Victorian times to give people utterly ridiculous names. And they are all ridiculous because they are surnames that have been commandeered as first names. Often the mother's maiden name was given to the son as a first name or middle name; this is usually because the mother came from a well-to-do family and they wanted to show off the connection. It could also be a grandmother's maiden name, or even the father's surname. I once came across a 19th century guy in letter who was called Barned Lewis-Barned. I kid you not.
b) The accent. Accents are very telling and Sherlock's is very Received Pronunciation. As soon as he opens his mouth, you realise that he is of a certain class, or at least pretending to be.
c) The clothes. Those suits don't come cheap you know. Also. Suits. All the time. Sherlock obviously doesn't know the meaning of smart-casual XD
d) Ok. Well, Sherlock's attitude is probably far more him just being Sherlock than a class thing. But he does give off an aura of arrogance and being rather high-and-mighty.
e) Mycroft. Mycroft is even more posh than Sherlock. The clothes have something to do with it, and the umbrella! But mostly, this is all in the accent. I love the way Mark Gatiss does his accent, actually; it's all very clipped and enunciated vowels and proper.
f) There are other hints around. We gather from Sebastian that Sherlock went to Oxbridge (which, of course, doesn't close it's doors to people of a poorer background, but it is traditionally associated with richer students). And then there's the part where Sherlock and Mycroft have their little argument at the end of A Study in Pink and they talk about 'upsetting Mummy'; calling your mother 'Mummy', especially as a grown man, is very posh.
I think John sums it up nicely in his blog: He was certainly arrogant and really quite rude and he looks about 12 and he's clearly a bit public school and, yes, I definitely think he might be mad but he was also strangely likeable. He was charming. - a bit public school. More than a bit, probably.
I think maybe I had a point somewhere, but mostly I seem to have just wanted to go on and on about Sherlock for ages. Good God. The show aired ages ago and I'm still swept up in it WHAT IS GOING ON.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-01 10:27 pm (UTC)Sherlock, though, is very posh (and by posh, I mean middle class). Sherlock and Benedict both, actually.
Accent and name aside, you can tell that Benedict is posh from the following information on wikipedia:
Cumberbatch was educated at two independent schools: first at Brambletye School in West Sussex, and then at the prestigious Harrow School in northwest London, where he began performing as an actor. After graduation, he took a gap year to teach English in a Tibetan monastery.
- Public school? Harrow? Tibetan monastery? It all screams middle class to me.
And Sherlock? Well. You can tell that Sherlock is posh for a number of reasons:
a) The name. The name. Now, while it would be very odd for someone to be called Sherlock in 2010, back in ACD's day, I doubt it would have been that odd at all. It seems like there was a fad amongst the upper and middle classes in Victorian times to give people utterly ridiculous names. And they are all ridiculous because they are surnames that have been commandeered as first names. Often the mother's maiden name was given to the son as a first name or middle name; this is usually because the mother came from a well-to-do family and they wanted to show off the connection. It could also be a grandmother's maiden name, or even the father's surname. I once came across a 19th century guy in letter who was called Barned Lewis-Barned. I kid you not.
b) The accent. Accents are very telling and Sherlock's is very Received Pronunciation. As soon as he opens his mouth, you realise that he is of a certain class, or at least pretending to be.
c) The clothes. Those suits don't come cheap you know. Also. Suits. All the time. Sherlock obviously doesn't know the meaning of smart-casual XD
d) Ok. Well, Sherlock's attitude is probably far more him just being Sherlock than a class thing. But he does give off an aura of arrogance and being rather high-and-mighty.
e) Mycroft. Mycroft is even more posh than Sherlock. The clothes have something to do with it, and the umbrella! But mostly, this is all in the accent. I love the way Mark Gatiss does his accent, actually; it's all very clipped and enunciated vowels and proper.
f) There are other hints around. We gather from Sebastian that Sherlock went to Oxbridge (which, of course, doesn't close it's doors to people of a poorer background, but it is traditionally associated with richer students). And then there's the part where Sherlock and Mycroft have their little argument at the end of A Study in Pink and they talk about 'upsetting Mummy'; calling your mother 'Mummy', especially as a grown man, is very posh.
I think John sums it up nicely in his blog:
He was certainly arrogant and really quite rude and he looks about 12 and he's clearly a bit public school and, yes, I definitely think he might be mad but he was also strangely likeable. He was charming.
- a bit public school. More than a bit, probably.
I think maybe I had a point somewhere, but mostly I seem to have just wanted to go on and on about Sherlock for ages. Good God. The show aired ages ago and I'm still swept up in it WHAT IS GOING ON.