Gender RepresentationSherlock Holmes Meets Irene Adler - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1hcFQzeq_Q

‘Sherlock’ is a BBC crime drama series which revolves around the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. There is a scene in the first episode of the second series (titled ‘A Scandal in Belgravia’) in which gender is represented in a variety of ways. The scene depicts Sherlock confronting Irene Adler, a female character.

Throughout this scene, the male characters (Sherlock and Dr. Watson) are both portrayed as light-hearted, thoughtful, and somewhat caring as opposed to the common stereotypes associated with males within the media e.g. aggressiveness. This is made obvious by the dialogue used; the characters use phrases such as ‘please’ and ‘I’m so sorry’, thus creating the impression that men are polite. Both Sherlock and Dr. Watson are also shown to speak in calm and gentle tones; this shows that the characters are displaying little emotion which does well to reinforce the assumption that men ‘should not be serious or emotional’ (The ‘Joker’) and also helps to convey the fact that both men are neither worried or distressed despite the nature of the events taking place within the episode (compromising images and information are apparently in the possession of Irene Adler and Sherlock attempts to keep this information out of enemy hands).

The only female character in this scene (Irene Adler) is portrayed as a sophisticated person, mainly due to the manner in which she speaks. She does not hesitate i.e. pause as she is speaking, therefore creating the impression that she is confident as opposed to some of the stereotypes of women in the media, most notably the assumption that women are desperate and ‘fussy’. The tone of her voice does well to imply that Irene is intelligent and this is also a common stereotype associated with females.

Different forms of lighting are also used in this scene. High-key lighting is used to ensure that bright tones are the predominating elements, thus creating a somewhat positive atmosphere in relation to the setting. The use of high-key lighting could imply a strong sense of calmness; there is no hostility shown between the three characters who are fairly polite to one another throughout the scene. At 1:24 in the video, high-key lighting

is used in regard to a close-up shot of Irene. The use of high-key lighting could do well to imply that she is a positive character rather than a villain i.e. she has a good side. In relation to the male characters, low-key lighting is used which results in dark tones becoming the predominating elements. This does well to provide a somewhat grim feel and also implies that the male characters have been through a lot. This reflects the fact that males tend to be hardworking, which is a common stereotype associated with males in films.

During this scene, many different types of camerawork are used in order to ensure the film maintains a continuous flow of action and enhance the quality of the shots, thus keeping the viewer intrigued. For example, the use of close-up shots allows the filmmakers to communicate the emotions of the characters and also helps to establish the fact that the characters in this scene are calm. The close-up shot of Irene at 1:24 provides strong focus on her facial features and helps to create meaning. The expression on the character’s face implies that she has a cunning personality. Therefore, this goes against the stereotypical assumption that women are more likely to be represented as victims within films. Also, the usage of long shots and medium shots allows the filmmakers to establish the characters in relation to their settings. The camera angles are also used in a careful manner in order to avoid exposing the female character’s private areas (she was depicted in the nude for the majority of the scene).

To enhance the quality of the scene, different editing techniques were also employed e.g. accelerated/decelerated motion, non-diegetic sound and freeze-frame. The use of the ‘freeze-frame’ technique creates an illusion of the action on-screen coming to a dead stop; the most likely reason for the use of this technique could be to establish the fact that the character is thinking. This is further established through the usage of text (a series of question marks) which appears on-screen. The ‘freeze-frame’ technique could also imply that Sherlock is fully focused on Irene. Therefore, lust is implied in relation to the main character and this could also be a stereotype for males.

Males are also represented as unkempt i.e. untidy in this scene as opposed to the female character. Both Sherlock and Dr. Watson are shown to have rugged features and dark clothes, although they are

dressed in a formal manner. This does well to establish that men tend to dress smartly as opposed to the stereotype which states that men are more likely to dress casually.