Helen Stoner :: English Literature Helen Stoner Essays

Helen StonerHelen Stoner is instantly stereotyped by readers as a judicious andunpretentious lady of high society England. Conan Doyle pulls the thread of the twee males desires and creates a damsel indistress, who comes to a man for aid that she does not have theresources to conclude herself. He portrays her as a woman who iswronged and in smashing danger therefore adding to the suspense of thestory.Analysing the assortment of clothes that she is wearing the reader canconclude that she is of sufficient breeding and discreet. A womandressed in black, and heavily veiled tells us that she isunaccustomed to travelling around the conurbation solitary. She isdressed in black as not to attract attention. It was uncommon forwomen of a high-class family to travel around the metropolis alone,she may think this shameful, which is interesting considering that itcontrasts to modern day westernised civilisation where it could beinterpreted as independent.Manners were of paramount importance i n Victorian society, and HelenStoner is represented as a woman who is capable of being able todisplay the correct society manners. Victorians were very pedanticabout how a woman was allowed to greet any males in her presence. Thefact that she is heavily veiled specifies that she does not wish forDr Watson or Mr Holmes to direct any attention to her looks butinstead to her story. This suggests to the reader that no unseemlyconduct was to be entertained.Helen Stoner also clearly has a methodical mind. She has naturalintelligence yet is prohibited to show any real deduction that mayquestion a mans views. This is why she visits Mr Holmes. She has nopower over her stepfather, her views, as a woman would be thoughttotally irrational by other males, so she seeks professional (male)help in the form of Sherlock Holmes. It is comprehensible to me thatshe has been pushed beyond her mental limitations as a human being presbyopic ago, She raised her veil as she spoke, and we could clearly seet hat she was indeed in a pitiable state of agitation, her face alldrawn and grey, with restless, frightened eyes, exchangeable those of somehunted animal. Her features and figure was those of a woman of thirty,but her hair was shot with premature grey, and her expression wasweary and haggard yet she has put up with what she has been bring downto simply because it was seen as improper for a woman to question whata man was doing or for a woman to draw attention to her home life.