Talk:The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
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[edit] Setting date
Please cite your reasons for believing that this story takes place in 1890. Kelisi 02:58, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC)
The setting date of "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" seems very problematic. Because Watson mentions "The Blue Carbuncle" in it, "The Copper Beeches" obviously takes place after that story. "The Blue Carbuncle" obviously takes place after Watson's marriage, and Watson and Holmes quite clearly live apart from each other. However, in "The Copper Beeches" no mention is made of Mrs. Watson, and Watson and Holmes appear to live together for as long as two weeks (as a period of "a fortnight" elapses between Miss Hunter's first visit and her telegram for help, and Watson's comments make it clear that he and Holmes cohabitated the entire time). Also, unlike in "The Blue Carbuncle," Watson makes no mention of his private practice in this story. "The Adventure of the Empty House" makes it clear that Mrs. Watson died after Holmes's "death." "The Copper Beeches" appears meant to be set prior to Watson's marriage, and the mention of "The Blue Carbuncle" to be a mistake on Doyle's part, but it makes it hard to place the story's date in the context of the Sherlock Holmes universe, as this is a mistake that Watson, unlike Doyle, would be very unlikely to make. --Loopus 20:34, 27 July 2006 (UTC)
