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Sherlock Holmes Anti Hero Essay

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The age of the anti-hero is upon us. Historically, the stories are only told about heroes—Captain America, Superman, etc.—but the anti-hero has been gaining more traction, more light, in popular culture and social media. Anti-heroes have begun to grace the screens of primetime television or earning their own series on Netflix. When looking into anti-heroes plenty come to mind: Daredevil, Walter White, Lestat to name a few. But what if a famous literature character who came back due to popular demand—the kind who saves the day—as an anti-hero? This character is Sherlock Holmes. Steven Moffat brought the famous detective back from the dead for a modern twist. Sherlock became the sociopath, the drug addict, the man with no morals, the man without …show more content…

This is the addiction and vice of Sherlock Holmes in the modern era—knowledge. And, despite these crippling, underlying and nearly destructive traits, Sherlock does show promising, good qualities. He cares for Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, and John Watson and these relationships keep him tethered to humanity, to the world he’s alienated from by his addiction. However, the redemptive qualities offer no salvation for Sherlock Holmes. He sees only his harmful, anti-hero qualities, rebuking any praise he receives. “Don’t make people into heroes, John. Heroes don’t exist, and if they did I wouldn’t be one of them” (The Great Game). Sherlock is eternally locked in limbo, damnation, recognizing himself as playing “on the side of angels” but denied a place amongst their ranks—“Don’t think for a second that I am one of them” (Reichenbach Fall). Sherlock, even in the face of absolving traits and actions that would guarantee even the worst of sinners a place even heaven, sees himself for what he truly is; not an angel with immense wings but one whose wings were torn from him by his sins as he was cast down,

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