Dr.
Eszterhazy is a special agent of the government of
Scythia-Pannonia-Transbalkania who undertakes various missions for
the government involving mysteries and supernatural encounters.
Oberzeeleutnant-commander Adler has written a monograph on the
deep-sea fishes. Scythia-Pannonia-Transbalkania’s neighboring
countries include Ruritania and Graustark.
A
young student in Prague who thought he had turned into a giant
cockroach is mentioned. In Doyle and Watson’s “A Scandal in Bohemia,” Irene Adler’s
biography is sandwiched between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a
staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea fishes
in Sherlock Holmes’ index. Ruritania is from Anthony Hope’s The
Prisoner of Zenda and
Rupert
of Hentzau,
while Graustark is from the series by George Barr McCutcheon. The
young student in Prague who thought he had turned into a giant
cockroach is Gregor Samsa from Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis.”
However, Gregor was a traveling salesman rather than a student, and
he actually did turn into a cockroach. According to Davidson,
Gregor’s case was investigated by the local government of Prague.
The government must have distorted the true details of the case in
order to avoid the public learning the grisly details of Gregor’s
transformation, making Kafka’s account the more accurate one. This
crossover brings Doctor Esztherhazy and Gregor Samsa into the CU.
I need to read my copy of this. The Irene Adler reference seems very microscopic. I imagine I would have missed it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there was an explanation as to why Samsa turned into a cockroach? In the original story, it just happened.
That was a very clever way of referencing the Sherlock Holmes stories. I wonder if anyone has ever made use of Rabbi Adler?
ReplyDeleteNo one's used Rabbi Adler to my knowledge.
ReplyDeleteWas Irene Adler Jewish? Adler is a common last name of German jews, but apparently it isn't exclusive to jews. I looked through "Scandal in Bohemia" but could find any reference.