Sherlock Holmes - The World's First Superhero - Neil McCaw Inaugural Lecture

More than a century after first emerging into the fogbound, gas lit streets of Victorian London, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ is still universally recognisable – he has been reworked and adapted more than any other fictional character. And each nation, culture, and historical era has appropriated Holmes in its own particular ways - which other fictional character could be used as part of Allied anti-Nazi propaganda films during World War II whilst being simultaneously celebrated by Hitler and his acolytes at Berchtesgaden? And who else but Holmes could find themselves the subject of both a much-loved period adaptation produced within the Cold War Soviet Union as well as a cartoon for young children in Japan? Whatever the country, whenever the time, Sherlock Holmes maintains an on-going and unwavering presence within most national cultures. This talk explores the nature and range of various international reworkings of the legend of Sherlock Holmes and will consider quite why he remains such a high-profile figure within global popular culture.

Neil McCaw graduated in History with English in 1993 and with a PhD in George Eliot and Victorian Historiography in 1996. He has been employed at the University of Winchester in its various guises since then, becoming Reader in Victorian Literature in 2009 and being awarded a Chair in 2014. During his time at Winchester he created the BA (Hons) Creative Writing and Creative & Professional Writing single honours programmes, serving as Programme Leader for 10 years, and has chaired both Faculty RKE and REF Unit of Assessment committees. Neil’s publications include books on George Eliot, Nineteenth-century Anglo-Irish writing, television crime adaptations, and literary-critical skills and technique, as well as various articles on chapters on related subjects. He has also written a couple of museum exhibitions on Sherlock Holmes that have toured internationally and been attended by large audiences.​​

Find out more about our public events: http://www.winchester.ac.uk/newsandev...
Learn about past and upcoming Inaugural Lectures: http://www.winchester.ac.uk/research/...

Subscribe to this channel to see more content from University of Winchester!    / subscription_c.  .

You can also follow us on social media:
Twitter:   / _uow  
Facebook:   / universityof.  .

About University of Winchester
The University of Winchester has been ranked one of the top universities in England for overall student satisfaction. It has achieved internationally recognized research in the context of its strengths in research-led teaching. The University was founded in 1840 and belongs to one of the most historical and cultural cities in the United Kingdom. The University delights in diversity and is committed to creating a safe and supportive working environment for all its staff and students. The University aims to provide a healthy sustainable lifestyle, whilst maintaining customer service and value for money.