Irene Norton, née Adler, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A former opera singer and actress, she was featured in the short story “A Scandal in Bohemia”, published in July 1891. Her name is briefly mentioned in “A Case of Identity”, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”, and “His Last Bow”. While not technically a criminal, and bearing no malice towards Holmes, Adler is one of the most notable female characters in the Sherlock Holmes series, despite appearing in only one story. In the original Doyle story, Watson notes Holmes has no romantic interest in Adler or in women in general, pointing out the detective only exhibits a platonic admiration for her wit and cunning. According to “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Adler is born in New Jersey in 1858. She has an international career in opera. In Poland, she becomes the lover of the Crown Prince of Bohemia. The King describes her as “a well-known adventuress” (a term widely used at the time in ambiguous association with “courtesan”) who has “the face of the most beautiful of women and the mind of the most resolute of men.” Adler is trained as an actress and “often” disguises herself as a man to “take advantage of the freedom which it gives.” The two keep their relationship a secret, but exchange letters and have a photograph taken together that Adler keeps. The King returns to Prague, while Adler, in her late twenties, retires and moves to London. In 1888, the 30-year-old King intends to marry. Adler promises to send their photograph to his fiancée’s family. The king sends agents to retrieve the photograph, but multiple attempts fail. On 20 March, the King asks the famous detective Sherlock Holmes to secure possession of the photograph. A disguised Holmes discovers Adler is in a relationship with Godfrey Norton, an English lawyer, and witnesses the two make a hasty marriage. Spotting the disguised Holmes, Adler asks him to be the wedding’s official witness and gives him a sovereign coin for his trouble. Later, Holmes disguises himself as an elderly cleric and uses trickery to gain access to Adler’s home and learn where the photograph is hidden. Satisfied, he leaves. Adler concludes the cleric is really Holmes, whom she was warned about. Disguising herself as a young man, she visits Holmes’ address of 221B Baker Street. Holmes visits Adler’s home with Watson and the King to retrieve the photograph. Adler is gone, along with her new husband and the photo, leaving behind a photograph of herself alone as well as a letter written to Holmes, explaining she no longer intends to compromise the King (though she is keeping the photo to protect herself against any further action). Watson also notes that Holmes holds no romantic affection or attraction to Adler, yet holds her in great respect and often refers to her afterward by the respectful title of “the Woman.”
First Appearance A Scandal in Bohemia (July, 1891)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List “A Scandal in Bohemia” in The Strand Magazine (July 1891) – only active appearance, “A Case of Identity” in The Strand Magazine (September 1891) – Holmes recalls Adler as “the woman”, “The Five Orange Pips” in The Strand Magazine (November 1891) – another brief reference, “His Last Bow” in The Strand Magazine (September 1917) – Watson again remarks that Holmes always referred to Irene Adler respectfully as “the woman.”
Sample Read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [PG]
Description Irene Norton, née Adler, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A former opera singer and actress, she was featured in the short story “A Scandal in Bohemia”, published in July 1891. Her name is briefly mentioned in “A Case of Identity”, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”, and “His Last Bow”. While not technically a criminal, and bearing no malice towards Holmes, Adler is one of the most notable female characters in the Sherlock Holmes series, despite appearing in only one story. In the original Doyle story, Watson notes Holmes has no romantic interest in Adler or in women in general, pointing out the detective only exhibits a platonic admiration for her wit and cunning. According to “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Adler is born in New Jersey in 1858. She has an international career in opera. In Poland, she becomes the lover of the Crown Prince of Bohemia. The King describes her as “a well-known adventuress” (a term widely used at the time in ambiguous association with “courtesan”) who has “the face of the most beautiful of women and the mind of the most resolute of men.” Adler is trained as an actress and “often” disguises herself as a man to “take advantage of the freedom which it gives.” The two keep their relationship a secret, but exchange letters and have a photograph taken together that Adler keeps. The King returns to Prague, while Adler, in her late twenties, retires and moves to London. In 1888, the 30-year-old King intends to marry. Adler promises to send their photograph to his fiancée’s family. The king sends agents to retrieve the photograph, but multiple attempts fail. On 20 March, the King asks the famous detective Sherlock Holmes to secure possession of the photograph. A disguised Holmes discovers Adler is in a relationship with Godfrey Norton, an English lawyer, and witnesses the two make a hasty marriage. Spotting the disguised Holmes, Adler asks him to be the wedding’s official witness and gives him a sovereign coin for his trouble. Later, Holmes disguises himself as an elderly cleric and uses trickery to gain access to Adler’s home and learn where the photograph is hidden. Satisfied, he leaves. Adler concludes the cleric is really Holmes, whom she was warned about. Disguising herself as a young man, she visits Holmes’ address of 221B Baker Street. Holmes visits Adler’s home with Watson and the King to retrieve the photograph. Adler is gone, along with her new husband and the photo, leaving behind a photograph of herself alone as well as a letter written to Holmes, explaining she no longer intends to compromise the King (though she is keeping the photo to protect herself against any further action). Watson also notes that Holmes holds no romantic affection or attraction to Adler, yet holds her in great respect and often refers to her afterward by the respectful title of “the Woman.”
