Holmes vs. Moriarty, The War Between Them.

Before a boxing match, you would have the comparisons between the fighters. It is known as the "tale of the tape."

This post is what drives them and how they stack up. I will also throw some other characters from the stories in and see how they fit.

Well, let's start with the bad boy himself. Some of this I am borrowing from how to plot character, others from the first book Python comedian John Cleese wrote with his therapist Dr. Robin Skynner.

They discussed four main emotions:
Anger
Jealousy
Cruelty
Anxiety


What drives Moriarty? Anger is probably the main emotion. He already has the anger in him. His parents, especially his mother feed that anger with basically telling him it is his duty to grow up and save Ireland. A sort of "anti super hero role." I tried to ask myself, is he jealous of what the British Empire has or does he desire to become part of the British establishment?
He certainly does not want to be poor, but it is not as though he will become rich and suddenly support the British establishment. That rules out jealousy. for this issue only. He wants to destroy them, not enjoy what they have.
So where is Moriarty jealous? Holmes! He resents Holmes fame. He wants revenge for Holmes blocking his plots. Mycroft is hated as an extension of Holmes.
Moriarty has cruelty in spades. The anger in him drives him to unspeakable acts. His mother and father are angry, but carry it out in different ways.
He is anxious about getting caught and succeeding. In some ways, I am not sure Moriarty is sure what "success" would really mean. An independent Ireland? Millions of dead British? If he achieved all his aims, could he turn the violence off? I tend to think he could not.

Now his nemesis Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes is angry at those who commit offenses. Jealousy does not seem to be a major role for Holmes. Holmes is part of the establishment and well off in his own right. He is anxious about not failing and solving his cases. For Holmes Moriarty is the most intriguing problem, but just that, a problem to be solved.

Where does Dr. Watson come into this? Money is not an issue. Jealousy? "Watson, you are a British jury," cries. In other words, the British everyman and enough to make Moriarty positively jump up and down with rage. Watson is the proper British gentleman. He hates Moriarty just for that reason. He is anxious for Holmes safety and makes it clear he would dearly love to shoot Moriarty like a rabid dog.

Professor Moriarty's wife Ana? Anger runs in her family. The emotions come out like a torrent when the Professor is killed.

There is a lot of emotion here. It is swirling like a constant storm.