The Hound of the Baskervilles

Introduction

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” was first published by Sir Arthur

Conan Doyle in 1901 where it was printed chapter by chapter in the

Strand newspaper. It was well written for a newspaper, as the chapters

were left on a cliff-hanger which makes you want to read the next

edition. Only a year later the novel was printed in the form of a

novel by “Newnes” a well known book publisher at the time. The

narrator of the story is Doctor Watson and is told entirely from his

point of view, although the author regularly switches from straight

narrative to diary form also letters home.

It is in chapter 2 when a hint of fear is first introduced into the

novel. Doctor Mortimer reads the legend of “The Hound of the

Baskervilles” to both Sherlock Holmes and Watson. This legend is

written in a very old and archaic fashion, and uses very vivid

language. It is within the legend where fear is started with the

revellers reaction to the Hound “Their skins turned cold” also “Raised

hair upon their heads” The same part also states that of the men that

died that night the rest were “broken men for the rest of their days”

As the chapter continues along with the legend we begin to get told

descriptions of the hound. These add to the fear by giving the hound

larger than life features, almost supernatural “blazing eye… Dripping

Jaw” also “larger then any hound mortal eyes had rested on” The fear

is heightened at the end of the legend as it gives a warning to future

Baskervilles “forbear from crossing the moor… When the powers of evil

are exalted” I think this last line really adds to the atmosphere. As

we continue the fear is collapsed by Holmes’s logic “only interesting

to a collector of fairy tales”

The next part of the chapter involves Doctor Mortimer reading an up to

date newspaper article regarding Sir Charles’s death. In particular

the description of Sir Charles’s face after his death re-instates the

fear, “incredible facial distortion”. Also that Doctor Mortimer, (One

of Sir Charles’s closest friends) could not recognise him.

At the very end of chapter Two the fear is brought to a climax as

Doctor Mortimer tells Holmes and Watson that near Sir Charles’s body,

he had seen the “footprint of a gigantic hound”

It is in the third chapter that Holmes takes in all the new

information Doctor Mortimer has informs him. In my opinion the legend

has had an impact, especially on Watson “A shudder passed through me”.

Doctor Mortimer gives the idea that there is a hound strength he