Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles

1519 Words4 Pages

Comment on the way Conan Doyle uses the character of Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Comment on the way Conan Doyle uses the character of Watson in “The

Hound of the Baskervilles.” You should comment on:

- What we know of Watson’s character

- The voice which Conan Doyle gives Watson to narrate the story.

- Why Watson is so important to the way the story works as an example

of crime fiction.

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his first Sherlock Holmes novel in 1887 after

becoming interested in crime and detectives. The books were first

written by Conan Doyle because he was interested in the genre.

However, when Conan Doyle became interested in spiritualism and

mysticism later on in life, he killed off the famous detective in 1893

and wrote books about his new interests. The people who loved Sherlock

Holmes and his adventures went into mourning and were distraught when

there would be no more books written about him. Later, when Jack the

Ripper was wreaking havoc in London by brutally murdering women on the

streets of London, after receiving death threats from thousands of

people, Conan Doyle brought back Holmes. Even though it was fiction,

the books gave the people reading it support, as they believed that

they were safe from the Ripper whilst Holmes was around. The Londoners

also felt more secure because at this time, crime was very high

because of living conditions and the police were seen as incompetent.

The demand for the books was much higher than anticipated, and when

all of them books had been sold out, 120,000 more had to be produced.

Of course, these also were sold within no time. However, around this

time, Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror came to an end and the people

of London once ag...

... middle of paper ...

...“The Hound of the Baskervilles”

is slightly different however, as instead of being with a professional

detective, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson; two amateur detectives are

the main characters. Still, the reader feels safe with Holmes. But in

the “Hound of the Baskervilles,” a mere sidekick is the main

detective. The reader however remains feeling secure, as Watson is the

narrator. Watson is a vital part of the Sherlock Holmes novels because

he shares feelings, opinions and thoughts with the reader; this makes

the reader believe all that Watson says and does, but they can also

sympathize with him and share all of his feelings. Without Doctor John

Watson narrating the novels, they would not be the same as he is the

readers’ eyes and ears, so without him, the reader could not be as

involved in the story and would not solve the mystery like Sherlock

Holmes!

Open Document