The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of Arthur Conan Doyle 's most famous works. The novel is the prime example of a Gothic Detective Story. Written during the first year of the 20th Century, the novel is a reflection of the concerns and issues that were prevalent at the time. The novel incorporates beliefs that were widely popular, including atavism and criminality. Although the novel is viewed as just another addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon, there are deeper philosophical conflicts that reflect the time period in which the novel was written. A major theme within Doyle 's The Hound of the Baskervilles is the supernatural versus reason. Sherlock Holmes uses reason and logic in order to solve cases, but the case of the Hound is underlined by a mystery that leans toward the supernatural. The local legend of the Hound and the supernatural atmosphere of the moor leads to doubt as to the true nature of the crime. Holmes is shown to be "the ultimate rational being- …show more content…
The moor symbolizes this underlying fear of atavism. The "grim aspects" of the moor symbolize a primitive environment, while the inhabitants of the moor, primarily Stapleton, symbolize the "transgressive nobles and clerics who engendered merciless evils" (Fisher 187). The setting develops the stage for atavistic behavior; it is a primitive, rather remote area that does not follow the norms of society. Atavism is a theory created by Cesare Lombroso. Lombroso believed that "multiple physical abnormalities set criminals apart from ordinary men;" he called these physical signs "stigmata" (Ramsland 70). A major opposition within the novel is the divide between "humanity and nature" (Taylor-Ide 56). People wanted a clear distinction between nature and humans in order to promote the growth of civilization; atavism is the antithesis of
Written in 1818, the latter stages of the Gothic literature movement, at face value this novel embodies all the key characteristics of the Gothic genre. It features the supernatural, ghosts and an atmosphere of horror and mystery. However a closer reading of the novel presents a multifaceted tale that explores
From the beginning of the novel, the main character, Jane encounters the supernatural. Charlotte Bronte uses both supernatural and gothic themes to enhance situations for the reader and to develop the characters. In particular natural imageries have been used to convey a human connection with the natural world and human nature (Franklin, 1995). Eyre portrays the intrinsic struggle between supernatural and the effects of nature. Branflinger and Thesing (2002) argue that Bronte used Gothic and the supernatural to explore and portray the darkest alleys of her own psyche which Bronte was deeply disturbed by (p309).
Throughout the years, Gothic literature has developed to be a mirror representation of what the beliefs and thoughts of the time were. The Gothic has a tendency to express beliefs towards the socioeconomic, political and religious situations and grievances of the time. Many texts express this, some including Edgar Allen Poe’s The House of Usher and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, to then allow for the general public – at least those who were literate – to, subconsciously, understand the environment around them without being too direct. This gave the writers of the time a new channel, through this ge...
This novel in some ways can be described as a Gothic Novel. because it has characteristics of one. For example, it has a gloomy setting, strange events, violence, mystery, supernatural and horror. The gloomy setting is Baskerville Hall and the Moor. A strange event would be the missing boot.
The Sherlock Holmes series, has, like most enduring literary works, both challenged and conformed to the ideals of its age. Today, more than a hundred years after his first adventure, Sherlock Holmes remains one of the most beloved fictional characters of the Victorian era.
Dracula by Bram Stoker is an authentic Gothic novel that manages to hit on every Gothic literature aspect. Gothic literature is usually set in an isolated setting and has a dark, mysterious, and evil tone. In this type of literature, there are usually dark castles, palaces, presences of supernatural beings, and religion. The book Dracula is about a Count from Transylvania that goes to London in search of new victims and a group of Victorian citizens who end up defeating him and his evil ways. The use of setting and atmosphere in Dracula is filled with a world full of mystery and fear. Bram Stoker manages to capture the Gothic element with his use of castles, symbols, and isolated setting.
Dracula is truly a masterpiece of gothic literature. It encompasses all aspects that are vital to Gothicism and executes all perfectly. Stoker adds the element of darkness which clearly intensifies the foreboding ambience and he reflects it on every aspect of the book. The theme of superstition and the supernatural that centres on the villain creates an air of ambiguity and uncertainty concerning Dracula. This uncertainty causes a fear in the reader which enhances the gothic genre of the novel. Finally, the same uncertainty that clouds the supernatural elements of the novel drift into the characters understanding of what is real and what is not. This doubt amplifies the gothic foundation of the novel. Though these themes and examples, it is clearly seen that the widely read and respected book, Dracula is an exemplary form of gothic literature.
Sociological pathology uses medical terms to offer explanations for deviant behavior. Terms, such as, biological, psychiatric models, psychoanalytical, and psychological presents deviant behavior as a “social sickness” which needs to treated and through medicine and psychiatric counseling. Biological explanations, usually, views deviant behavior as being an inherited trait. Cesare Lombroso was highly criticized for his studies of atavism, his theory of identifying criminal behavior as a biological degenerate. William Sheldon established an idea of a certain body build would be more prone to deviant or criminal acts. The psychiatric model view deviance as a product of some character flaw within the individual such as personal disorganization or a maladjusted personality. Under the psychiatric model, deviance is a symptom of some psychological sickness that effect individuals unless it is, effectively, detected and treated. Childhood experiences produce effects that transcend s those of all other social and cultural experiences. When these experiences are troubling to the individual it will also manifest itself as deviant behavior. The psychoanalytic explanation of deviance is best explained by Sigmund Freud’s basic conflict between the conscious and unconscious self. Psychoanalytic theory supporters say that deviance occur when the superego cannot effectively balance the id, unconscious and instinctual drives, and the ego, the conscious self. Psychological explanations attribute certain personality traits and behavioral patterns cause deviant acts. Psychologist attempt to explain deviance as products of abnormalities in psychological structures of individual deviants. They believe that inadequacies in personality traits interfere with an individual’s adjustment to society.
In The Hound of the Baskervilles, various factors of Arthur Conan Doyle’s early life, popularity, perspective, and status were all expressed in multiple ways. Spiritualism played an crucial role in his life, greatly impacting his work, specifically “The Hound.” Additionally, his birthplace and upbringing, along with the time period, inveigled his writing. Furthermore, Doyle characterized the people in the story in along with real life scenarios.
The Hound of the Baskervilles written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the movie The Hound of the Baskervilles directed by Jeremy Bret are two works of art that are mainly telling the same story. There are, however, many differences about the book and the movie. Those differences don’t affect the outcome of the story, but they give less impact to the story. Along with the differences there are many similarities, and those similarities give you confidence that it is the same story.
Romanticism played a large role in the creation of gothic literature, and it was considered to be “a lunatic fringe version of romanticism” (Tiffin). Gothic novels often had a powerful unleashing of emotions to very extreme levels “beyond social constraining” (Tiffin). The genre’s character often had an excess of a specific type (Tiffin), and in an analysis of Frankenstein and Northanger Abbey, this excess can be seen in Frankenstein’s ambition and Catherine’s curiosity.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes a short story about how innocence gets victimized by a royal subject. When a royal figure clashes with someone who is not equal in social class, he will do anything to hide his mistake. This is when the King hires Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle based Holmes off of a man named Dr. Joseph Bell, who was a friend of his in medical school. When Doyle saw that medical practice was not a success, he began writing Holmes stories for money. The public became infatuated with not only the stories, but mainly Sherlock Holmes. When Doyle wanted to write in more respectable genres (Duncan 3), he made one enormous mistake.
“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes,” states Sherlock Holmes (Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles loc 1238). According to TV Tropes, mystery is a genre of fiction where the plot revolves a mysterious happening that acts as the driving question. With any given problem there is a solution; however, and the question is “how does one come about to that solution”? Extremely high intelligence level, keen observation, creative imagination and sensitivity to details are just some of the qualities that Holmes possesses. In the process of solving mysteries, there is always a borderline between mere guessing, a coincidence, and a scientific approach that Holmes calls deductive reasoning. In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr. Mortimer seeks advice from Holmes as he explains the curse that has been plaguing the Baskerville family. With the power of deduction, Holmes realizes that Mr. Stapleton is actually a Baskerville descendant and has been planning to get rid of the other members of the family to claim the family fortune. Conan Doyle tells the reader what their mind is capable of doing by incorporating Holmes through his novels as he uses observation, deduction and knowledge in solving his cases. One important key that makes him different from most people is that he sees everything that people often neglect to pay attention to. A remarkable proof which shows that Holmes holds an extraordinary analytical mind and is uniquely capable of solving a mystery through his great sensitivity to minute details and the ability to draw connections from it was shown as he observes and deduces information from the letter received by Sir Henry Baskerville the moment he arrived...
The setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is very important to the book’s story. In the beginning of the story, the setting is late 18th century London, where Sherlock Holmes and his colleague, John Watson live. Sherlock and John live in a small, yet upscale flat on Baker Street in London. Tobacco smoke often fills this apartment, and this is where he gets a lot of his thinking about theories and threads done for cases. The book itself states, “As I entered, however, my fears were set at rest, for it was the acrid fumes of strong coarse tobacco which took me by the throat and set me coughing.” This shows that while Sherlock is left alone to think, he smokes huge amounts of tobacco. The text also later states, “‘Yes, I have thought a good deal throughout the course of the day.’” When Watson leaves Sherlock to think about the case and consider theories, SHerlock sits alone in the flat, smokes tobacco, and solely focuses on the case at hand.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is one of those well-written fictions which can drive the readers right into the plot and can make you dissolve into the whole plot. It becomes really difficult to stop going through the whole plot once you have started reading it. It is that strength of words which has been efficiently utilized by the author making this whole book a real adventure for the readers. Once the readers have started the book, it is their utmost desire to finish each and every adventure in the very first go. The way the author has crafted the whole fiction is marvelous and being on top of his trait, one can give a firm assurance about the fact that there would not be anyone out there who reads this fiction and don’t like it.