The Influence of Sherlock Holmes

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The Influence of Sherlock Holmes
Every once in a while, a fictional character is created whose name will live on forever. There’s King Arthur, Scarlett O’Hara, Batman; the list goes on and on. However, there is one character in particular that not only became famous in literature and movies, but also shaped modern detective techniques. This character is Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes and his companion, Dr. John Watson, were created by the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a Scottish doctor and writer. In 1886, he wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. The book was a success, and Doyle went on to write four novels and fifty-six short stories about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Even after Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930, his iconic characters live on. The creation of Sherlock Holmes, who is one of the most prominent fictional characters in history, has influenced not only literature and entertainment, but also modern day crime solving techniques.
Sherlock Holmes was, and still is, a consulting detective. He was brilliant, and had a knack for solving difficult cases. In the short story The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, he introduces himself. “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don't know.” (Doyle). In the original stories, however, Sherlock was not just a brilliant detective; he was also a musician and boxer. His companion, Dr. John Watson, was an army doctor who served in Afghanistan. The two meet in the novel A Study in Scarlet. They share a flat in London, 221B Baker Street, and solve multiple mysteries together. The public loved the stories for many reasons. First, the stories were shorter than many novels of the time period, and were also published ...

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...ative ways to solve crimes, Holmes is also an early leader who paved the way for modern-day crime solving. The creation of the famous Sherlock Holmes, one of the most prominent fictional characters in history, has influenced many aspects of the world today, such as literature, entertainment, and modern day crime solving techniques.

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Universiy of Manchester. "Forensic Magazine." Forensic Magazine. N.p., 26 July 2013. Web. 13
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Calamai, Peter. "The Real Sherlock Holmes." COSMOS Magazine The Real Sherlock Holmes
Comments. N.p., 14 Mar. 2008. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
"Wikia." Baker Street Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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Holmes Quotes. Ed. Kameron Kent Searle. N.p., 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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