Mysteries have always held great fascination for the human mind, not least because of the aura that surrounds them and the realm of the Unknown into which they delve. Coupled with the human propensity of being particularly curious about aspects which elude the average mind, the layer of intrigue that glosses over such puzzles makes for a heady combination of the literary and the popular. In the canon of detective fiction worldwide, no detective has tickled the curious reader’s imagination and held it in thrall as much as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. The 221-B, Baker Street, London ‘amateur’ detective combines a rare blend of intellectual prowess and sharp wit to crack a series of baffling riddles.
The aim of this somewhat ambitiously titled paper is to use Marxist literary criticism to understand the literary merits of the Sherlock Holmes series, given its historical location and specificity. The idea is to analyse Holmes’ ‘Victorian-ness’ and place it in the socio-economic framework of that era. Special attention has been paid to character interaction and Holmes’ reaction to the dominant class and vocational ideologies (the word is used here in its Marxist sense) of his day.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), like Holmes’ chronicler, was a doctor by profession. He led a varied and adventurous life. The epitaph on his gravestone in the churchyard at Minstead in New Forest, Hampshire reads: Steel true/ Blade straight/ Arthur Conan Doyle/ Knight/ Patriot, Physician and Man of Letters. Conan Doyle was also a lot more. He was a historian, whaler,
athlete, war correspondent and spiritualist. He was knighted in 1902 for his services in South Africa during the Boer. He wrote four novels an...
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...dgrind of Charles Dickens’ Hard Times.
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.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
1. Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I, Bantam Classics, 2003.
2. Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume II, Bantam Classics, 2003.
3. Eagleton, Terry. Marxism and Literary Form. Routlege Books, 1984.
4. Mukherjee, Suroopa. Victorian Poets. Worldview Publications, 2007.
Websites
1. www.wikipedia.com , searched for Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle, Detective fiction, Edgar Allan Poe
2. www.thesherlockian.net
3. www.ehow.com
“People who are in earnest are always interesting, whether you agree with them or not” (The Chronicles). Doyle may be known as the author of Sherlock Holmes, but there are other facets to his life. On account of some strange events that occurred, Doyle was persuaded into thinking that spiritual beings existed. As Doyle’s career advanced he drew the attention of many to himself. He succeeded both by gaining supporters and detractors. He built on his fame by giving lectures. These aspects of his life are connected; his painful childhood led him to a successful medical career where his writing and life partner stepped into the picture. These aspects, when combined, led Doyle to a new world view of spiritualism.
Exploring the Reasons Behind the Popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Stories Although not a real detective, the character of Sherlock Holmes gave the general public a sense of security because in the stories he is seen to solve cases quite easily, such as in "The Man With The Twisted Lip." Watson says "I wish I knew how you reached your results" and Holmes replies, "I reached this one, by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. " This gives the readers a sense of security because it seems as if Holmes makes no effort to solve the crimes but they are still solved with the minimum of fuss. At the time of writing the concept of detectives was new, and when the stories were written there was almost no confidence in the police force. This point is brought up in "The Man With The Twisted lip," the police force caught a criminal and then proceeded to let him go.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a British physician and writer, mostly well known for his stories “Sherlock Holmes”, which are generally in the field of crime fiction. He was a prolific writer whose other works include science fiction stories, historical novels, plays and romances, poetry, and non-fiction.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made Sherlock Holmes’s into one of the most famous detective fictional character the world has seen. Sherlock Holmes has all the qualities and more to be the best at what he is,a detective although he is an amateur. I think that Sherlock Holmes is the best fictional character because of all of his unique and outstandingly shocking techniques.
Sherlock Holmes, one of the most famous fictional characters in literary history is a detective capable of solving the most complex mysteries. The author behind the character, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a very successful British writer. The majority of his literary success is due to his crime-fiction tales such as the Sherlock Holmes series. However, Mr. Doyle and Mr. Holmes himself must not take all the credit because there is another character that plays a major role in the stories success. He goes by the name of Dr. Watson, Holmes’ sidekick. The importance of Dr. Watson is evident in many of Doyle’s stories such as A Scandal in Bohemia and A Study in Scarlett.
Holmes may be one of the most popular and recognized characters of English Literature. On May 22nd, 1859, Arthur Conan Doyle was born at Picardy Place, in
In What Way Is Sherlock Holmes The Embodiment Of Victorian Ideas? Progress? What is the difference between “I had no keener pleasure than following Holmes in his professional life.
There is one immensely popular figure in Victorian literature that uses scientific deduction to solve criminal mysteries, and his curiosity to solve mysteries has become his obsession. However, he is so cool and distant from his own emotions that he does not care if the obsession leads to his destruction, as long as he solves the mystery to appease his voracious mind first. The only thing that truly excites him in a passionate way, the one thing that causes any emotion within his cool demeanor, is his curiosity, which is his addiction, for solving mysteries. He is the hero of the story The Sign of Four, and his name, of course, is Sherlock Holmes.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1912) is yet another essential novel, that marked and defined the genre science fiction. Set in an expedition to a plateau in South America, the reporter Edward Malone tells his journey along with the hot-headed and eccentric Professor George Edward Challenger. What differentiates the protagonists from Doyle’s, what was soon to be known as Challenger Tales, his Sherlock Holmes series, is not only the ambiguity in attitude, as Sherlock Holmes is considered self-controlled and analytical, whereas Challenger portrays the stellar opposite, but also the way both novels are being narrated. Whereas former novel series has Sherlock’s assistant Dr. Watson as the narrator of the protagonists adventures, The Lost
(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.
This paper will explore the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and his companion and friend Dr. John Watson. What is the relationship between Holmes and Watson? Are they compatible or are their differences to great for them to overcome. Looking at how they work together will also be a key factor in how well the relationship works between the two of them. Do their own interests and abilities get in the way? Does the time period in which they live factor into the environment of their communication styles?
Pos-Ho. Critical survey of mystery and Detective Fiction. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Salem Press, 1988. pgs 1332-1337
From the start Watson is seen as smart but Holmes is seen as a genius.After finding the mysterious walking stick Watson tells Holmes what he observes and Holmes replies with “Really Watson,you excel yourself,”said Holmes(Doyle 2).Sherlock Holmes is seen as the type of man that thinks he is higher than anyone else.Although Holmes blatantly tel...
In the novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, is confronted with an eerie mystery situated around the fabled Hound of the Baskervilles. They are challenged with many risks and in the end must unearth the mystery before it is too late. Throughout the enigma, Sir Arthur explores the theme of what can happen when one does or does not let themselves be ruled and dominated by fear.
The iconic image of Sherlock Holmes as a suave English gentleman wearing a Deerstalker cap and a cape was portrayed in most of the feature films. He was created in the 19th century and was the prime figure in four novels and more than 50 short stories. For this reason of the continued popularity, the novels, comic books, television shows, theater movies and the newest T.V productions, Sherlock and his broad shoulders will continue to credit the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes has recently shifted from a Victorian image to a 21st century super hero. The star role continues to be inspiring and irresistible.