ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

THE HOUND OF THE

BASKERVILLES

About the Author

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in May 1859. His family life was difficult as his father was poorly paid and became an alcoholic. Conan Doyle studied medicine in Edinburgh and here met Dr Joseph Bell, who had an amazing ability to make deductions about the history of his patients based on the power of observation.

Bell later became the model for the fictional Sherlock Holmes and his methods. They were both then an inspiration for the creation of Dr Gregory House in the TV show House by David Shore.

Doyle was not a Doctor for long, and turned to writing instead. Short Sherlock Holmes stories were published in magazines. He tried to kill the character off in 1893, but there was outrage from his many fans, and Conan Doyle gave in, writing a The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1902, set before his fatal encounter.

After this, more stories were published. Conan Doyle himself was a great advocate of justice, personally investigating two closed cases, resulting in those involved being exonerated of the crimes. He was a believer in spiritualism – that the dead can be contacted. He died in July 1930.

Context – setting the scene for sherlock holmes

Science was challenging long-standing belief systems.

Charles Darwin’s The Origin of the Species in 1859 suggested that the mysteries of the physical world could be explained by science.

Technological advance – between 1867 and 1887, the typewriter, telephone, light bulb (and more) were invented.

Crime, prostitution, drug abuse and murder were commonplace London in Victorian Britain.

There was much poverty and ill-health. Smog from the factories meant it was a dark and dreary place.

Crime was rife, and Jack the Ripper, a serial killer of women, was loose on the streets of London. His identity was never uncovered….

The public didn’t trust the police force as they didn’t feel protected and there was much corruption among the officers.

What do you know about sherlock holmes

?

Actually, a lot of our ideas about Holmes come from the magazine illustrations and not from the text itself (he never says ‘Elementary my dear Watson’)

A)Why would he have been such a popular character at

the time?

B)Why is he still popular now?Write your opinion

about this in at least 100 words.

A) Why would he have been such a popular character at the time?

Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels occur during the Victorian epoch, near theS. XIX CENTURY ending.

Living in London then, was very dangerous.

People didn’t trust police, because they didn’t think that the they were able to catch very dangerous murderers and criminals like Jack the Ripper, who terrified people because of his horrible and bloody crimes.

Sherlock Holmes appearance - the best fictional detective introduced by Doyle in his collection of short stories - capable of solving incredibly difficult crimes, helped people to have some hope, in those times of despair, to escape of this gloomy reality.

It was very encouraging that at least one detective, even a fictional one, did solve his cases.

I also believe that Sherlock Holmes encouraged the police to continue trying to solve theirs.

EXCELLENT WORK-SOBRESALIENTE