A study of Arthur Conan Doyle's presentation of Sherlock Holmes

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A study of Arthur Conan Doyle’s presentation of Sherlock Holmes

Of the five Sherlock Holmes stories we have read, I will be writing about “The Silver Blaze”, “The Speckled Band” and “The Man With The Twisted Lip”.

Sherlock Holmes, of 221 Baker Street is one of the most remarkable and remembered detectives of his time.  Holmes is unlike any other fictional detective, as he seems almost too clever at times. Holmes is famous for his powers of observation and deduction. Holmes is able to change his age and gender in order to help solve a case but the image that sticks in most peoples head’s is of him in a ear-flapped traveling cap and with a pipe in his mouth

Arthur Conan Doyle began writing the stories 100 years ago, he chose set them in the past times, although to him the stories were set in the present tence. I can tell the stories are set 100 years ago because of the language, clothing and transport. In each story Holmes is required to travel up and down the country in order to solve the cases. He often travels by 1st class carriage, this shows he is of the upper class and will appeal to the readers, as they too were probably upper class when the stories were first wrote. In “The Speckled Band” Holmes and Watson travel by Pony Trap, this is another type of old fashioned transport. Cars were not around at the time the stories were written, however if they were used this would spoil the story as it would ruin the setting. The old fashioned language also plays a key part in the setting, some of the words and phrases Holmes uses are no longer used in modern day society such as “Pray continue your narrative” and “alas” that are used “The Speckled Band”. In the Silver Blaze Holmes says “Helloa” not only is this old fashioned language but also is it slightly unorthodox for Holmes as his grammar is of a high standard. I think the setting appeals to the readers as there are no other old fashioned fictional detectives. In the modern day detective stories the detectives are not able to appear as clever as Holmes as they can solve their cases by taking D.N.A samples and matching them up with the suspects, leaving the hard work to science. As this sort of technology had not been invented while Holmes was alive, he had to solve the cases using only his intelligence and powers of observation.  

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Each story is started in Holmes’s rooms, this too shows that Holmes was well off as houses in London were not cheap at the time. Another piece of evidence to show that Holmes was of the upper class is that he had his own maid that cooks and cleans, although Holmes is never seen eating. Although Holmes does not charge for his services, all of his clients are wealthy people. In “The Speckled Band”, Holmes' client Mrs Hudson, lives in a large house in the country. The fact that all Holmes’ clients are wealthy and important shows that Holmes ...

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