Prose Study: English and English Literature Coursework. Conan Doyle developed the Detective Fiction genre into short stories which were called 'pot-boilers'. These were not written for literal context; Doyle only wrote them for earning money. 'The Hou...

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Prose Study: English and English Literature Coursework.

Conan Doyle developed the Detective Fiction genre into short stories which were called ‘pot-boilers’. These were not written for literal context; Doyle only wrote them for earning money. ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ was then written in 1902 at the end of the Victorian era. But Doyle was not the first; the first detective fiction story was written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1841. It was called ‘The Murders in the Rue Rogue’. Doyle then developed the genre into the ‘pot-boilers’.

The Detective fiction genre appealed to the public because in 1829 the Metropolitan Police force were newly established and there was a lot of crime. The high profile case of Jack the Ripper was going on in late 1888. But reading about Holmes suggested that crimes could be solved.

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In a detective fiction now we expect an amazing detective that surprises the audience with their intelligence and a detective’s assistant that contributes to the ideas and judgements. We also expect a villain that is cunning and easy to take a dislike to and with every villain there are the red herrings which helps attract the readers attention.

In earlier chapters of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ we have what we expect in a detective fiction. Holmes is the detective and Watson is his ‘trusty’ assistant. But in Chapter 6; Holmes withdraws from the story which is surprising as we ...

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