Verified Document

Character Sketch On The Book Sherlock Holmes The Hound Of The Baskervilles Essay

Watson Dr. Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles

Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories, continuously being depicted in film and television. But the original story, as written by Doyle, is a wonderful and extremely riveting tale of death, superstition, murder and mystery. Dark, foggy moors, filled with dangers both natural and supernatural are what face Sherlock Holmes and faithful companion, Dr. Watson. Since the tale is told from the point-of-view of Dr. Watson, he is a fine character to base an analysis on. Dr. Watson is, or course, a medical doctor and a veteran of the British Wars in Afghanistan, but he while he is an extremely logical and brave man, he is not very clever. These three traits: logic, bravery, and thickness mix together in Watson to make him an interesting, yet likeable character.

In the late 1800's, when this tale...

Watson was a man of science and logic. The fact that he was a practicing doctor in the 1800's, educated and committed to the use of science as the means of understanding, is a clear demonstration of this trait. When he scoffs at the idea of a supernatural hound roaming the moors and fulfilling some demonic curse, he also exhibits his ability to see the world through the eyes of logic. And finally, the fact that at the beginning of the story he is using Holmes' own techniques of logic and observation to discover the owner of the cane's identity is yet another example of his exhibiting logic and scientific observation in the real world.
Another trait that Watson exhibits time and time again is bravery, there is nothing cowardly about the good doctor. Again the fact that he was a decorated war veteran who has demonstrated his courage supports this notion. And while he is certainly the second man in the Holmes-Watson equation, he is not intimidated or hesitant to accompany Sir Henry Baskerville to Dartmoor alone, without Sherlock Holmes. He is willing to guard Sir Henry, despite the dangers, as demonstrated when he wrote in his diary: "I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart and a feeling on impending danger- ever present danger…"…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Complete Sherlock Holmes. New York: Doubleday, 1988. Print.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Sherlock Holmes While Any Character
Words: 4486 Length: 14 Document Type: Term Paper

While all stories can be adapted and changed, with stories in the public domain being the most attractive choice, Holmes' death and resurrection make his character special because they serve to retcon (from retroactive continuity) his fictional narrative, a process that cannot be undone. Once Conan Doyle decided that earlier features of Holmes' story were open to interpretation and mutation, it meant that going forward, almost any feature of Holmes'

Sherlock Holmes and Philip Marlowe the Wrong
Words: 638 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Sherlock Holmes and Philip Marlowe The Wrong Pigeon is taken from Chandlers story the Matita One and its story is elf evident through the name. Obviously about the syndicate going after the wrong man who is symbolically represented in slang with the word 'pigeon'. It is a carefully crafted tale that evokes the ambiance of Chandler's tales. Two of the most fascinating detectives that have been penned are Sherlock Holmes and Philip

Femininity in Sherlock Holmes Tales
Words: 950 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Miss Irene Adler's mind does not conform to her body-yet she can become a positive protagonist precisely because of her body."(Cortiel 1999 p.110) Therefore, it is plain that the Victorian society saw woman as the opposite of reason and intellect. The 'sample' that Holmes gives us of the way in which he thinks women always act is very suggestive: When a woman thinks that her house is on fire, her instinct

Case of Identity Sherlock Holmes
Words: 1149 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

solving a crime or a mystery. Attention to detail makes a detective character a great character. Sherlock Holmes, Doyle's famous character, constantly acts like the scientist who is capable of keeping his professional distance, thus keeping his objectivity, but he also leaves some tools of his detectivistic kitchen hidden from the unsuspecting eye, always ready to surprise those who think they know him pretty well. Among others, Doyle gave

Transmedia Sherlock Holmes: Traversing Time
Words: 1581 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

123). Though he is speaking explicitly about detective work and Holmes' general mode of accomplishing things, there is a clear implication that Watson knows how to serve Holms' needs. Again, there is a clear appropriation of the characters of Watson and Holmes as servants to the fanfic writer that created this story, bringing to explicit culmination an area of their relationship that has been the cause of much speculation. No

Influential Fictional Character- Sherlock Holmes
Words: 785 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Holmes bridged the gap not only between the rich and the poor, but also between the haves and the have nots. And what do the 'haves' have that the 'have nots' are trying to achieve? It is intellect, which is gradually taking the lead over technology as 19th century western society moved forward a new stage of technological and social development. As new technologies and social order dominated the western

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now