A tall, black-haired man with a receding hairline is sitting in a cushioned armchair, holding a pipe in his left hand, while extending his right arm in a forward gesture. The room is wrapped in smoke. The man’s sharp facial features, his posture and his eyes gazing at the ceiling towards the far corner of the room all show his concentration. He is fully absorbed in thought, being neither irritated by the heavy clouds of smoke coming from his pipe, nor by the presence of another man in the room. He, who is apparently also preoccupied in thought, gazes at a lamp, which is illuminating the table in front of him and the still blank sheets of paper on which he intends to write. The room is filled with several items, which probably belong to one of the two men sitting in there: A violin, swords, a shield, two filled book shelves, several paintings, boxing gloves, and various other objects one would or would not expect to find in a Victorian home in London. But this is not just any home sometime in the late 19th century London, it is 221B Baker Street in 1881.
This was a glimpse into the home of the consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, as portrayed by the artist Nis Jessen. But who was Sherlock Holmes? He is probably the best known detective in the world and if you were to ask a Holmes enthusiast, you would probably be told that he was "the greatest detective of all time". There are even some people who actually believe that he was a real person and is not a fictional creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The aim of this paper is to portray as many facets of Mr Holmes as possible, including his biography, his character, his methods of work, his personal relationships, his archenemy and, of course, his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Life
- The Canon - Overview on Published Novels and Short Stories
- Real Life Character Influence
- Holmes' Biography – The Life of the Greatest Detective of All Time
- Holmes' Character
- Outward Appearance
- Habits and Hobbies
- Important Personal Relationships
- Dr Watson
- Mycroft Holmes
- Irene Adler
- Holmes' Methods of Work
- The Science of Deduction
- Scientific Approach
- Professional Knowledge and General Education
- Secrecy and Discretion
- Disguise
- Martial Arts and Self-Defence
- Professor Moriarty - Sherlock Holmes' Archenemy
- Legacy
- Speculation and Extracanonical Works
- Movie and Theatre Adaptions
- Sherlock Holmes in Popular Culture
Objectives and Key Themes
The aim of this paper is to provide a multifaceted portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, encompassing his biography, character, methods, relationships, archenemy, and creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The paper begins by exploring Doyle's life and its influence on the creation of Holmes.
- The life and works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
- Sherlock Holmes' character, including his appearance, habits, and relationships.
- Holmes' methods of deduction and investigation.
- The relationship between Holmes and his archenemy, Professor Moriarty.
- Sherlock Holmes' lasting legacy in popular culture.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces Sherlock Holmes through a visual description of him in his Baker Street home, emphasizing his intense concentration and the eclectic nature of his surroundings. It establishes the paper's aim to explore various aspects of Holmes' life and work, highlighting his iconic status and the ongoing debate about his fictional or real-life existence. The introduction sets the stage for a comprehensive examination of the detective, beginning with his creator.
2 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: This chapter provides a concise overview of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life, focusing on key events that shaped his literary career and influenced the creation of Sherlock Holmes. It covers Doyle's upbringing, education, medical career, and early literary attempts. The chapter highlights the impact of his experiences, such as his work with Dr. Joseph Bell, a real-life surgeon whose observational skills inspired Holmes's character, and his varied career paths that ultimately led him to literary success with the Sherlock Holmes stories.
3 Holmes' Biography – The Life of the Greatest Detective of All Time: [This section would contain a summary of the chapter focusing on Holmes's life story as presented in the text. Due to the provided text not containing the chapter's full content, a summary is not possible here. This section should delve into the details of Holmes's background, upbringing, and significant life events that shaped his character and abilities as a detective.]
4 Holmes' Character: [This section would contain a summary of the chapter focusing on the detailed analysis of Holmes's personality traits, habits, and relationships. Due to the provided text not containing the chapter's full content, a summary is not possible here. The summary should analyze Holmes's physical appearance, eccentricities, hobbies, and significant relationships with characters like Watson, Mycroft, and Irene Adler, exploring how these aspects contribute to his unique character and effectiveness as a detective.]
5 Holmes' Methods of Work: [This section would contain a summary of the chapter focusing on the scientific and deductive approaches employed by Holmes. Due to the provided text not containing the chapter's full content, a summary is not possible here. The summary should comprehensively describe Holmes's methods of investigation, emphasizing the role of observation, deduction, scientific knowledge, disguise, and self-defense techniques in solving cases. It should connect these methods to Holmes's overall persona and effectiveness.]
6 Professor Moriarty - Sherlock Holmes' Archenemy: [This section would contain a summary of the chapter providing an in-depth analysis of Moriarty's character, role, and significance in the Holmes narratives. Due to the provided text not containing the chapter's full content, a summary is not possible here. The summary should highlight Moriarty's criminal mastermind persona, his intellectual prowess, and his influence on Holmes's life and career, exploring the dynamics of their rivalry and its impact on the story arcs.]
7 Legacy: [This section would contain a summary of the chapter that discusses the enduring impact of Sherlock Holmes on popular culture. Due to the provided text not containing the chapter's full content, a summary is not possible here. The summary should examine the various adaptations of Holmes in movies, theatre, and other media, analyzing their success and impact, showcasing the lasting influence of Holmes's character and stories across different platforms.]
Keywords
Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, detective fiction, deduction, observation, Victorian era, Professor Moriarty, popular culture, literary adaptations, character analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Guide to Sherlock Holmes
What is this document about?
This document is a comprehensive preview of a scholarly work analyzing Sherlock Holmes. It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The analysis focuses on various aspects of Holmes, including his biography, character, methods, relationships, archenemy, and creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
What are the main themes explored in the document?
The key themes revolve around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life and its influence on Holmes' creation; Sherlock Holmes' character, methods of deduction, and relationships; the relationship between Holmes and Professor Moriarty; and Sherlock Holmes' lasting legacy in popular culture.
What is covered in the "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" chapter?
This chapter provides a concise biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, focusing on key life events that shaped his literary career and influenced the creation of Sherlock Holmes. It covers his upbringing, education, medical career, and early literary attempts, highlighting the impact of his experiences, such as his work with Dr. Joseph Bell, on the development of Holmes' character.
What aspects of Sherlock Holmes' character are discussed?
The analysis delves into Holmes's physical appearance, habits, hobbies, and significant relationships with Dr. Watson, Mycroft Holmes, and Irene Adler. It explores how these aspects contribute to his unique character and effectiveness as a detective.
How are Holmes' methods of work described?
The document details Holmes's scientific and deductive approaches to investigation, emphasizing the role of observation, deduction, scientific knowledge, disguise, and self-defense techniques. It connects these methods to his overall persona and effectiveness.
What is the role of Professor Moriarty in the analysis?
The analysis provides an in-depth look at Moriarty's character, role, and significance in the Holmes narratives. It highlights his criminal mastermind persona, intellectual prowess, and influence on Holmes's life and career, exploring the dynamics of their rivalry.
What does the document say about Sherlock Holmes' legacy?
The document examines Sherlock Holmes' enduring impact on popular culture, analyzing his various adaptations in movies, theatre, and other media. It showcases the lasting influence of Holmes's character and stories across different platforms.
What are the keywords associated with this document?
The keywords include: Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, detective fiction, deduction, observation, Victorian era, Professor Moriarty, popular culture, literary adaptations, and character analysis.
What is the overall objective of this document?
The aim is to provide a multifaceted portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, encompassing his biography, character, methods, relationships, archenemy, and creator. It seeks to offer a comprehensive understanding of this iconic detective.
Where can I find chapter summaries?
The document provides brief summaries for each chapter, outlining the main topics covered in each section. However, due to limitations in the provided text, full details are not available for all chapters.
- Quote paper
- Marius Wegener (Author), 2010, Sherlock Holmes - A Portrayal of the Greatest Detective of All Time, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/173260
