Sherlock Holmes

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Sherlock Holmes painted by the artist Sidney Paget, in The Strand magazine.

Sherlock Holmes is a character from books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. His most famous story was The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Many of the stories were made into movies and television dramas. He is a detective who tries to find out who did crimes. There is a monument in London dedicated to him. He has a sharp mind and solves even the most difficult and strange cases. He works with his friend Dr Watson, a retired army officer. Holmes plays the violin and smokes a pipe. Sometimes when he has not got any cases to solve, he uses drugs. He is very smart. He first appeared in 1887 and is known for his detective skills. People sometimes get surprised because he takes cocaine and morphine.

Sherlock Holmes was "born" on 6th January 1861, and for more than 100 years his name has been known in every country of the world; and not only his name, but his appearance too. The hawk-like features and piercing eyes; the dressing-gown and pipe; the funny cap and magnifying glass - these details are so familiar that if he were to appear amongst us today we should know him at once.

The science of deduction[change | change source]

In the story The Sign of Four, the first part is titled "The Science of Deduction". Dr. Watson admires Sherlock Holmes attention to detail and Holmes explains the importance of details that appear unimportant but can be crucial in solving a mystery.

In the second part of the story A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes's method is explained in detail. He is the only Consulting Detective in the world and his "science of detection" is based on analysis and deduction, figuring things out from things he already knows. He is especially good at backwards reasoning (inference or abduction). From the scratches around a front door lock, he decides the man drinks a lot; seeing the man's clothes are respectable but worn, he thinks the man was once successful, but has fallen on hard times and taken to drink. And so on.

Sherlock Holmes does not know a lot about literature, philosophy, astronomy and politics but his knowledge of chemistry is great and he seems to know every detail of every horror detail of every horror perpetrated in the 19th century.

Sherlock Holmes' brother[change | change source]

Mycroft Holmes is Sherlock Holmes' brother. He works for the government and according to Sherlock, his brother Mycroft's powers of deduction are even better than his own, and often Mycroft's word has decided national policy. Sometimes, Sherlock goes to his brother to ask for advice on some little problem. In Sherlock's own words, Mycroft is the British government.

Sherlock Holmes' arch enemy[change | change source]

Professor James Moriarty is Sherlock Holmes' arch enemy (chief enemy). He does bad things (crimes). He is a mathematical genius and occupied the mathematical chair of a small English university, which he quit and moved to London. There he became the center of organized English crime (the mob) and the object of Sherlock Holmes's investigative power who considered the professor his intellectual equal. Sherlock Holmes vs (against) Moriarty represents one of the greatest battles of wits (shrewdness, intelligence, smartness) in the history of the world. Holmes spoke often of Moriarty's genius in admiration in spite of (not considering) the horror of the crimes. He spoke well of Moriarty without taking into consideration the evil side of his nature.

The women in his life[change | change source]

His landlady Mrs. Hudson who was genuinely fond of him.

Mary Morstan who married Dr. Watson in 1888.

He showed his attentiveness to Violet Hunter. He was courteous and considerate.

He posed as a plumber in his wooing (seeking the affection or love) of Charles Augustus Milverton's housemaid.

He was never really involved emotionally with a woman. In his own words, "...I have never loved."

In A Scandal in Bohemia, the only case in which he fails, appears the only woman he considered his equal intellectually and the only woman who ever defeated him. Her name is Irene Adler. She was born in New Jersey and was an opera singer. She had a love affair (romance) with the king of Bohemia.

Other websites[change | change source]