Sherlock Holmes

In the late nineteenth century, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a character that captured the heart of the public. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, this mystery character was an inspiration to readers. With his use of “deductive reasoning” and “intellectual prowess” to solve cases in the narrative crime world, Sherlock Holmes became an overnight success. Holmes appeared in his first story in 1887 in Beeton’s Christmas Annual. This fictional genius detective became popular in 1891 when a series of short stories were featured in The Strand Magazine. In his fictional tales, Holmes appeared alongside his friend and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson, and he often encountered his nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

The character of Holmes was often described as “Bohemian,” living a nontraditional lifestyle. Through the eyes of his biographer Watson, the intellectual detective was often described as very disorganized, leaving notes and other case materials scattered around rooms. He was also a late riser, and was most often described as having a cigarette, cigar, or pipe in his mouth.

In all, Sherlock Holmes appeared in four novels and fifty-six short stories. In 1893, in “The Final Problem,” Holmes and Moriarty were killed off. The public complained so much that Conan Doyle was forced to bring Holmes back. Doyle was never able to fully escape the Holmes marvel. Doyle tried to write about his other interests without much success. He took Holmes’ stories into the 1900s, and ended with “The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes” in 1927.