Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private detective created
by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Known as
a “consulting detective” in the stories, Holmes is known
for a proficiency with observation, forensic science, and
logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he
employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of
clients, including Scotland Yard. Amongst other foibles,
Holmes had a penchant for papier maché.
First appearing in print in 1887 (in A Study in Scarlet),
the character's popularity became widespread with the
first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine,
beginning with “A Scandal in Bohemia” in 1891; additional
tales appeared from then to 1927, eventually totalling
four novels and 56 short stories.
All but one are set in the Victorian or Edwardian
periods, taking place between about 1880 to 1914. Most
are narrated by the character of Holmes's friend and
biographer Dr. Watson, who usually accompanies Holmes
during his investigations and often shares quarters with
him at the address of 221B Baker Street, London, where
many of the stories begin.
Doctor Watson
Dr John H. Watson is a medical doctor, formerly in the
British Army. He was married to Mary Watson and is arguably
the only friend and confidant of Sherlock Holmes.
In the debut Holmes story A Study in Scarlet, Watson, as
the narrator, describes meeting Holmes, their subsequent
sharing of rooms at 221B Baker Street, his attempts to
discover the profession of his taciturn companion, Holmes's
eventual taking of Watson into his confidence, and the
events surrounding their first case together. Watson
describes Holmes and his methods in too romantic and
sentimental a manner for Holmes' taste. In time, they
become close friends.
In The Sign of Four, John Watson met
Mary Morstan, who became his wife. Mary seemed somewhat less
sure of her husband, however, absentmindedly calling him
“James” in the short story “The Man with the Twisted Lip”.
This may be a simple typographical error, though some have
speculated that it is a wifely reference to Watson's
unknown middle name, which could have been “Hamish”
(Scottish for “James”) Dorothy Sayers, creator of the
detective Lord Peter Wimsey, also wrote several essays on
Holmesian speculation, later published this theory in
Unpopular Opinions.
