Introduction to The Hounds of Baskervilles

By Arthur Conan Doyle

Doyle’s Inspiration

In 1901, Doyle vacationed in the moors of Dartmoor with a childhood friend.

Here, local legend told of hounds that roamed the moors at night

Fowelscombe Hall Hayford Hall

The Fox Tores Mire = Grimpen Mire?

The real Baskervilles? The name came from last

name of a servant of Doyle’s friend. Book inscribe with: "To Harry Baskerville, with apologies for using the name.“

More likely inspired by Sir Richard Cabell, who was said to have sold his soul to the devil and killed his wife when she tried to escape.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Born in Scotland, 1859 Studied to become a doctor.

Impressed with a professor’s practice of using deductive reasoning to diagnose disease.

Began writing Sherlock Holmes stories in 1890, where they were serialized in popular magazines. The first widely popular were a series of short stories.

In 1893, he “killed” off Holmes in the novel The Final Solution, but the public outcry was great.

In 1902, Doyle returned to the character of Holmes by writing a prequel story,

That was called The Hounds of Baskerville

DETECTIVE FICTION

a novel or short story in which a detective (either professional or amateur) investigates and solves a crime

ORIGINS Father of Detective Fiction is Edgar

Allan Poe "The Murders in the Rue Morgue“ Characteristics of Poe’s detective

fiction set the standard for mystery genre

THE MYSTERY GENREThe Basic Definition • A subgenre of narrative fiction; often

thought of as a detective story. Usually involves a mysterious death or a crime to be solved. In a closed circle of suspects, each suspect must have a credible motive and a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime.

Protagonist The central character eventually

solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts fairly presented to the reader.

This classic structure is the basis for hundreds of variations on the form. The protagonist may have a “sidekick.” Poe used this “assistant” for comic relief.

Narrative Techniques Foreshadowing—clues left by the

author as to possible outcomes.

Suspense—having to hold various possible conclusions at bay as you wait to see what happens; reader is expected to enjoy the suspense, and to read to find out what will happen.

Narrative Techniques Ratiocination: the activity or

process of reasoning – Poe’s name for deductive reasoning: one must eliminate the impossible to conclude the possible – make logical inferences

Narrative Techniques Red herring—a kind of foreshadowing clue

that leads the reader to false conclusions. Inference Gaps—mysteries, by their very

nature, do not tell the whole story. It is up to readers to notice the gaps in the story and try to fill these gaps by using and connecting the information that is presented.

Hidden Evidence is presented, i.e., essential details are offered in such a way that they seem unimportant.

Plot Use of Forensic pathology: determining

the cause of death by examining the cadaver – Poe introduced this in fiction

Twist of plot in the end

In Poe’s detective fiction, the reader has been unknowingly introduced to the murderer at some point before the crime is solved