The Origin and Story of Sherlock Holmes

cmp2020 (72)in #story • 8 years ago (edited)

As a fictional character, Sherlock Holmes has inspired many advancements into the ways modern detectives solve crimes, but what inspired his story? and what was his story? In this article I am going to be presenting information that I learned through the LIFE Magazine special edition "Sherlock Holmes, The Story Behind The World's Greatest Detective."

Introduction

There is no doubt in my mind that Sherlock Holmes has had an influence on modern forensic science. In his first appearance "A Study in Scarlet," - 1887, Holmes became the first detective (real or fictional) to use aspects such as chemistry, toxicology, blood stains, and even ballistics to solve crimes. This inspired a modern day forensics pioneer, Edmond Locard, to build the first (forensics) crime lab in 1910. But where did Sherlock Holmes come from?

The Birth of a Legend

The first novel Sherlock Holmes would appear in was drafted as "A Tangled Skein," with the two main characters being named Ormond Sacker and "a sleepy-eyed young man" by the name of either Sheridan Hope, or Sherrinford Holmes.

The author, Arthur Conan Doyle, was a struggling doctor and author. He had written several unsuccessful short stories, as well as a narrative that had been lost at mail (I can imagine how angry he'd get at that one), and another narrative that had been flat-out rejected.

In 1886, he began work on his first ever novel, writing it between patient visits in Portsmouth, England. At the time of its completion, this novel, originally titled "A Tangled Skein," would be renamed to "A Study in Scarlet," with the two main characters finalized as Dr. James H. Watson, and a detective based on medical professor, Joseph Bell, named Sherlock Holmes.

Joseph Bell

Doyle first met Dr. Joseph Bell, medical professor, at the University of Edinburgh, in 1876. It was Bell who would later inspire the character Sherlock Holmes. As an instructor, Bell would often challenge his class to do risky, abnormal, actions, such as tasting a "potent" chemical, in the name of scientific observation. He would do this to teach his students the importance of using scientific observation to diagnose a patient. This passion of observation would later become Holmes' strong suit in solving crimes.

A Study in Scarlet: Synopsis

This story is set in 1881. It begins with the introduction of detective Sherlock Holmes to Dr. John H. Watson. At the time of their introduction, Holmes is looking for a roommate to reside with him at the famous address 21B Baker Street. Watson would soon fill this position.

The plot begins when Holmes is employed to solve the murder of Enoch J. Debber. The only clue to link the murder to the scene of the crime is the word "rache" written on a wall. The police suggest this could be short for the name "Rachel," but Holmes informs them that this is likely written to indicate the German word for revenge.

Throughout the novel, Holmes is revealed as a pipe smoker, and a user of cocaine and morphine to relieve stress. He is also revealed as a violinist, and to enjoy doing experiments with chemicals around the house.

Watson becomes impressed with Holmes' ability to solve crimes, and decides to publish an account of the case which Holmes had been employed to solve, and had solved.

The Sign of the Four: Synopsis

In 1889, Doyle was commissioned by Lippincott's monthly magazine to write a novel. Originally, Doyle had no intentions of including Holmes in another novel, but the aspiring author realized that Holmes would make the perfect protagonist for the assignment.

This story begins when an attractive young woman named Mary Morstan arrives at 221B Baker Street. She asks Holmes to find her father, a British army captain, stationed in India, who had disappeared nearly a decade earlier. The importance of this novel is that it introduces Watson to his love interest, Mary Morstan, who, later on, would become his wife.

The Rise to Fame

In 1891, after no apparent success, Doyle made a decision that would ultimately lead to success. He decided that Sherlock Holmes would make the perfect protagonist for a series of short stories. In April, he sent two short stories to a magazine called "The Strand." These two were probably "A Scandal In Bohemia," and "The Red-Headed League." The editor of The Strand would later state "I at once realized that here was the greatest short story writer since Edgar Allen Poe."

A Scandal in Bohemia: Synopsis

This short story begins when the disguised king of Bohemia pays Holmes a visit. The king requests that Holmes track down an incriminating photo of the king and an opera singer named Irene Adler. Adler becomes the first ever to defeat Holmes, as well as the only woman he almost falls in love with.

Other Series

Adler is but one of the numerous colorful minor characters that Doyle would incorporate into his stories. This first hit story helped to set off the Sherlock Holmes series as a hit, and was only aided by the monthly publication of a new Sherlock Holmes adventure. These stories included, but were not limited to: "The Red-Headed League," "A Case of Identity," "The Boscombe Valley Mystery," "The Five Orange Pips," and "The Man with the Twisted Lip."

Readers would wait in line just to buy the newest tale of Sherlock Holmes' adventures. With Doyle's name on the cover of the magazine, it would eventually sell 100,00 copies.

When The Strand asked for 6 more stories, Doyle refused unless he received £50 (About $62, which is equivalent to about $1,300 in today's money) for each story, regardless of length.

An Attempt to Move On

With the success of his short stories, Doyle was able to quit his practice, and focus solely on fiction. He began to plan a new revolutionary novel called "The Refugees," when The Strand asked him to write 12 new Sherlock Holmes stories. Doyle was beginning to become frustrated writing the stories, as it was becoming harder and harder to think of original ideas for the plot. He agreed, but only if he was paid £1,000 (about 20,000 dollars in today's value) as a combined total for all of the stories. This was an unprecedented amount.

The Unthinkable

Doyle began to work on these new stories, but felt they were delaying him from more important work. So in the last story, "The Final Problem," he killed Holmes off. He decided to drop Holmes down a Crevasse in Switzerland to "save on funeral expenses." Doyle used a supervillain called Moriarty to do this. The author decided to this after climbing a glacier on a trip to Switzerland with his friends.

After Holmes' death, a satisfied Doyle wrote in his diary "Killed Holmes." Then, the public weighed in.

The Public

I have decided to directly quote the magazine here (what they wrote is funny).

"Life's Darkest Moment," one cartoonist called Holmes's death. "You brute!" a woman wrote Doyle; another hit him with her handbag. Twenty thousand furious readers canceled their subscriptions to The Strand, nearly bankrupting the magazine. Londoners wore black mourning bands; the Prince of Whales was reportedly upset, and the detective's demise was reported as news. "Tragic Death of Mr. Sherlock," one headline read, as if he had been flesh and blood.

Doyle had no regrets though, he stated "I was amazed at the concern expressed by the public. I have been much maligned for doing this gentlemen to death. But I hold that it was not murder, but justifiable homicide in self-defense, since if I had not killed him, he would certainly have killed me."

Despite his decision, Doyle was still experiencing great amounts of stress in his life with the diagnosis of tuberculosis his wife had received, his father's recent death inside of a mental institution, and his own affair with another woman. These all attributed to great levels of stress and insomnia, much more than what was known to the public.

Goodbye For Now to Sherlock Holmes

After killing Holmes off, Doyle attempted to write other stories, but tasted no success. He decided to enlist in the British army, but was rejected due to being too old (40). He then became a military doctor, and was later knighted for his services, but lost an election for parliament. It was at this point he decided to bring Holmes back to the literary world.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles

Doyle felt inspired to write this book after taking a trip to southern Devon, England. He heard a local legend about an avid hunter named Cabell who sold his soul to the devil and murdered his wife. When he died in July 1667, a pack of phantom hounds was "seen" running across the moor to howl at his tomb. After this, Cabell's spirit can supposedly be seen leading this pack on the day of his death.

Doyle decided to write a story incorporating Holmes into this legend. This was Doyle's first Holmes story in eight years, but did not bring Holmes back to life, it simply occurred before Holmes' death. However, this book was very successful, and lead an American magazine named Collier's magazine to offer Doyle a sum of $45,000 to write 13 new Holmes stories. Doyle reluctantly accepted stating "Very well" in response to their offer. This lead to the return of Sherlock Holmes from the dead.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes did not apparently die in the fall he took down the crevasse, he instead used a Japanese martial art called "baritsu" to send Moriarty into the abyss. He then posed as a Norwegian explorer and traveled to Tibet. In the story "The Empty House" he returned to Watson in the year 1894. After his incredible escape, Holmes would continue to appear in literary works, as well as becoming the most famous detective EVER, real or fake.

Sources

LIFE Sherlock Holmes The Story Behind The World's Greatest Detective

Images

Thanks for reading this! I have been dormant for three days because I have been taking notes on this, and typing it. There are two other chapters in the magazine, but I decided that it really doesn't correlate to the origins of Sherlock Holmes any more, and I have told most of the story. Please remember to leave feedback as it is always appreciated, and see you next time!