The Hound of the Baskervilles
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| The Hound of the Baskervilles | |
|---|---|
| Informations | |
| Origin | .svg.png){kind=small} Great Britain |
| Author | Arthur Conan Doyle |
| Publishing | 1902 |
| Navigation | |
| Preceded by | The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes |
| Followed by | The Return of Sherlock Holmes |
– Sherlock Holmes
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published on 1902. The story follows Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, who died under suspicious circumstances on the moors surrounding his family's estate. Sir Charles' heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, arrives at the estate and begins experiencing strange occurrences, leading Holmes to believe that a legendary demonic hound is behind the deaths.
Conception
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Storyline
Dr. James Mortimer visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson at 221B Baker Street with a chilling tale. He recounts the legend of a supernatural hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for generations, supposedly as a curse brought upon them by the wicked actions of their ancestor, Sir Hugo Baskerville. The most recent victim, Sir Charles Baskerville, was found dead near his estate, Baskerville Hall, in Devonshire. Though the official cause of death is a heart attack, Mortimer insists that Sir Charles’s face was contorted in terror and that he had discovered enormous footprints—those of a gigantic hound—near the body.
Sir Charles’s heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, is arriving in London to claim his inheritance, but Mortimer fears for his safety. Holmes, intrigued but skeptical of the supernatural explanation, agrees to investigate. When Sir Henry arrives, he receives an anonymous warning advising him to stay away from Baskerville Hall, and one of his boots mysteriously disappears. Holmes suspects a very real danger and sends Watson to Devonshire with Sir Henry while he remains in London, claiming other pressing business.
Upon arriving at Baskerville Hall, Watson encounters several suspicious figures: the nervous servants, Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore, who are behaving secretively; the naturalist Jack Stapleton, who lives nearby with his beautiful but frightened sister, Beryl; and Frankland, an eccentric old man fond of lawsuits. At night, Watson hears eerie howls echoing across the moor. He later discovers that the Barrymores have been aiding an escaped convict, Selden, Mrs. Barrymore’s brother, who is hiding on the moor.
Watson also notices that Beryl Stapleton tries to warn Sir Henry about the danger, only to be silenced by her brother. Suspicious of Stapleton’s overbearing behavior, Watson continues investigating. One night, he and Sir Henry spot a mysterious figure watching from a high tor, a figure that turns out to be Holmes himself, who had secretly arrived earlier and had been conducting his own investigation. Holmes reveals that the case is not about a supernatural beast but a carefully planned murder. The culprit is Jack Stapleton, who is actually a long-lost Baskerville, seeking to claim the family fortune by eliminating Sir Henry. Stapleton has been using a real but vicious dog, covered in phosphorus to glow in the dark, to scare his victims to death. Sir Charles, already weak-hearted, had died of fright upon seeing the creature. Stapleton planned to kill Sir Henry in the same manner.
Holmes and Watson set a trap. They allow Sir Henry to walk home across the moor at night, knowing Stapleton will unleash the hound. When the monstrous creature attacks, Holmes and Watson shoot it dead just in time to save Sir Henry. Stapleton, realizing he is exposed, flees into the Grimpen Mire, a dangerous bog, and is never seen again. With the case solved, Sir Henry recovers from the ordeal, though he is deeply shaken. Holmes and Watson then return to London.
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Real figures cited
Reception
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