Sherlock Holmes and Detective Fiction
Before the world was treated to the many flavors presented by motion pictures, people had other brilliant ideas to entertain themselves. They exercised their imaginations through reading all sorts of books and related forms of written literature.
Detective fiction was one genre which had a strong following ever since its informal debut many years ago. Children and adults alike would stay up all night reading, captivated by the thrill and suspense associated with detective books. The excitement usually clings to a reader even if he or she isnt actually reading the story; oftentimes people would not hesitate to pick up a detective book and finish it just to know how the story ends.
What gives detective books its flair? Simply put, they give the readers a good mental image of the actual scene and its events, while having them think at the same time. The unpredictability of good detective fiction has always been a quality that readers keep coming back for.
Stories which are classified as detective fiction usually start off with a description of a particular crime or mystery. As the reader turns the pages of the detective book he or she will be led to many bizarre or uncommon circumstances. This places more emphasis on the need to find a solution or and explanation to why the introduced event happened. The protagonist is usually a detective whose degree of experience can vary. A foil , or an accident-prone/less competent male or female is usually introduced as the detectives assistant. Together, these key characters would decipher all sorts of clues, analyze situations, and piece them all together.
This process of collecting data takes up most of the plot. It is up to the creativity of the author to keep the reader hooked to the logical path of clues. A twist is usually added here and there to serve as distractions in a good number of ways. They can divert the readers attention away from critical details. Better yet, they can lead the reader to think that they have it all figured out, until another logical twist is introduced, much to their surprise. Through it all, the detective feels all sorts of emotions and tries all sorts of methods to figure things out. Deductive reasoning is one very common method used by protagonists in many detective books.
The solution of the crime usually serves as the ultimate climax of the detective fiction stories. Here, the foils more conventional level of intelligence is used by the author to explain the elaborate solution to the crime in words the reader would understand easier. The whole experience of reading a detective fiction story is truly breathtaking.
Edgar Allan Poe is credited to author the very first detective fiction story in 1841. Entitled The Murders in the Rue Morgue , it starred C. Auguste Dupin, the very first detective. The fame of this short story eventually led to two sequels which featured the same detective. One of these stories, The Mystery or Marie Roget , is intriguing for expressing Poes fictionalized point of view regarding a real-life crime, the murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers.
More importantly, that detective fiction story served as inspiration for many authors to create and innovate in the genre. One of these authors could have been a certain Scottish doctor and writer, whose innovative skills with the pen have earned him knighthood in the United Kingdom. In other words, one of these authors could have been Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, revolutionary author of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Ask a person you know to tell you the first word he thinks about when you say Sherlock Holmes, and expect him to say detective, or something close to that. Sherlock Holmes stands out among the many various protagonists in the genre as being the most famous detective. His antics in every story that Conan Doyle wrote about him demonstrate his sheer brilliance in data gathering and analysis. This character, often pictured as a sophisticated gentleman wearing a deerstalker cap while smoking a pipe, is also depicted as a master of disguise. The depth of his character is seen in his well-elaborated emotions throughout every detective fiction story he is featured in. To him, life needed stronger thrills, and this led to his resistance to feel love, which he believed was a hindrance beneath his concerns.
Sherlock Holmes is known for the line, Elementary, my dear Watson . Many will be surprised to learn that this line was never directly uttered by Holmes. However, he does refer to less-insightful attempts in information analysis as Elementary , and he frequently refers to his confidante, Dr. John H. Watson, as my dear Watson .
John Hamish Watson was a doctor who served as Sherlock Holmes biographer in a majority of stories. He narrated all but 4 of Conan Doyles pieces of detective fiction related to Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Watson serves as Holmes foil in the sense that he has a more conventional point of view over things. He shares the sentiments and opinions of an ordinary man. This state of mind usually clashes with Holmes more logical and analytical way of thinking. One educates, while the other maintains balance. This relation between the two diverse minds has been a symbolic situation expressed in many of Holmes stories.
Together, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson take on all sorts of crimes and mysteries to solve, meeting and dealing with many diverse characters along the way. Holmes is shown to demonstrate his superior skills in investigation over local officers of the law, including those working for Scotland Yard. Holmes also had an arch-enemy, Professor James Moriarty, who was featured in a good number of Conan Doyles works. Finally, there is Irene Adler, the one woman whom Holmes showed the most appreciation and attraction for.
There are nearly sixty pieces of literary work written by Conan Doyle which featured Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Of all these stories, it is The Adventure of the Speckled Band and the The Red-Headed League that are arguably the favorites of many Sherlock Enthusiasts.
The stories of Sherlock Holmes have undoubtedly lured many to the sophisticated genre of detective fiction. There are many competent writers who followed the approaches of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with their own unique qualities related to the suspense and thrill brought on by detective fiction. Nowadays, early detective books are still good reading, but they are also collectors items too. Their significance during an earlier era and the quality of the stories make them highly prized by enthusiasts.
It is quite Elementary to expect that stories of Sherlock Holmes and other detective books would continue to be loved by children and adults alike.
Watch the video related to sherlock holmes
Guy Ritchie directs Robert Downey Jr, Rachel mcadams and Jude Law in the revival of an old classic just in time for Christmas 2009, Sherlock Holmes. When legendary detective Holmes and his assistant Watson are pitted against a threat to the very existance of Great Britain itself, the larger than life figures will engage in an explosive battle of wits. Check out the trailer. So is this the straight goods or a red herring? Early reports say it bears as much resemblance to the original Conan Doyle as a copy of Spawn, but Robert Downey Jr. looks to make a great Holmes. Sleuth your way down to our comments section and file your own report, and thanks for watching! Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel mcadams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan Sherlock Holmes movie trailer is provided by Warner Bros. Pictures. Movie opens in US theaters on December 25th, 2009
Help answer the question about sherlock holmes
Sherlock HOLMES?
what happened at the end of the story “the adventures of the speckled band” after the part where sherlock holmes set up the “trap” type thingy?
About Author
Chris Haycock -
About the Author:
Chris Haycock is an information publisher, one of whose many hobbies includes crime fiction. Early detective fiction in particular. A particular favourite is Sherlock Holmes. If you would like to know more about Sherlock Holmes and an excellent offer, why not go now to http://www.sherlockandwatson.com
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hung do
Well i'm pretty sure from your description of the trailer that the show you are looking for is called 'Psych'. Here is a trailer for it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtKoIfSKU2Y I think that is it.
If not there is a show called Monk. It has been going for a while, but it might also be it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwz24jB96fY ????
Both these shows fit your sherlok holems, noticing minute details description. I hope that one of these is what you are looking for….
sorry if not.
x.
EDIT: ha ha, the mentalist!! I should of thought of that, I compleatly forgot…. I live in Australia so it didn't come out here to 2008, hence my confusion…. Sorry. It is a great show but you should watch Psych… It's pretty good but the mentalist is better, how did you find it???
Help me…
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090913034628AAMQ40S
Nappymonster
It is just a detective story. The difference really boils down (sorry) to a matter of style. The style is so prevalent now that it may be difficult to see what a powerful change it was at the time. Most mysteries were of the British country house whodunit variety with much more formal language and far less realism. Generally the detectives were either very clever civilians or members of the constabulary. The private investigator allowed a lot more latitude in storyline and character and that character is a big part of what distinguishes the hardboiled or noir genre from traditional mystery fiction. The violent dissolute lonewolf with a strong personal ethic is a cornerstone of this fiction. The use of firearms and the mean streets settings are also distinctive. Really it is all about style and the only way to really get it is to read both. If you lack an interest in that I guess it doesn't really matter. I have to say I think you're lucky to be doing this in school. When I was young this fiction got no respect and was almost a cult type thing. It deserves the prominence it has earned. Try to enjoy it, don't take it like medicine.
darth_borehd
Not really. In all my years I had one case that involved a PI, a very high end PI. This PI had already been hired for surveillance of my murder victim. His client was my main suspect. The PI cooperated and was able to provide some stuff that I as a cop would not normally be able to get, like credit information (unlike on TV police are prohibited by fed law from accessing much credit info) and some illegal wire taps he had done.
Since he was working for a suspect I could not totally believe all that he provided or if he provided all the information he had.
No Holmes, no Monk, no people with "special talents" that weren't real law enforcement. I consulted with such people as anthropologists and other specialists in, usually scientific, fields, but that was in thier field and not really people who could solve the case.
I have had psychics volunteer to help on some cases that made the papers big but they are useless and just seeking publicity.
Algaliarept[[Love]]
Good for you for branching out! I'm a classic sci fi/fluff fantasy fan, myself, but I've read all of the Holmes stories, plus several about him by different authors (non-cannon, of course *grin*), and a lot of other things thrown into the mix. Nothing is quite like our friend Sherlock, of course.
I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for, so here are some suggestions that I put together. It was hard not to write more! I love books. *grin*
Mansfield Park was my least favorite work by Jane Austen. I would suggest reading either Emma (my favorite, but a bit unusual for her), or Pride and Prejudice, both of which are definitely better books. But yet, you don't say you actually enjoyed Mansfield Park at all, so perhaps her writing isn't your favorite anyway.
I just read Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie. It was amazing. Nothing like the Disney film, but better, even. Classic children's books are usually a good place to explore for interesting reads.
I would suggest "Daughter of Fortune" by Isabel Allende, which is a fiction novel that takes place in Chile and California the 1940s. Loved this book, and it's a good read if you are trying to read authors that are not native English speakers, too. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was also amazing, but long and a bit depressing.
For the Detective/Mystery genre:
Dorothy Sayers – Any books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series are absolutely necessary for someone who loves a good detective novel. This lady was one of the very first commercially successful women detective novelists. The story of her life is pretty interesting, too, but the books are just awesome.
Rex Stout – He created a series of mysteries involving a detective by the name of Nero Wolfe, which starts with the book "Fer-de-Lance." I haven't read them in years, but there were pretty solid detective novels, if memory serves. A lot of friends recommend this series.
Non-Cannon Holmes:
"The Beekeeper's Apprentice" by Laurie R. King. The whole series was suggested by another person. These books are based on Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, but King put her own twist on the character.
"Good Night, Mr Holmes" by Carole Nelson Douglas was excellent. Another author's take on the Holmes character.
A couple of really strange non-cannon Holmes book are Fred Saberhagen's "The Holmes-Dracula File" and "Sherlock Holmes in Orbit," which is a collection of science fiction short stories about Holmes edited by Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg.
Also, you should really take a look at some classic sci fi while you are at it, since you call yourself a new age science fiction fan. Good ones include: Anything by Isaac Asimov (especially his short stories); "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury; "Nor Crystal Tears" by Alan Dean Foster; "Dune" by Frank Herbert; "The Best of C.M. Kornbluth" which is an anthology of short stories Kornbluth wrote, edited by Frederik Pohl; "Ringworld" by Larry Niven; and "The Steps of the Sun" by Walter Tevis. There are so many I could say!
Some Fantasy good ones, for fun
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"The Riddle-Master of Hed" by Patricia A McKillip (plus the rest of the trilogy); "Lord Valentine's Castle" by Robert Silverberg; and "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman.
Freddie Cook
don’t you just love the eyes of Rachel McAdams? she has some pretty eyes.’”*