Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

1. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes

2. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle • Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh on May 22, 1859 • Arthur’s father, Charles, obtained a job in civil service, but his real desire was to be an artist • Charles and his wife had 7 children, the fact that Charles had to hold a job to support his family, prevented him from being an artist; this probably led to his alcoholism and eventually institutionalization • Arthur’s mother remained a strong influence, and encouraged his writing • As a boy, he got into many fights with local boys • 1868, he was sent to a Jesuit school in Lancashire, probably to get him away from the other boys

3. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle • He was not a stand out student, but read and wrote frequently on his own • He enrolled in Edinburgh University, and studied medicine • He interrupted his studies to sail as a ship’s surgeon, because he craved adventure • He returned to school and obtained his MD • Later signed for another voyage to Africa • When he returned , he decided to settle down • Married Louise Hawkins in 1885 • Established a medical practice, specializing in eyes

4. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle • Always a fan of mysteries, he decided to write his own, “correcting” some of the problems he saw in them, especially the endings • In his personal life, his wife became ill in 1893, she remained ill until the end of her life in 1906 • He remained a faithful and devoted husband, but fell in love with another woman, whom he married in 1907 • His detective stories brought fame and fortune, but he soon grew tired of his character, Sherlock Holmes, and wanted to kill him off almost immediately • Supported Britain in WWI, but lost both his younger brother and son in the war • He became obsessed with contacting the dead, and decided that spreading an understanding of spiritualism should be his life’s work • Suffered a heart attack, and died on July 7, 1930

5. Stories of Conan Doyle • Conan Doyle, felt many authors created weak characters and even weaker plots, that were too dependent on coincidence to provide solutions to crimes • He believed in a more scientific way of solving a mystery • Used his medical training to create a scientific approach to solving crimes: observation, analysis of data observed, formation of a theory based only on the facts • Because novels were mostly serialized, (published in installments in magazines) he worried that format would not work for a mystery- missing one edition could throw the reader off track and cause them to lose interest • Began writing stories that link together through characters- Holmes, Watson etc., but could stand alone as well • The character became so real to the audience that fan mail was addressed to Sherlock Holmes, rather than the author

6. Sherlock Holmes • Named for one of Conan Doyle’s favorite authors- Oliver Wendell Holmes • Holmes is unemotional, aloof, rational and arrogant • He is often irritable and wears thin the patience of his best friend and colleague, Dr. Watson • He can play the violin well, but more often plucks tunelessly at the strings • Uses the walls of his home for target practice • When he does not have a case to occupy his time, he is moody and bored, and will turn to a cocaine solution injection to ease his boredom • He is brilliant in some areas, but ignorant in others, not wishing to learn anything that will not help him solve cases

7. Sherlock Holmes • Respectful and polite to women, but insists he will never fall in love and marry • He often stands apart from society, breaking laws on occasion to obtain clues • It seems that Holmes’s motivation for solving cases has little to do with combating crime or doing good deeds, and more to do with amusing himself or impressing others

8. Dr. John watson • It seems that Watson is more similar to Conan Doyle, than Holmes • Watson is a large, athletic man with a mustache • He loves sports and attractive women • He has been married more than once • Watson is even tempered and friendly, much the opposite of Holmes’s personality • Watson very often fails when he tries to use Holmes’s method for solving a crime • It is clear, however, that Holmes needs him as a friend, and as Watson states “he liked to think aloud in my presence.” • Watson is less brilliant, but more human