the hound of baskervilles

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLEs

Conan Doyle

Marianna borraccino, 4°A

index

SUMMARY

characters

intertexuality

opinion

PLACE AND TIME SETTING

The Hound Of The Baskervilles is a novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle and the protagonist is the detective Sherlock Holmes. The novel was originally published in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902. This tale begins in London in 1889: in the office of the famous detective, a young doctor named James Mortimer presents himself.

first part

Sir charles baskerville's death

James Mortimer asks Holmes and Watson to investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, a close friend who died in strange and mysterious circumstances. The police and the doctor link this death to a sudden heart attack. However Mortimer is not convinced of this version: he thinks that his friend was attacked and killed by a dog possessed by the devil.

...SIR HENRY BASKERVILLE

Dr. Mortimer would like to preserve Sir Henry Baskerville, the last surviving member of the family. Holmes and Watson ask to meet Sir Henry to get to know him better and then they decide to accept and resolve the case.

SECOND PART

...among hypothesis and assumptions

Then Dr. Watson travels to Dartmoor with Sir Henry and Mortimer. Here he begins to collect some clues and, as the days passed, the hypothesis of gigantic creature takes shape.After this, Sherlock Holmes re-enters the scene and he puts together the various information collected by his colleague.

CONCLUSION

...WHO IS THE KILLER?

The killer is Jack Stapleton, who turns out to be a descendant of the Baskerville family. His purpose was to obtain the inheritance and for this reason he trained an enormous dog with the specific aim of killing Sir Charles and then Henry. Stapleton makes the figure of the ferocious dog even more demonic by applying a fluorescent powder on his mouth. The mastiff is killed with gunshots by Holmes, Watson and Henry. At the end Stapleton dies in the quicksand of the area.

CHARACTERIZATION

MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE NOVEL

HENRY BASKERVILLE

SHERLOCK HOLMES

• Nephew of Sir Charles Baskerville;
• Flat.

• Protagonist;
• Flat.

MR. STAPLETON

DR. WATSON

• Sir Henry's cousin;
• Round.

• Protagonist/narrator;
• Flat.

mr. and mrs. barrymore

JAMES MORTIMER

• Family friend and doctor to the Baskerville;
• Round

• Servants;
• Flat.

INTERTEXUALITY

• M.R.C.S. "Member of the Royal College of Surgeons" (P. 21)

References to other works

• Ugonotti: opera in French

(p. 251)

• De Reske: opera singers

(P. 251)

• Films

FILMS

2000

1939

Intriguing, gripping, adventurous: a perfect novel for all lovers of thriller par excellence