British author Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote his first Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887; the character’s popularity became widespread with the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine. Sherlock Holmes was a fictional private detective character was based on a real man, Dr. Joseph Bell, a renowned forensic scientist at Edinburgh University whom Conan-Doyle studied under. Conan-Doyle wrote 56 short stories & 4 novels (Total 60 adventures) the collection is known as “The Cannon”. The first Sherlock Holmes film was launched in 1900. In 1939, the novels were developed as a series of films starring Basil Rathbone, establishing the trademark deerstalker, pipe & spyglass as a worldwide visual icon. Holmes is the name of detective mystery. Referring to himself as a “consulting detective” in the stories, Holmes is knew for his proficiency with observation, deduction, etc. that borders on the fantastic.
Who is the real inspiration of sherlock holmes:
Dr. Josheph Bell was a Scottish surgeon and lecturer at the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in the 19th century. He is popular as an inspiration for the literary character Sherlock Holmes. He was the son of Cecilia Barbara Craigie (1813–1882) and Benjamin Bell (1810–1883). The first Scottish scientific surgeon Benjamin Bell was his great grandfather. Bell emphasized the influence of close observation in making a diagnosis. To illustrate this, he would often pick a stranger, and by observing him, deduce his occupation and up to date activities. Bell was one among the primary physicians to insist that medical students wash their hands before examining pregnant women after coming from the morgue or lectures. His actions saved the lives of the many women across the central belt.
Inspiration Of Sherlock Holmes:
Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle met Bell in 1877 and served as his clerk at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Doyle later went on to write down a series of popular stories featuring the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, who Doyle stated was loosely based on Bell and his observant ways. Other possible inspirations are proposed, though never acknowledged by Doyle, like Maximilien Heller, by French author Henry Cauvain. In this 1871 novel (16 years before the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes), Henry Cauvain imagined a depressed, anti-social, opium-smoking polymath detective, operating in Paris. According to Irving Wallace (in an essay originally in his book The Fabulous Originals but later republished and updated in his collection The Sunday Gentleman. Bell was involved in several police investigations, mostly in Scotland, like the Ardlamont Mystery of 1893, usually with forensic expert Professor Henry Littlejohn. Bell also gave his investigation of the Ripper murders to Scotland Yard.
Fictional Character story:
Details of Sherlock Holmes’s life in Conan Doyle’s stories are scarce and often vague. Nevertheless, mentions of his early life and extended family paint a loose biographical picture of the detective. Holmes says that he first developed his methods of deduction as an undergraduate. His earliest cases, which he pursued as an amateur that came from fellow university students. A meeting with a classmate’s father drives him to adopt detection as a profession. Due to his financial condition he had to share room with Dr. Watson in 221B Baker Street, London. He works as a detective for twenty-three years, with Watson assisting him for seventeen of those years. His friendship with Watson is his most significant relationship.
Personality and Habits:
Watson describes Holmes as a bohemian in his lifestyle and habits. As long as Holmes is dispassionate and cold, during an investigation he is animated and excitable. He has a flair for showmanship, often keeping his methods and evidence hidden until the last possible moment so as to impress observers. Holmes hardly uses addictive drugs, especially in the absence of stimulating cases. Watson notes that Holmes would refuse to assist even the wealthy and powerful if their cases didn’t interest him. Holmes is known to charge clients for his expenses and claim any reward offer for a problem’s solution, like in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”, “The Red-Headed League” etc.
Knowledge and Skills:
Holmes observes the dress and attitude of his clients and suspects, noting skin marks, contamination (like ink stains or clay on boots), spirit, and physical condition in order to deduce their origins and recent history. Though Holmes is famed for his logical reasoning abilities, his investigative technique relies heavily on the acquisition of hard evidence. Many of the techniques he employs within the stories were at the time in their inception. Holmes displays a robust aptitude for acting and disguise. As a gentleman, Holmes often carries a stick or cane but he is an expert in singlestick and also an expert swordsman.
How did Sherlock Holmes die?
In a story “The Adventure of the Final Problem,” shows that Holmes dies after slump off a cliff while battling his arch-nemesis, the evil Professor Moriarty. Public of Victorian England wig out over the death of Sherlock Holmes. But original Sherlock Holmes alias Dr. Joseph Bell died naturally on 4 October 1911. He was buried at the Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh. The grave is mid-way along the north wall of the northern section to the first cemetery.
Sherlock Holmes is a very popular name came in mind, when anybody thinks about mystery. His story is available in series, books, movie, TV shows etc.