The novel was adapted as A Study in Pink, the first episode of the BBC’s series Sherlock created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. With just a little probing, collegiate readers may wonder whether Conan Doyle plagiarized his most famous character, invented forensic science, despised Mormons, and accidentally wrote a Western. The fast-paced novella that introduces detective duo Holmes and Watson, A Study in Scarlet involves some astonishing elements, and not just in the plot. Three recent television and film adaptations testify to the continuing popularity of Arthur Conan Doyle’s consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. He is an idea, a concept, a symbol, which makes him seem so omnipresent. The main idea that came out of this reflection is that Sherlock Holmes is no longer, nowadays, only a character of fiction. This research work was furthermore completed thanks to the reading of documents regarding Sherlock Holmes’ context of creation, the Victorian era, as this period had a very important role to play in the understanding of the character. In addition to these readings and viewings, this paper is complemented by previous reflections on the character and his author. This study relies on the reading of the original short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle, his autobiography, as well as the analysis of the various adaptations and pastiches that were made after the detective’s adventures generated such a huge enthusiasm. This research paper considersthe reasons of such a universal success, for a character who is referenced just about everywhere, whatever the time and place, who takes multiple forms in both our daily lives and in the diverse shapes taken by culture (Literature, art, cinema, television…). This reflection is based on the observation of this character’s permanency and universality, whose identity transcended, throughout the years, the strict scope of its creation. This paper, written in the course of a Research Master specializing in English studies, questions a wide-ranging literary phenomenon: the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
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January 2023
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