Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

Arthur Conan Doyle’s manifold contributions to the development of 20th century detective fiction have been well documented by literary historians. Most notable is Doyle’s combination of a challenging crime-puzzle with a fascinating detective. Sherlock Holmes is the prototype of the intelligent, curious, eccentric detective. It has also been observed, however, that to these qualities (which Holmes shared with Poe’s Dupin) Doyle added outside interests and fallibility—personal and professional—to create a well-rounded, engaging character. Scholars have examined Doyle’s incorporation of Gothic Romance elements into his tales, and his depiction of late Victorian England. Many readers and critics have been intrigued by Doyle’s creation of a nemesis for Holmes, his "worthy adversary" Moriarty. Doyle’s influence on later mystery writers, including Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen, has also been studied.

Author Links

Sherlock Holmes on the Web
Huge list of Doyle-connected websites, some useful and many eclectic.

The Arthur Conan Doyle Society
The society’s website provides an extensive biography of Doyle, list of primary works, and an interview with Doyle’s wife.

The Theology of Sherlock Holmes
An essay examining Biblical values in Doyle’s characters and books.

Sherlock on the Rocks
An essay comparing Doyle’s famous detective to a geologist.

Conan Doyle a murderer?
Bizarre news story of a contemporary author who suggests that Doyle plagiarized and later murdered a friend in 1907.