Character Sketch of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes, a private detective, serves as the novel’s main character. The narrator of the storey, Dr John Watson, is his friend. Watson characterises him as smart and exceptionally intelligent.
At the opening of the novel, Holmes is injecting cocaine, which he claims he needs to dull his mind because he has nothing else to occupy and challenge him. He is self-confident in his mental abilities and frequently disdainful of people he considers to be less intelligent. In the first few chapters, he shows off his talents of observation and deduction by referring to his work on tobacco identification and properly recounting the history of Watson’s watch.
Holmes enjoys solving puzzles and outwitting his adversaries. He correctly predicts how Jonathan Small and Tonga take the Agra treasure from Sholto’s mansion in this storey.
He also has a strong sense of justice and, near the end of the novel, urges Small to confess the truth so that he is not falsely accused of Sholto’s murder.
Sherlock Holmes is an outstanding detective with a great eye for detail. He is famous for his disguises, logical deduction, and early application of forensic science. The case is solved by Holmes. He is preoccupied with his own mental stimulation and attempts to keep his thoughts occupied. As a result, when he is waiting for news, he will usually do chemical experiments. Holmes is emotionless and is just concerned with the facts of the case. This distinguishes him from the average person and gives him a unique appearance. He was a consulting investigator for 23 years, 17 of which he worked for John Watson. Dr John Watson is Holmes’ sole true buddy. Except for his housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, Holmes has little to no contact with ladies.
Doyle may have depicted Holmes as impossible to understand in order to keep the audience entertained; yet, we subsequently learn that Holmes is not impossible to understand because he is outwitted by Adler.
Furthermore, Doyle portrays Holmes as erratic. In ‘The Red-Headed League,’ Watson portrays Holmes as “wrapped in the most perfect happiness… his gently smiling face and languid dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth-hound.”
Doyle demonstrates Holmes’ dual personality to the reader with this description: his frenzied, detecting side and his quiet, introspective side. The term “wrapped” indicates that Holmes is not focused on the outer world, whereas “dreamy” implies that he is in a trance-like state. When these two quotes are combined, they reveal Holmes’ more reserved side.
In contrast, the metaphor “sleuth-hound” demonstrates Holmes’ tenacity because dogs are recognised for their energy. The term “sleuth-hound” also serves as further evidence of Holmes’ exceptional observing abilities, as sleuth-hounds are dogs trained to track and locate persons or objects.
Doyle may have utilised this to captivate the audience by making them wonder what Holmes is thinking when he is in his various states and how each aspect of his dual-nature will finally help him solve the mystery. Because of Holmes’ shifting and unpredictable nature, it is apparent that only those who are familiar with both aspects of his personality will be able to understand him.
