The Curse of the Baskervilles The novel begins with a legend. Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a farmer’s daughter. He chased her across the moors. He was killed by a giant hound. The hound has haunted the Baskerville family ever since. Sir Charles Baskerville, the latest heir, is found dead on the moor. The cause is a heart attack. His face is twisted in terror. There are footprints of a giant hound. The legend seems to be true. The reader is frightened. The reader is also skeptical. There must be a rational explanation.
Holmes and Watson: The Partnership Holmes is the detective. He is brilliant, eccentric, and cold. He notices details that others miss. He solves the crime. He is also absent. He sends Watson to Dartmoor. He pretends to be in London. He is actually hiding on the moor. He watches. He waits. He reveals himself at the end. Watson is the narrator. He is brave, loyal, and ordinary. He describes the moor. He describes the suspects. He makes mistakes. The reader identifies with Watson. The reader wants to be Holmes. The reader is not.
The Moor: The Gothic Setting The moor is a character. It is vast, empty, and dangerous. There are bogs that swallow horses. There are ruins of ancient huts. There is a convict hiding in the rocks. There is a mysterious man on the tor. There is a hound howling at night. The moor is Gothic. It is also real. Conan Doyle based it on Dartmoor in Devon. He visited. He took notes. The moor is terrifying because it is real.
Stapleton: The Villain Stapleton is a naturalist. He lives on the moor. He studies butterflies and moths. He is charming. He is also a murderer. He is a Baskerville. He wants the estate. He uses a hound to kill his rivals. He paints the hound with phosphorus. It glows in the dark. It looks supernatural. Stapleton is the perfect villain. He is intelligent. He is patient. He is cruel. He is caught. He escapes into the bog. He drowns. The reader is satisfied.
The Hound: The Rational Explanation The hound is the novel’s center. It is a dog. It is trained to kill. It is painted with phosphorus. It is not a ghost. The solution is rational. The reader is relieved. The reader is also disappointed. The supernatural is exciting. The rational is boring. Conan Doyle knew this. He gave the reader both. The legend is supernatural. The solution is rational. The reader can choose.
Conclusion: “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is the perfect detective novel. It has a great setting, a great villain, and a great detective. It has suspense. It has horror. It has reason. The reader is scared. The reader is satisfied. The reader reads it again.
