Sherlock Holmes (Character Study)

Sherlock Holmes-

Who hasn't heard of this ingenious detective who captured hearts of millions of readers with his observational prowess and his witticisms?

Sherlock Holmes was one of those characters that were easily likeable though not necessarily relatable. He may be lacking in social graces, standoffish and have no friends or romantic interests. But that didn't stop him from creating a lasting impression on the readers.

Sherlock Holmes was liked so instantly that the magazine where he first appeared 'The Stand' quickly became a popular journal and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was instantly famous.

For years, Sherlock Holmes stories were featured in the journal until one day, the Author kills of this beloved character. Fans were outraged; the subscriptions for the magazine dropped and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had no choice but to bring back the beloved Detective back.

So what makes this character so likeable that the fans demanded the Author bring him back?

There is some debate on whether it was the character the readers wanted back or the stories because the mysteries were as thrilling and compelling as the protagonist and I wonder if the Author had just not decided to bring back Sherlock Holmes and instead written up these crime mysteries with a new character, would it have worked?

For example, he could have retained Dr. Watson and paired him up with another Detective and both of them could be solving mysteries….

I simply cannot imagine it. As a fan of the stories and Sherlock Holmes, I would have been devastated if I had been present at the time when the Author had killed off my favorite character. I would definitely NOT have been consoled by anyone taking Holmes' place, because he wasn't just a Detective solving mysteries, he was a person with an immense calculating mind that his peers would often find irritating, but that was just so impressive to the readers- to me.

There have been many mysteries written by various Authors, but none of them have managed to create a character that despite his obvious flaws, is still so likeable.

Sherlock Holmes also indulged in drugs, cared little for love and forming relationships, yet he was best friends with Dr. Watson and cared deeply for him despite never saying it aloud. This clever man could have gone out on his own, yet he chooses to place his trust in a man who had just originally come to share housing with.

This shows that Holmes wasn't as haughty as everyone thought and only his close friends saw how caring he could really be under the thick shell of stark complacency.

Or perhaps, the reason why readers found him intriguing was because they saw a person they could only aspire to be but not achieve. Who wouldn't want to be the kind of person so involved in the processes of his mind that trivial things such as emotions doesn't even matter?

Oh, and Sherlock Holmes was rarely interested in monetary gain. All he sought was a challenge that he always got. A truly virtuous man.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a charismatic character and put him in gripping stories and it worked!

Would the stories have worked if the Detective in question was a pompous, apathetic man? Would the character have worked, so to speak, had the mysteries been a paltry unimaginative task rather than a spine-tingling tale?

I think it was  the combination of these two factors which drew in the readers and engage readers all over the world, even today.