What makes Sherlock Holmes unique?

Answer 1

This is of course, is an opinion question, and answers will vary, but this is mine:

During Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life, he enjoyed a very high level of popularity for his stories about Holmes, even in countries other than England. At that time, his great success would have been due to Conan Doyle's excellent writing abilities, Holmes' great abilities of deduction that could be used to solve any crime, and the fact that common and poor people of England and especially London could look to Holmes for inspiration, and as a national symbol of pride.

But Conan Doyle wrote these stories over a century ago. Why are they still so popular today? Holmes became an icon, his analysis of Watson and other people's habits and activities seemed to them, baffling, but to him it was "Elementary." His deerstalker cap, pipe, overcoat, and magnifying glass came to symbolize detectives and their art through Sherlock Holmes' early popularity. And simply put, people enjoy a good story, especially a mystery.

"In our modern time of fast living, modern conveniences, and computerised crime and detection, Sherlock Holmes represents the spirit of an earlier, simpler and more romantic period. Perhaps, as Watson was to him, Holmes is to us "the one fixed point in a changing age." [1]

[1] Clive Hopwood? Sherlock Holmes Illustrated copyright 1981 by World International Publishing Limited. Published in Great Britain.

Answer 2

Sherlock Holmes is popular today because of the forensic skills which people find interesting, the top hints and tips and because most of the myseries are related to CaM.

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Popular: enjoyed; well loved

Forensic: physical and cellrelated science

Mysteries: issue needing to be solved but hasn't yet so been done

CaM: crime and murder

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Answer 3

How, or WHY?

There are a multitude of reasons WHY Sherlock Holmes is an AMAZING detective, some of them include, but are not limited to:

• His ability to rationalize with emotions that he feels
• He is able to deduce facts, that otherwise would have gone unnoticed
• His knowledge of Chemistry, Anatomy, among other subjects
• He applies common sense where most of the world lacks it
• His ability to maintain his health, yet not sleep or eat for several days

The list goes on and on...

Answer 4

The Sherlock Holmes stories have been popular since they were first published in 1887. They have been the inspiration for other detective stories, such as Agatha Christrie's Hercule Poirot stories, and what literary folks call parodies of Sherlock Holmes and pastiches (books written in the style of), such as August Derleth's Solar Pons stories.

Sherlock Holmes has 'brand recognition'. See a deerstalker cap and a magnifying glass and you think 'Sherlock Holmes' A keen detective (usually a private detective) is called 'a Sherlock'. Other fictional detectives and the merits of their stories are compared to Holmes and the merits of the stories Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about him.

Does Holmes' popularity make him a literary classic? Some say yes. Some say no, usually because they say that 'detective fiction' has no literary merit. I think he is a classic, because his stories set a standard in mystery fiction.

And Sir Arthur's Holmes stories have not been out of print. In fact so many people have written Sherlock Holmes stories or used Sherlock to advertise their products that he and his heirs could have hired armies of copyright lawyers over the century to protect his creation and he and they would be fabulously rich.

Answer 5

The Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are cleverly constructed to create suspense and arouse maximum curiosity for the reader. At the beginning of his cases, like everyone else, Holmes is flummoxed by a crime, but, through forensic science and logic, he slowly peels back the mystery surrounding a murder or theft to reveal how it was done. Conan Doyle's writing in nearly every story is masterful and fully in control.

Another reason why these tales are so popular is the character of Holmes himself. He's an imperfect man, a drug addict, who is extremely uncomfortable with other people and social settings. Readers might even be inclined to be unsympathetic toward him except for the fact that he is brilliant and perhaps the only person who is able to string together bits of circumstantial evidence into a solution to a crime. Watson, who narrates the stories, provides a more human touch; he is torn in his feelings toward Holmes, admiring him but fearful that the terse detective might insult his clients. In that sense he is a perfect foil for the moody and relentlessly direct Sherlock.

Holmes is more than a fictional character; he is a literary icon, a prototype of the many detectives, investigators and private eyes who have followed him. (Holmes himself is based on a somewhat less colorful character created by Edgar Allan Poe.)

Because of all these reasons, these well-written, entertaining and suspenseful tales have become and continue to be some of the most popular fiction ever written.

Answer 6

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most beloved characters in literary history. He is so enduring because of his brilliance, as well as the amazing friendship between Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Answer 7

He had amazing talents of observation and deduction. A very singular looking person.

Answer 8

He is noted as the world's first private consulting detective, he has been adapted in more stage roles than anyone in history, he is the definitive detective.

Answer 9

The way he solves mysteries. He solves them through observation. He sees things more closely than other people, pays more attention to detail, and draws conclusions.