Character Sketch on the Book Sherlock Holmes the Hound of the Baskervilles Essay

Watson

Dr. Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles

Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories, continuously being depicted in film and television. But the original story, as written by Doyle, is a wonderful and extremely riveting tale of death, superstition, murder and mystery. Dark, foggy moors, filled with dangers both natural and supernatural are what face Sherlock Holmes and faithful companion, Dr. Watson. Since the tale is told from the point-of-view of Dr. Watson, he is a fine character to base an analysis on. Dr. Watson is, or course, a medical doctor and a veteran of the British Wars in Afghanistan, but he while he is an extremely logical and brave man, he is not very clever. These three traits: logic, bravery, and thickness mix together in Watson to make him an interesting, yet likeable character.

In the late 1800's, when this tale was written, logic, science, and technology were becoming the means to mark a man as "modern;" and Dr. Watson was a man of science and logic. The fact that he was a practicing doctor in the 1800's, educated and committed to the use of science as the means of understanding, is a clear demonstration of this trait.When he scoffs at the idea of a supernatural hound roaming the moors and fulfilling some demonic curse, he also exhibits his ability to see the world through the eyes of logic. And finally, the fact that at the beginning of the story he is using Holmes' own techniques of logic and observation to discover the owner of the cane's identity is yet another example of his exhibiting logic and scientific observation in the real world.

Another trait that Watson exhibits time and time again is bravery, there is nothing cowardly about the good doctor. Again the fact that he was a decorated war veteran who has demonstrated his courage supports this notion. And while he is certainly the second man in the Holmes-Watson equation, he is not intimidated or hesitant to accompany Sir Henry Baskerville to Dartmoor alone, without Sherlock Holmes. He is willing to guard Sir Henry, despite the dangers, as demonstrated when he wrote in his diary: "I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart and a feeling on impending….....