Arthur Conan Doyle’s work deserves to be mentioned along with Edgar Allan Poe’s for making the first real detective novel. We discover his history and his career, initially very far from the literary environment.
Who was Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (Edinburgh, May 22, 1859 – Crowborough, July 7, 1930) was a Scottish writer. He grows up with his Irish-born family of his parents and nine other siblings in the well-known Scottish city. He enrolled at Hodder Preparatory School in Lancashire County and then continued at Stonyhurst Jesuit College and several other colleges until he enrolled inUniversity of Edinburgh from cui will come out surgeon in 1881.
During his studies he develops the passion for writing with “The mystery of Sasassa Valley”, a story of fear made in 1879. He decides to continue in this direction with “The American’s Tale” while still maintaining the focus on studies. Before graduation he decides to carry out an experience that will change his life embarking on the “Hope”, the whaler on which he plays the role of doctor and where he has the opportunity to put into practice the teachings learned during his studies.
Arthur Conan Doyle and success with Sherlock Holmes
This journey allows him to take courage to venture into something even greater. Initially he plans to leave for India as a government doctor, but later opts for a proposal from the African Steam Navigation Company who offers him to leave for the western coasts of Africa. Once the project is concluded he has to decide how to organize his life but the options and attempts are disappointing so after a series of evaluations he returns home.
Decide to open a doctor’s office near Portsmouth but this does not prove to be a great success and so in the meantime he devotes himself to his passion for writing starting the drafting of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. To open this long project is “A study in red”, released in 1887, in which the protagonist, Dr Watson introduces the well-known literary character to the public, describing all the abilities he possessed. This work is followed by “The sign of the four”, made three years later, with which it consolidates its success.
A few years later the first collection of short stories entitled “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” in which the well-known investigator must solve a series of crimes in the company of his faithful colleague Watson. After this first volume, many hugely successful ones will follow until a few years before his death.
The literary variety of Arthur Conan Doyle
In addition to the success of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle can boast one long list of achievements in the field of literature. The author also stated that he did not even feel so attached to the character of Holmes and that he continued the series only because of the insistence shown by some friends. In fact, he preferred to make other novels mainly related to historical or fantastic genre like “The White Company” or “The Great Boer War”.
It also approaches the science fiction field through the series of Professor Challenger which is mainly remembered “The Lost World” set in a dystopian South America where prehistoric animals have survived extinction. Although very far from its strings, the libretto of a comic opera written with James Matthew Barrie entitled “Jane Annie” deserves to be deserved.