A Great case in the Novel the Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur C. Doyle

Contemporary critical essays on Conan’s the Adventure of the Speckled Band is going to explain many interesting issues contained in the novel. The prominent critics Rosemary Hennessy and Rajeswari Mohan (1994) work on different aspect of the novel making a deep analysis of the women’s situation in the 19th century. In a simplified way Hennessy and Mohan show us a contrast between the real position that the women lived at that time, the sexualization and the Holmes' opposition to many things. In a different way, James N. Kirkpatrick (2009), brings us an analysis of Speckled Band to Predict Response to certain cardiac problems, comparing this condition between the two seasons.  Despite these authors’ interesting deliberations on the above mentioned issues, there is another important theme in the Adventure of the Speckled Band that has to be discussed to complete the description of: a great case. For this reason, this proposal continues studying it, to provide a discussion of the excellent job of Sherlock Holmes, analyzing in the first segment, his agility to capture small things; in the second section, his ability to intuit situations and finally, in the third part,  his ability to deduce great clues. In “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” Sherlock Holmes is depicted as astute at viewing, good at observing and intuitive at  investigating; abilities that,  allow him to resolve the mystery of a crime.

In “The Adventure of Speckled Band”, Sherlock Holmes is an astute observer, just looking at the attitude of Helen, he identifies a great case, ‘’It is not cold which makes me shiver,’’ said the woman in a low voice, changing her seat as requested’’. Knowing the experience of Sherlock Holmes, is important to stand out his ability to detect significant things just looking at a person. Naturally, Helen’s attitude is not normal, she makes movements that for us could be normal, but for an intelligent and experienced person as Holmes that can be rare. Therefore he feels in her actions, her restlessness and uneasiness, notices that she is disturbed by something serious that does not let her be calm. Similarly, Holmes notices that Helen woke up so early, “No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had a good drive in a dogcart”; and it is something that an ordinary person could not have seen those details that could make our daily life easier, those details that change your life and can make the difference. In the same way, Sherlock Homes takes into account simple details to find the answers. ”Yet if the Lady is correct in saying that the flooring and walls are sound, and that the door, window and chimney are impassable, then her sister must have been alone when she met her mysterious end”; maybe for his partner those things are insignificant but through them, clearly, Homes find the explanation for the questions that others can not answer.  

Sherlock Homes is good at deducing. He just glances to Helen and deduces all the events of her morning, “You must started early, and yet you had a good drive in a dogcart along heavy roads, before you reached the station.” Certainly, it is possible thanks to his capacity to connect simple actions that are logics. For him, his job is a puzzle, he just put each piece in its place and get the image. Equally, He just sits down in Helen’s room and observes things that for Helen and others are insignificant but for him are crucial to solve the crime, “Where does that bell communicate with? He asked at last, pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the tassel actually lying up the pillow”, for that reason, when he observes something strange, he try to find an explanation to it, a justification that put it out of wrong conclusions. Also, Holmes could see that Helen was agitate in the morning, “We could see that she was indeed in a pitiable state of agitation, her face all drawn and gray, with restless, frightened eyes, like those of some hunted animal”, Just looking at Helen, his attitude and reaction he knows if that person have had a great or bad day, is something difficult to explain, something that some time doesn’t have an explanation but  for this when Helen talks, he can notice her agitate breathing, she cannot be serene.

Holmes is very intuitive detective. Since he listens to the history he knows that something is rare, “Now, when young ladies wander about metropolis at this hour of the morning, and get sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is something very pressing which they have to communicate”; Human being has the capacity to provide you some information that doesn’t has a specific answer, is something that you know; something give you the right sense without ask to somebody else and, of course, Holmes can intuits great things though a history. To see the attitude and the actions of Helen to appear in his house at that hour of the morning, it proves to him that something disturbing to the behind of that beautiful lady. Obviously, when he visits Helen’s house and look at the rooms, he knows that he should stay at that house that night, “The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself and tied so as to make a loop of whipcord”; something deep within him feels that it is his duty to remain there that night. There are many things that do not fit, his doubts go beyond his work, and it is something that feels deep inside him. His instinct tells him something and he decides to find out. Of course, clearly when he just see that the bell doesn’t ring, immediately knows that the doctor is involve in the murder, “I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope.” “You remember in her statement she said that her sister could smell Dr. Roylott’s cigar. Now, of course that suggested at once that there must be a communication between the rooms. I deduced a ventilator.” For Holmes it is strange that there is a strange connection between the room of the stepfather and Helen’s room, but the most disturbing thing for Holmes is the remodeling that takes place in the big house that does not advance and that for his instinct is only an excuse for something catastrophic in which Mr. Roylott is involved.

In conclusion, as it has been demonstrated, in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (1892), Sherlock Holmes is described as an astute observer, good at deducing individual and a very intuitive detective who solves the mystery of a crime that had not been resolved yet. Of course, conclude that case was a challenge for the detective’s team but finally with his ability and intelligence Holmes shows us that we just have to see a little more deep, see those details that provide us the answers. In this fantastic history, once more, the detective get with his abilities, to resolve the mystery of a crime and also had the opportunity of live a new adventure, a new and amazing case. At the same time, as reader we had the privilege to see how admired Holmes is by his partner, and the benefits of working together as a team.

Works Cited

            First source:

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” Timeless Voices,    Timeless Themes: Silver Level. Ed. Kate Kinsella. Prentice Hall, 2001.

     Secondary sources:

 Kirkpatrick, James. “Analyzing the ‘‘Speckled Band’’ to Predict Response to CRT:”-    The Adventure of the Speckled Band- Arthur Conan, 2009.

      Hennessy Rosemary, Mohan Rajeswari. “The Speckled, the Construction of Woman in a Popular Text Empire.’’ The Adventure of the Speckled Band- Arthur Conan. 1994.