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Arthur Conan DoyleA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
“A Scandal in Bohemia”
“The Red-Headed League”
“A Case of Identity”
“The Boscombe Valley Mystery”
“The Five Orange Pips”
“The Man with the Twisted Lip”
“The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”
“The Adventure of the Speckled Band”
“The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb”
“The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor”
“The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet”
“The Adventure of the Copper Beeches”
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
The law was rigid as well as limited and often flawed in the late 19th century in England. Judicial proceedings were often swayed by social status and wealth. In reaction to rising crime associated with rapid urbanization and industrialization, the Metropolitan Police was established in 1829 with extremely wide powers, especially concerning petty crime. Policing procedures were not always fair or transparent, and Conan Doyle intervened in two cases of wrongful imprisonment. Conditions in prisons were often inhumane, including sensory deprivation, often leading to suicide.
Sherlock Holmes epitomizes a new type of justice that does not necessarily align with the law. The detective values his own opinion and judgment above that of the police or the court and prefers not to involve the authorities unless they are directly connected to a case, or if he requires help in capturing a dangerous criminal. In the blue carbuncle case, for example, Holmes makes his own decision about the culprit’s fate based on his knowledge of human nature and the effect prison has on people. Furthermore, cases that are not strictly illegal, such as Mary Sutherland’s situation, would not normally be handled by the police. Holmes’s role is to step into the gap between the legal system and the need for justice.
By Arthur Conan Doyle
A Case Of Identity
A Case Of Identity
Arthur Conan Doyle
A Scandal in Bohemia
A Scandal in Bohemia
Arthur Conan Doyle
A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet
Arthur Conan Doyle
His Last Bow
His Last Bow
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Lost World
The Lost World
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Sign of the Four
The Sign of the Four
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Valley of Fear
The Valley of Fear
Arthur Conan Doyle