The Speckled Band Essay Example for Free

The Speckled Band Essay There has been a great deal of famous detective stories that have been written by many authors, all of which are very interesting and exciting. Some examples of very good, successful detective stories are:  The murders in the Rue Morgue written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1841. This book was Edgars first story and it was very successful.  The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins which featured Sergeant Cuff and a stolen gem. This was written in 1868.  Another set of detective stories was Sherlocks Holmes written stories, which were written during the 1880s. As you can see detective books have been going on since the mid 1800s as well as in the 1900s.  1920s onwards Agatha Christie starts to write her very famous and very successful detective stories with Hercule Poirot and Dorothy L. Sayers with Lord Peter Wimsey, both of the upper class.  1970s P.D. James and Ruth Rendell start to write. In their recent books they feature corrupt policemen. In P.D. James last three books the murder has not been convicted, either because they died or due to insufficient evidence.  1990s There has been popularity shown by the number of films and T.V series e.g. Inspector Morse, Taggart, Frost, Dalziel and Pascoe and so on. From the above you should notice that there has been a lot of well known detective stories about and I will be comparing and contrasting two types of detective stories. To support my points I will be using quotations and close references. In each section I will compare the stories and clearly explain the difference. I will be covering the following factors in detail, detectives, crime and motive, clues and red herrings, methods of investigation, the setting location social conditions and the creation of suspense. In The Speckled Band written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the detectives are very polite to each other and speak Queens English. When they talk to each other they always address each other a my dear friend, Dr Watson, Mr Holmes or Madam never by there first name. Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band comes across as being very clever and witty. You know this because at the very beginning of the story Dr Watson is saying he was going over his and Sherlocks seventy odd cases that they have done in the last eight years. If Holmes were not clever he would have completed all of those cases. Another part of the story where Holmes shows his cleverness is when Helen Stoner has come to see him and he notices that she has come by train and dog-cart. Holmes knows that she has firstly come by train from the ticket stub in Helens hand and secondly he notices that she has come by dog-cart from the splattered mud up her arm, 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 dog-cart There is no vehicle save a dog-cart which throws up mud in that way.  Holmes also notices that Helen is shivering and orders her a cup of hot coffee. When Sherlock is observing the Stoke Moran notices a lot of clues, which no one else had seen before. I will go into this more when I talk about clues and red herrings.  Sherlock Holmes is always cool and collective in dangerous situations. E.g. when he hears the hissing he lashes out at it very quickly and takes action whereas Watson sits there not knowing whats going on and he panics a bit but Holmes stays calm. Holmes also keeps calm when Dr Grimsby Roylott comes to visit him. I have heard a bout you before. You are Holmes the meddler.  My friend smiled. (Sherlock Holmes)  Holmes the busy body.  His smile broadened. (Sherlock Holmes)  Holmes the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office.  Holmes chuckled heartily.  Sherlock Holmes comes across as not at all being scared. You know this because he is not scared in more than one occasion. He was not scared when Dr Grimsby Roylott barges in and threatens him, he keeps very calm and another place where he keeps his cool is when he is approaching the Stoke Moran place and sees the baboon. Although he knows the Dr Roylott keeps a cheetah he doesnt become scared and he carries on as normal. Holmes is also not as weak as you think he is because when Dr Roylatt comes to Holmes house he bends the fire poker to try to scare Sherlock but Holmes just bends it straight again.  my grip was not much more feeble than his own. As he spoke he picked up the steel poker, and with a sudden effort straightened it out again.  Sherlock Holmes really enjoys his work and loves to solve new cases. You know this because when Helen Stoner comes to him and she tells him what the case is about. She tells Holmes that she wont be able to pay him a lot of money and he replies saying that money is not a problem and as long as she pays for his expenses. E.g. transport fees and accommodation. Sherlock Holmes comes across as being a hero in The Speckled Band because Helen Stoner travels miles and miles to seek out this famous detective. When she finds him he gets straight on the case and solves it within a days work whereas Helen has not had the slightest clue how her sister died for two years.  Another detective in The Speckled Band is Dr Watson. Dr Watson is Sherlock Holmes assistant, he is also very polite when he talking to people, he always addresses people as sir, madam or by their last name never by their first name. Holmes, I cried, I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at.  Dr Watson comes across as being a clever man but not as near as Sherlock Holmes. He has always assisted Holmes crimes all of which he has helped to solve the case. Watson also enjoys his work at solving cases with Sherlock and he has always accompanied Sherlock, you can tell Watson enjoys the cases when he says he wouldnt miss the case.