The story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the most thrilling tales in the Sherlock Holmes series. The story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles offers readers a journey into the dark and mysterious world of the Baskerville family curse. It was originally published as a series of stories in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902.
The story is about a detective named Sherlock Holmes and his friend Watson. They go to a place in England called Devon, where they try to solve a mystery about a scary hound. Someone almost gets hurt, and they need to find out who did it. It’s like a big puzzle that they have to put together to solve the mystery. Many readers find the story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles captivating due to its mix of mystery, suspense, and supernatural elements.
People loved the story so much that the detective, Sherlock Holmes, became very famous. He was so famous that even after disappearing in another story, people wanted him back. So the author brought him back to life in this story, and everyone was very happy to see him again. When exploring the story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, one can’t help but be drawn into the eerie atmosphere of Baskerville Hall and the surrounding moor.
Table of Contents
Plot:
In the story, there is a legend about a family called Baskervilles who had a curse. By analyzing the story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, one can see how Doyle creates a sense of dread and suspense throughout the narrative. A long time ago, during a war in England, one of the family members was killed by a big, scary hound. Since then, the family has had bad luck, and many of them died early. Sherlock Holmes hears about this legend from a man named Dr. James Mortimer in London.
A man named Dr. James Mortimer tells Sherlock Holmes that his friend, Sir Charles Baskerville, died at his home in Dartmoor. Sir Charles Baskerville was worried about the legend of the scary hound, and he was found dead in the yard of his big house, called Baskerville Hall.
When Sir Charles Baskerville died, people thought he had a heart attack. But Dr. James Mortimer noticed something strange. Sir Charles’s face looked very scared, and there were big footprints of a hound near him. Now, Dr. Mortimer is worried about Sir Henry Baskerville, who is the next person in line to take over the big house. He thinks that the hound might come after him next.
Sherlock Holmes doesn’t believe in the curse, but he still wants to help Sir Henry Baskerville. Sir Henry is coming to England from a faraway [=a long distance/ far away] place called Canada, where he has been living. Sherlock Holmes wants to meet Sir Henry and see if he can help keep him safe.
Sir Henry Baskerville is a young and happy man who doesn’t believe in the legend. He is excited to go to Baskerville Hall and live there, even though someone sent him a secret message telling him to stay away from the moor, a type of landscape that is common in England, with wide open areas of grass, heather [=a kind of bush], and boggy [=water plant] ground, where the legend of the hound takes place.
When Sir Henry is followed by someone while walking on a street, Sherlock Holmes becomes worried. He asks Dr. Watson to go with Sir Henry and Dr. Mortimer to Dartmoor to protect Sir Henry and look for any clues about who might be following him. Sherlock Holmes wants to make sure that Sir Henry is safe and that they find out who is trying to harm him.
Dr. Watson, Sir Henry Baskerville, and Dr. Mortimer arrive at Baskerville Hall. At Baskerville Hall, there is a butler [=manservant] and a housekeeper who are married to each other. They are called the Barrymores [=surname of Irish origin].
Baskerville Hall is located next to the moor, and it is close to a place called Grimpen Mire. Grimpen Mire is a dangerous place where both animals and humans can get stuck in the quicksand [=dirt]. There is a prison called Dartmoor Prison nearby, and a man who was convicted of murder, named Selden, has escaped from it. He is now hiding in the nearby hills, which are barren and empty. This news makes everyone feel worried and scared.
During their first night at Baskerville Hall, Sir Henry and Watson experience strange events that they cannot explain. These events keep them awake all night and they only feel better when the sun comes up and they can explore the surrounding area during the day. They meet some of the local people who live in the area around Baskerville Hall.
Watson is trying to find any information about the person who is following Sir Henry. He is very determined and continues to search for clues. He keeps sending updates to Sherlock Holmes, who is back in London, to keep him informed of his progress.
Sir Henry and Watson meet two new people named Jack and Beryl Stapleton, a beautiful woman. Jack is very friendly, but Beryl seems worried and warns them about the danger.
Watson feels scared because of the howls and strange sightings he experiences during his walks on the hills and inside the Baskerville Hall. He also starts to suspect the butler, Barrymore, as he sees him secretly signaling someone outside with a candle at night.
Sir Henry meets Beryl and becomes interested in her, but he understands that she is hiding something from him. Beryl tries to warn Sir Henry about his safety and tells him to leave the moor immediately, but he ignores her warnings. There are many people and things that add to the mystery and confusion of the story.
Dr. Mortimer wants Sir Henry to believe in the curse, while Frankland likes to spy on others with his telescope. Laura, Frankland’s daughter, had some connections to Sir Charles, but it’s not clear what they were. There’s also a mysterious man wandering around the moor, and ancient tombs have been found there. All of these things make the story more complicated and harder to solve.
Holmes reveals that the hound is not a supernatural creature, but rather a real dog that has been trained to terrify and kill the Baskervilles for generations. Holmes believes that the mastermind behind the plot is none other than Stapleton, who is not a naturalist as he claims, but rather a criminal who has assumed a new identity. He is also married to a mentally unstable woman, who is actually the escaped daughter of Mr. Frankland.
Stapleton has been using her to spread rumors about the curse and to help him carry out his plans. Holmes discovers that the hound is real and belongs to Stapleton. Stapleton convinced Laura to lure Sir Charles out of his house at night, in order to frighten him with the hound.
Holmes found out that the hound is real and belongs to Stapleton, who is actually Rodger Baskerville. Stapleton wanted to kill his relatives to inherit the family estate and had painted the hound with phosphorus to appear scary.
Rodger Baskerville, who changed his name to Jack Stapleton, is the mastermind behind the plot to kill his relatives using a vicious hound that he painted with phosphorus. His wife, Beryl, was forced to pose as his sister and influence Sir Henry in order to expose him to the hound.
Charles was frightened by the animal and suffered a heart attack. The hound kills a man on the moor whom Holmes and Watson fear is Sir Henry, but it turns out to be Selden, who was wearing Sir Henry’s clothes that Barrymore had given him.
Holmes comes up with a plan to catch Stapleton by using Sir Henry as bait. Sir Henry is invited to Stapleton’s house and is to walk back to Baskerville Hall after dark. This would give Stapleton an opportunity to release the hound on him.
Holmes and Watson, along with Inspector Lestrade, pretend to leave Dartmoor by train, but instead, they hide near Stapleton’s house to wait for the hound to attack Sir Henry. Despite the dark and a thick fog, Holmes and Watson are able to kill the hound when it attacks Sir Henry. Holmes and Watson catch the bad guy named Stapleton, and they also find a woman named Beryl who has been tied up and treated badly in Stapleton’s house.
After capturing Stapleton and freeing Beryl, Holmes and Watson return to London. Holmes explains to Watson that Stapleton was actually a distant relative of the Baskervilles, and that his resemblance to Sir Hugo Baskerville made him an ideal candidate to carry out his plan. Holmes also reveals that Stapleton was one of his most formidable opponents to date.
Understanding the story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles helps readers appreciate the intricate plot and the clever ways Sherlock Holmes unravels the mystery.
How to remember the story:
The story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles highlights Arthur Conan Doyle’s ability to blend detective fiction with Gothic horror. The story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles continues to be a favorite among mystery lovers for its well-crafted plot and unforgettable characters.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson:
The story is about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend, Dr. Watson. Together, they solve mysteries.
The Baskerville Curse:
There’s a spooky legend about the Baskerville family. A long time ago, a giant scary dog, called a hound, killed one of their ancestors. Since then, the family seems cursed, with bad things happening to them.
The story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles is not just a detective tale; it’s a deep exploration of fear, family curses, and the human psyche.
Sir Charles Baskerville’s Mysterious Death:
Dr. James Mortimer tells Holmes that Sir Charles Baskerville, a member of the family, died in a strange way. His face was filled with fear, and there were big dog footprints near him.
Sir Henry Baskerville Arrives:
Sir Henry Baskerville, the next in line to inherit the family home, comes from Canada. He gets a warning to stay away from the moor, the place where the hound is said to roam. Holmes asks Dr. Watson to go with Sir Henry to keep him safe.
Story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles is an awful story.
Strange Happenings at Baskerville Hall:
When they arrive at Baskerville Hall, which is a big, old house near the moor, weird and scary things start happening. Watson and Sir Henry hear creepy noises and see strange things around the house and the moor.
Meeting the Stapletons:
Watson and Sir Henry meet two new people, Jack Stapleton and his sister Beryl. Jack seems nice, but Beryl is nervous and warns them about some kind of danger.
The Barrymore Mystery:
Watson suspects that the butler, Mr. Barrymore, is up to something, especially when he sees him signaling to someone outside with a candle at night.
The Truth About the Hound:
Holmes discovers that the hound is real, not a ghostly creature. It’s a fierce dog trained by Jack Stapleton to scare and kill the Baskervilles.
Stapleton’s Real Identity:
Jack Stapleton is actually Rodger Baskerville, a relative of the Baskervilles. He’s been trying to get rid of his family members so he can inherit their wealth and property.
Catching the Bad Guy:
Holmes comes up with a plan to catch Stapleton. They use Sir Henry as bait, and when the hound attacks him, Holmes and Watson manage to kill it. They capture Stapleton, and Beryl, who was being mistreated by him, is finally safe.
Happy Ending:
After solving the mystery, Holmes and Watson go back to London. Holmes explains everything, including how clever Stapleton was in using the old family legend to scare everyone.
Discussing the story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles reveals why it remains one of the most popular and enduring Sherlock Holmes adventures.
Story of the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles describes the plot in supernatural way.