What One Man Can Invent Another Discover

The curious case of Sherlock Holmes and his impact on popular imagination cannot be overemphasised. Ever since his appearance in A Study In Scarlet , Holmes is one of the most remarkably long lived chatracters. The man who reduced deduction to as precise a science as possible, with the cocaine addiction, the ability to spot what none else could. The man with the cloak, the cape the deer stalker hat, the pipe in the mouth and the magnifying glass in his hand. And Holmes has inspired a host of imitants to that style of writing. Notable examples would be the seven percent solution by Nicholas Meyer, a really brilliant book. In this Holmes aligns himself with Sigmund Freud and helps avert a major worldwide crisis in the form of the world war but Holmes predicts with his characteristic hindsight that the world war has been delayed but not averted.

Inspired by Dr Joseph Bell, a medical practioner at Edinburgh, the character of Holmes borrows heavily from   the lessons imbibed and the mannerisms exhibited by Dr Bell. In fact there are even cases where Dr Bell makes some stunning judgements. He said quite often that most people see but they do not observe. Glance at a man and the way his hands, shoes, trousers are worn, developed will give a good indication as to the nature of his profession. The hands of a carpenter and a mason harden but not in the same way.  And in one case he turned and used the phrase that was to characterize the Holmesian vocabulary- It was really elementary gentlemen. It was a lifetime spent proving that sight is a faculty, seeing is an art.

In The Last Sherlock Holmes Story Michael Didbin recreates the world of 1880 in England. The age of Jack the Ripper is re created as Holmes goes about trying to find the whereabouts of his formidable adversary. The book shows a rather emotional Sherlock Holmes and it is a significant departure from our perception of Holmes, the meddler, The Busybody, The Scotland Yard Jack In Office as portrayed by one of his antagonists, Doctor Roylott in the speckled Band.

Holmes has been beaten, thrice by men and once by a womans wit , the woman in question being Irene Adler, a theatre personality.and probably the closest Holmes has come to falling in love. The absence of women and emotions makes Holmes quite a compelling personality,  and the perfect foil is found in Dr Watson, a veteran of the Aghan war. The limp in his leg is attributed to the jezail bullet wound that was sustained in the hills of the north western frontier.

The aura of Holmes is so extensive that imitants continue to be dime a dozen . the Baker street Irregulars is a new series of Sherlock holmes adventures that revolves around the baker street irregular force. The author, Anthony Boucher has made a career out of his new adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes Of The Raj is a new series by new entrants. And Partha Basu has written a new fascinating account on The Curious Case Of 221 B. Holmes was almost destroyed by his creator, and the account is the theme of the movie the strange case of Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  

Movies still are made on Holmes. Many artistes have rendered the part to great effect ranging from Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, Peter Cushing  , Rupert Everett and Richard Roxburgh. The most definitive role that comes to the mind is that of Jeremy Brett, and he has portrayed the role with aplomb. All elegant charm,Brett plays holmes with such relaxed ease . The latest movie starring Robert Downey Junior is more of an action flick, than a mystery.

Holmes is an enduring phenomenon who has proved rather admirably that what one man can invent, another can discover. Used by the detective for the first time in The Dancing Men where Holmes shows us the beginnings of the art of cracking ciphers, a known and valuable branch of forensics and intelligence work today. To the self surpassing genius, called Arthur Conan Doyle, It is the Most fitting tribute to a character who has transcended the lifetime of his creator and become immortalised so to speak. perhaps it was good that he was resurrected else we may have missed the beginnings of fictional forensic science.