The Hound Of The Baskervilles Setting Analysis

The setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is very important to the book’s story. In the beginning of the story, the setting is late 18th century London, where Sherlock Holmes and his colleague, John Watson live. Sherlock and John live in a small, yet upscale flat on Baker Street in London. Tobacco smoke often fills this apartment, and this is where he gets a lot of his thinking about theories and threads done for cases. The book itself states, “As I entered, however, my fears were set at rest, for it was the acrid fumes of strong coarse tobacco which took me by the throat and set me coughing.” This shows that while Sherlock is left alone to think, he smokes huge amounts of tobacco. The text also later states, “‘Yes, I have thought a good deal throughout the course of the day.’” When Watson leaves Sherlock to think about the case and consider theories, SHerlock sits alone in the flat, smokes tobacco, and solely focuses on the case at hand.

In addition, Sherlock and Watson first hear about the case, meet Sir Henry Baskerville, who is the next heir, and figure out what the next course of action in the case should be, all in this apartment.

That is one aspect of the setting that affects the story; Sherlock’s renowned ability to deduce is often done in his flat. The middle and end of the story take place in Devon, England at Baskerville Hall, which is the historic family home of the Baskervilles. The house is old, gothic, and seemingly clandestine, as described by John Watson. the book states, “‘My word, it is not a very cheerful place. Maybe things will seem more cheerful in the morning.’” This quote shows that the hall is extremely somber and somewhat ominous. The home also has lots of creaks and makes strange sounds, which only adds to the eeriness of the

manor. The overall creepiness of the hall also seems to reflect the dark business that John Watson was there to investigate.The hall was set upon a moor, on which Sir Charles Baskerville was killed. The moor is riddled with prehistoric huts and a man swallowing mire. There is an island in the huge marsh where Stapleton, the culprit of the murders, hides his huge hound that hunts and kills the Baskervilles. Therefore, the location of Baskerville Hall, which is on the moor, is extremely important to the story’s plotline. In addition, the part of England where Devon is located is extremely rainy, and the terrain is very rocky with boulders dotting the land. These dreary conditions only reflect the ghastly affair that was being explored. The text states, “October 16th. a dull and foggy day with a drizzle of rain. The house is banked in with rolling clouds, which rise now and then to show the dreary curves of the moor.” This quote without a doubt shows the dreariness of the moor, and therefore mirrors the unfortunate case that took place on the moor. Stapleton, the Baskervilles’ neighbor, also lived on this moor. Stapleton controlled the gigantic hound that killed the members of the Baskerville family, and therefore was the murderer and ultimate suspect. Consequently, this setting is important to the storyline because it was the site of the murders and the culprit lived close by. Therefore, the setting is very important to the story, The Hound of the Baskervilles.