Dace 1

Krista Dace

Ms. Brooks

Literature

November 21, 2014

The Degeneration of Characters and Its Impact

Of the three main characters who display degeneration, it is perhaps most evident in Dr.

Mortimer who gives the reader a sudden introduction to the supernatural aspect of The Hound of

the Baskervilles. He is portrayed as an obvious man of science to the point Holmes calls him,

a colleague after our own heart. (chapter 3) Yet in the first few chapters Dr. Mortimer

reveals his contemplations of the supernatural and suggests to Holmes that there is a limit to the

abilities of reason in the statement, There is a realm in which the most acute and most

experienced of detectives is helpless. (Chapter 3) Through Dr. Mortimer, Doyle is able to create

a slight doubt about Holmes abilities to solve the particular case. This possibility is reinforced

throughout the story.

Partially, this is done through the degeneration of Watson. In contrast to Dr. Mortimer, Watsons

degeneration seems much more gradual as the reader is experiencing the same things as him.

This in itself increases the doubt of reasons ability by allowing the reader to identify with

Watson. Doyle spells out the exact feeling of Watson by using the diary entries. They best

explain the combating forces acting on Watson. I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart

and a feeling of impending danger-ever present danger, which is the more terrible because I am

unable to define it. (Chapter 10) This clearly points to Watsons degeneration. Later, he argues

with against the point by saying he refuses to stoop to the level of the villagers however all the

facts point towards the supernatural.

 Dace 2

The result of the degeneration of these key characters builds the case for supernatural causes. In

the end however, Holmes appears again and reduces the case to simplicity using scientific

reason. Due to the climactic buildup of the supernatural, the result is an all the more dramatic

triumph of reason over what was previously the impossible.