The Boscombe Valley Mystery Std

THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY

The Writer

The novelist, poet, short story writer and doctor Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born on 22nd May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland into the family of an Englishman Charles Altamont Doyle and Irish descendant ne Mary Foley. The most admired work of Arthur Conan Doyle still continues to be Sherlock Holmes, a classic in the field of crime fiction. Besides this Arthur Conan Doyle is also remembered for his stories on the adventures of the science fictional character Professor Challenger.Conan Doyle studied at the Roman Catholic Jesuit preparatory school in Stonyhurst followed by Stonyhurst College till 1875. In 1876 Conan Doyle enrolled in the University of Edinburgh to pursue medicine and completed his internship in the city of Aston. During his studies, Conan Doyle simultaneously wrote short stories which were first published in Chambers' s Edinburgh Journal. In 1885, Conan Doyle did his doctorate in tabes dorsalis a topic covering symptomatic degeneration of nerve cells.In 1882, Arthur Conan Doyle joined his classmate George Budd in Plymouth for medical practice but soon left him for independent practice in Portsmouth. Initially the practice was minimal allowing Arthur Conan Doyle ample time to write stories. Doyles first major work was A Study in Scarlet, featured in 1887 Beeton's Christmas Annual. During his stay in Southsea, Arthur Conan Doyle played football for Portsmouth Association Football Club and cricket for the MCC. Also as a keen golfer who captained Crowborough Beacon Golf Club based at East Sussex in the year 1910.In 1885, Conan Doyle married Louisa Hawkins who died from tuberculosis on 4th July 1906. They had 2 children namely Mary Louise and Arthur Alleyne Kingsley. In 1907, Conan married Jean Elizabeth Leckie whom he met in 1897 but had maintained a platonic relationship. They later had three children namely Denis Percy Stewart, Adrian Malcolm and Jean Lena Annette.In 1890, Doyle studied physiology of the human eye in Vienna and in the subsequent year relocated to London in order to practice ophthalmology. His practice as an ophthalmologist was minimal, once again allowing him ample time to concentrate on his writings. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ended Sherlock Holmes life in a waterfall in the story titled "The Final Problem" but his followers demanded him back forcing Arthur Conan Doyle to force life into Sherlock Holmes like a true physician. Sherlock Holmes reappeared in the Story titled "The Adventure of the Empty House. Holmes was ultimately featured in 4 novels and fifty six short stories.Conan Doyle died of a heart attack on the 7th July 1930 at "Windlesham", Crowborough and is buried in the Church Yard at Minstead in Hampshire, England. Sir Arthurs last words were dedicated to his wife: "You are wonderful." A statue of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is at Crowborough Cross in East Sussex, England, where he lived for 23 years. Sherlock Holmess statue is also honoured in Picardy Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, near to Sir Arthurs birth place


Synopsis

Set in 1888, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called down to Boscombe Valley (a fictitious place in Herefordshire) to investigate the death of Mr. Charles McCarthy. Insp. Lestrade, a detective from Scotland Yard whose meager abilities are often upstaged by Holmes's brilliant deductions, has concluded without much ado that it is a murder, and that McCarthy's son James is the killer. James was seen by one witness following his father to the nearby pond, and another, a young girl, saw the two remonstrating with each other by the pond.Holmes will not accept Lestrade's conclusion, however, as there are some facts that simply do not seem to fit. Who was McCarthy going to the pond to meet? He had told his serving-man that he had to keep an appointment there, from which he never came back alive. How could the meeting have been with James when McCarthy believed that his son was in Bristol? Why did McCarthy use the call "Cooee!", which his son is used to using? Why did he get angry with James? Why won't James reveal the exact nature of the conversation when his silence might well put his neck in a noose? How did a piece of clothing a few yards from James and his dying father vanish without a trace while James was right there? What did McCarthy's dying words about "a rat" mean? Who could have wanted McCarthy dead, if not James, and why? Is Miss Turner, who wants to marry James, somehow tied into all this?Holmes employs his usual keen powers to unravel this tangle of questions, and once again, he puts Lestrade to shame. Young James is left in jail by the time the story ends, and may not even be spared a referral to the next assizes, but Sherlock Holmes has arranged for Her Majesty's case against the young man to fall apart if it seems likely that a court will send him to the


Background Information

The Real Boscombe ValleySherlock Holmes describes to Watson en route to the murder: "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in Herefordshire." There is no such location by this name or description in England. Leslie S. Klinger in his The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes calls it 'a disguised name' and lists the possible true locations of the murder site as posted by other researchers. Obviously Watson changed the location of the crime. Through that insight, it is possible that names and other identifying characteristics of the crime would have just as easily been changed.AdaptationThe events of this story were recently adapted into a promenade-style play for the 2007 Edinburgh Festival, now under the name of "Murder in the Gardens". In this version of the story, although most of the names and histories of the characters remain unaltered, the events of the mystery are relocated to Edinburgh, with the murder of McCarthy taking place in Princes Street Gardens and Holmes and Watson being called in while attending lectures on police methods in Edinburgh University. As well as this, the killer is, in the end, revealed to be Jane Turner's mother rather than her father, her father having died long before the events of the play, with James McCarthy cleared of the crime after Watson's diagnosis of the body confirms that it would have been impossible for the son to kill his father due to the angle and location of the wound on the back of the head.

Sources

URL : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boscombe_Valley_MysteryDate accessed : 13 October 2009


Plot

Exposition

1. Sherlock Holmes invited Dr Watson to solve a murder case in Boscombe Valley.2. Charles McCarthy was found dead by his son, James McCarthy who was later accused of killing his own father.3. Moran, the gamekeeper saw both, James and Charles on the path to Boscombe Pool while his 14-year-old daughter saw them arguing.4. During the trial, James mentioned hearing his father cried Cooee and quickly ran towards him.5. He found his father on the ground and his fathers last word was Raat.6. When the judge asked what they were arguing about, he refused to reveal it and he also mentioned a grey coat.

Rising Action

1. At the hotel, Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and Inspector Lestrade met Alice Turner, who believes that James McCarthy is innocent.2. Her father, John Turner and Charles McCarthy were friends when they were back in Australia.3. Alice revealed that the argument was about her. Charles wanted James to marry Alice but James refused as he is still too young. Her father totally disapproves of them getting married.4. When they wanted to see her father, she told them that her father is very ill and was shocked about the murder.5. Sherlock Holmes visited James in the prison and James told him that he is married.6. Sherlock Holmes went to Boscombe Pool to collect evidence.7. He followed the footprints and found the murder weapon which still has blood on it.8. He revealed the murderer is a tall man, left-handed and limps on his right leg. He wore heavy boots and smokes Indian cigars.

Climax

1. At the hotel, Sherlock Holmes explained his findings to Dr Watson that Cooee is an Australian word and only recognised by Australian and Raat is actually a place in Australia, Ballarat. 2. The footprints he found have limps, a heavy-toed boots, the type worn in Australian bush.3. The murderer is also left-handed as he hit Charles on the left side of the head.4. He also found ashes of Indian cigar where only a rich person could afford it.

Falling Action

1. Responding to Sherlock Holmes letter, John Turner went to his house and later confessed to killing Charles.2. He explained that he was before known as Black Jack of Ballarat and did things he wasnt proud of.3. He moved to England and turned a new leaf. He is a well and respected person in Boscombe Valley until he met Charles McCarthy 20 years ago and he was blackmailed by him since then.4. Sherlock Holmes asked him to write a confession letter to be used if James is found guilty. Otherwise, he will destroy the letter.

Resolution

1. Seven months later, John Turner passed away.2. James and Alice got married and Sherlock Holmes kept his promise and destroyed the confession letter.


Setting

Dr. Watsons house

Paddington Station A railway station in London

Mr. Turners farm

McCarthys house

Boscombe Pool

The gamekeepers house

The courtroom

A local hotel

The prison

Holmess house in Baker Street

The outback (Robbery at Ballarat)

Year 1888


Characters

Main characters

Sherlock Holmes

An intelligent, patient and a good detective from Baker Street, London

Dr. Watson

A good sidekick that helps Holmes solve cases

James McCarthy

An innocent victim blamed to have killed his own father

John Turner

The murderer who was blackmailed by the victim

Minor characters

Charles McCarthy

The victim

Alice Turner

John Turners daughter

Insp. Lestrade

The police officer who did the first investigation

The gamekeeper(Moran)One of the witnesses who saw James and Charles on the path to Boscombe Pool

Patience Moran

A 14-year-old girl, the daughter of the Gamekeeper who saw James and Charles McCarthy having an argument

Mrs. Moran

The person, Patience told about the argument she saw

The judge

The person who sentences James to prison


Themes and Values

Themes

Seeking the Truth

Being an investigator, Sherlock Holmes must take into account all the evidence put forward and analyse them to prove whether James McCarthy is innocent or not. If he had only relied on what the papers and rumours said about James, he would not be able to solve the case successfully. Weighing the facts, evidence, the accusers statement and the physical evidence at the crime scene, Sherlock Holmes proves that a thorough investigation to seek the truth will be worthwhile.

Keeping a secret

There are two instances where this is shown. The first instance is when Sherlock Holmes writes a letter inviting John Turner to his house wanting to see him to avoid scandal. It was at that moment; John Turner breaks down and confesses to the killing of Charles McCarthy. Sherlock Holmes later asks John Turner to write a confession letter and promises to use it only if James is found guilty. Towards the end of the story, John Turner dies; James gets out of prison and marries Alice. Sherlock Holmes keeps his promise and desroyes the letter.Next instance is when Charles McCarthy promises to keeep the old secret between him and John Turner about their past. He breaks his promises and uses it to blackmail John Turner, who has turned a new leaf and lives a well and respected life. Here , we can see how a secret can bring more harm than good.

Being Knowledgeable

Being knowledgeable really helps in solving the case. Sherlock Holmes, using his knowledge and experinces, cleverly solves the mystery. Knowing the word cooee is an Australian word and associating Raat with Ballarat really helps to narrow down the suspect. Next, when Sherlock Holmes is at the crime scene, he examines the footprints. He also takes into account the unusual mark on Charless head and where he was hit. He also deduce that the murderer is a rich man from the ashes of the Indian cigar he found at the crime scene.

Law and Order

If you break the law, you will be punished. You should not take matters into your own hands. There are many ways to solve this problem and killing another human being is not one of it.

Moral Values

Do not judge a book by its cover Keep your promises Its never too late to turn over a new leaf Do not take advantage on other peoples misery Love and protect you family

Documents

The Boscombe Valley Mystery Std