Well, to be honest, mostly he does not do so—because the Victorian detective story didn't really exist as a coherent genre. There were mysteries a plenty, but they were more part of the larger Gothic novel. Works like "The Castle of Otranto" or "Frankenstein" had mysteries in them. Odd things happened, and they needed to be resolved. However, the rules weren't really set. The odd things weren't always crimes that were to be resolved through legal actions, and so the genre…didn't much happen. It's there in Poe (the Dupin stories) and Collins, and traces in Dickens, but otherwise, it didn't much exist.
That said…Holmes fits with the rationalized Gothic. The events are often odd,
seemly impossible or supernatural, and he resolves them through reason. He
often dips into the underworld and into dark passions.
How does Arthur Conan Doyle explore the Victorian detective genre in Sherlock Holmes stories?
There are certain conventions that Conan Doyle uses to effect in a genre...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
of story that was developing. The first true detective story was 'Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins, but Doyle begins to establish some of the 'rules.' The detective is a clever and astute character often in the 'know' more than anyone else. The Dr Watson character represents us as the reader, asking questions, having information concealed from him and basically impressed at the end when the truth is revealed. Small clues are given to the reader, but never enough for us to make the whole story up. Holmes is also 'eccentric' and is made interesting for his addictions, personality and the way in which he uses disguises. Also Doyle uses the tactic of having crimes come to Holmes as people consult him. He is not the police and therefore he can often operate outside the law; in an era when people were still uncertain about the relatively new police forces, he thus kept readers behind the hero.