What is the setting of "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? Does the setting change at all?
The setting in this story changes in the middle of the tale. At the beginning, the story is set in Sherlock Holmes's quarters on Baker Street, London, in April of 1883. It is there that Helen Stoner comes from Surrey to consult with Holmes and Dr. Watson. In the middle of the story, Holmes and Watson take a train from Waterloo station to Leatherhead and from there go to Surrey, where Helen Stoner lives with her stepfather, Dr. Roylott. The second part of the story takes place in their house, Stoke Moran, in the western part of Surrey. Holmes has to journey to Helen Stoner's house to prevent her murder and to uncover how Dr. Roylott murdered Helen's sister by sending a venomous snake (the "speckled band") though the ventilator shaft to her room.
This Sherlock Holmes story describes a case brought to Holmes by Helen Stoner, whose twin sister Julia has been killed in mysterious circumstances at the house they live in with Dr. Grimsby Roylott. It has more than one setting, beginning with the arrival of Helen at Holmes's rooms on Baker Street, with the lady telling her story in the living room. Helen's story itself is concerned with Roylott's house, which is the scene of the crime; Holmes is able to deduce from mud on the sleeve of Helen's gown that it is in the country but not far from London. Later, Holmes himself goes to visit this country house at Stoke Moran, moving the setting of the story from the familiar to the unknown, reflecting the development of the mystery.
Comments
Post a Comment