Sherlock Holmes - The Most Popular Detective?

Is Sherlock Holmes still as popular today as ever?

    The earlier forms of detective fiction often influence the writers of the same or similar genres in the present. The question is how can such writers ever hope to create a more popular character than that of the famous Sherlock Holmes? Could this really be such an impossible feat? The possible is not possible until someone makes it so. Therefore, it is not completely impossible to create such a world renowned character; it just has not been accomplished as of yet.

    There are many excellent detective fiction stories circulating currently, but the fact is that none of the characters are quite as fascinating to the public as the character of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective stories played out by one Sherlock Holmes.

    Although this character was a simple man of objective science, he was still just a man. He could be insolent, conceited, and even bizarre, while still being humble and even somewhat normal at times. The image that was painted in the minds of the readers by Doyle was that of a slightly atypical male human being that would commit slightly atypical, yet still human, actions. He was a bit unconventional; a bit on the eccentric side as we would politely put it today. This is possibly what drew so many followers of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fantastical tales. But, is Holmes still as popular today as he was one hundred years ago?

    I'm making an educated guess here, that if one were to poll the general public and ask them to name a famous detective in literature the most common name that would be given would still be that of Sherlock Holmes.

    Is this simply because the name is so unusual or is it because the character has welded himself into the mind of the reader forever? Of course, there is no answer to that question; the reader must decide that for him or herself. But, take into consideration that Sherlock Holmes has existed for well over a century. How many characters are still discussed in detail long after the pen has left the paper? There are very few that have earned such a privilege. The classic detective fiction era, therefore, will probably be a constant reminder as well as a basis for more modern detective fiction for many years to come.

     In one sense, that makes Sherlock Holmes somewhat of an icon. He is the epitome of the fictional detective stories of the classic era and will be constantly referred to for new ideas and reference when creating a new character. 

    The hope of the writer is that one day an at least equal character will arise from the pages to take on the crime solving of the future. This would preferably be a character with an equivalent amount of gusto and overall emphasis for crime solving that Sherlock Holmes possessed. 

    A character that is human and commits acts of the human; a character with interesting thoughts and feelings who is able to take the reader on an extraordinary journey just by opening a book is the one that will most definitely be able to capture such an esteemed place in the world of literature.  I for one sincerely hope that I am around to appreciate such a character.

Chris Haycock

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