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Summary AQA GCSE English Literature 19th Century Novel - The Sign of Four Introduction
AQA GCSE English Literature for 19th Century Novel - The Sign of Four by Arthur Conon Doyle Contains: Introduction, Background, Context
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The Sign of Four – Arthur Conon DoyleThe Sign of Four is set in the 19th century. It features the private detective Sherlock Holmes
and his friend Dr John Watson. In the novel, they investigate a mystery involving murder and
stolen treasure.
Arthur Conon Doyle
Arthur Conon Doyle was a British writer, who was best known for his detective fiction
featuring Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conon Doyle studied medicine and practised as a doctor
before finding success as a writer. His main inspiration for Holmes was one of his university
professors, Dr Joseph Bell. He was impressed by how Bell could arrive at accurate
conclusions by making detailed observations of his patients. Conon Doyle wrote 4 novels
and 56 short stories featuring Holmes, who became a very popular character. He tried to kill
off Holmes in 1893, but a public outcry persuaded him to bring Holmes back.
Background and Context
The novel is set in the Victorian era (1837-1901). The main action happens in London in
1888, but much of the backstory takes place in India and London between the 1850s-
1880s.
Industry, science and technology developed rapidly in the Victorian era. New machines
were invented and lots of factories were built. Steam power was increasingly used in
industry and transport.
The steamboat chase in Chapter 10 would have been thrilling and modern to Victorian
readers – Conon Doyle emphasises the speed of the steamboats, which goes ‘flying’ up
the river ‘at a tremendous rate’.
London expanded rapidly in the 19th century. Conon Doyle presents London as a large,
confusing city where it’s easy to get lost. Watson soon loses his ‘bearings’ on the way to
Thaddeus’ house in Chapter 3 because of his ‘limited knowledge of London’.
London’s industries created air pollution and smog, which is reflected in Watson’s
descriptions of ‘damp fog’ and ‘steamy’ air.
In the late 1800s, London was policed by the Metropolitan Police Force – also known as
Scotland Yard. Its main job was to keep order in the capital.
However, crimes also needed to be investigated and solved. A small detective force was
set up in 1842, and this expanded into the Criminal Investigation Department in 1878.
These detectives had some success, but they often lacked the information they needed
to confidently catch the right person – forensic techniques were in their early stages, so
many clues at crime scenes were missed.
Conon Doyle created a detective who could accurately solve crimes using scientific
techniques. Holmes carefully examines crime scenes and collects evidence, which allows
him to state his theories with certainty – and he is nearly always shown to be right.
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