Light and Dark Representation in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1902, taking

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1 Nicholas Swanger Swanger 1 Mrs. Marlowe CAAT ELA P3 16 February 2016 Light and Dark Representation in The Hound of the Baskervilles Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1902, taking place at Holmes s home in London. People in London are known as neoclassical, only believing in logical ideas. They conclude that the peasants in the moor will believe in whatever nonsense they hear, such as a spectral hound that breathes fire is coming to kill the Baskervilles. Sherlock Holmes sends his sidekick, Watson, with Sir Henry to the Baskerville estate. As more time is spent upon the moor, characters start to realize how everyone act depending on if there is light or if there is darkness upon the moor. The light in London and on the moor, represents neoclassicism and bliss, but the darkness in these settings represent the romantic ideas and despair and shows how the romanticism fights to triumph over neoclassicism. The use of light in The Hound of the Baskervilles represents the neoclassical ideas of upperclassmen and bliss. When Henry first arrives at the Baskerville hall, he realizes there are candles around to light up the hall, in contrast to the electrical lights he has at his home. As he ventures around the hall for the first time in years, he starts to feel despair and decides to go to bed early. When he wakes up the next morning he realizes what was causing him the distress. The dark panelling [paneling] glowed like bronze in the golden rays, and it was difficult to realize that this was indeed the chamber which had struck such a gloom into our souls upon the evening before (44-45). The lack of light in the Baskerville hall reminds Henry of all of the painful memories that happen at night.

2 Swanger 2 After that night, he orders electric lights to be put in to allow more light to be in the hall. During the day, everyone is out on the moor enjoying the light and the views, but at night everyone goes indoors. Nothing atrocious ever happens to anyone during the day, the worst being a creature dying in the Grimpen Mire. The light on the moor connects to Sir Henry s home in America, which has electrical lights and reminds Henry of his youth. As characters spend more time out on the moor, they believe more in the dark romantic aspects of the moor. During Watson s investigation, he sends Holmes a telegram telling him of some tips. Watson starts the telegram telling Holmes of the environment of the moor, explaining how the moor is viewed differently by the people who live on it. The longer one stays here the more does the spirit of the moor sink into one's soul, its vastness, and also its grim charm. When you are once out upon its bosom you have left all traces of modern England behind you, but, on the other hand, you are conscious everywhere of the homes and the work of the prehistoric people (55). When Watson and Henry come upon the moor, they are considered highly educated men. During the day, they are able to look around for clues, but at night they are forced to go inside due to the romantic aspects of the moor coming out. The setting at night changes drastically from the day, adding new meaning to each aspect of the moor. At day, the moor is a wonderful place for sightseeing and to see animals, but at night the moor becomes the hound, representing the death of the former estate owners and the romantic aspects of the moor. Throughout the novel, Doyle uses dark and light to show the fight for neoclassicism to triumph over romanticism. Watson knows about the escaped convict

3 Swanger 3 when he arrives upon the moor and one of the guards tells him of his presence. He sees Mr. Barrymore one night go into an abandoned room in the hall and signal someone with a candle inside the house. Watson follows him another night with Henry and sees Mr. Barrymore repeat the same action. Mrs. Barrymore tells him it is Selden, her brother, who is the escaped convict. Henry and Watson go out on the moor to try to capture him. We hurried through the dark shrubbery, amid the dull moaning of the autumn wind and the rustle of falling leaves. The night air was heavy with the smell of damp and decay. Now and again the moon peeped out for an instant, but the clouds were driving over the face of the sky, and just as we came out on the moor a thin rain began to fall. The light [of Selden s candle] still burned steadily in front (69). The moon represents neoclassicism and the light that it brings, but the clouds are the darkness coming in, leading to romantic thoughts. Sir Henry and Watson are the moon, bringing light to the people on the moor. The light they brought was overshadowed by darkness when they heard the roaring of a supernatural hound bringing them to believe it is out to kill Henry. After this event, there are few times when the neoclassical thoughts were able to poke through the dark shield of romanticism lingering from this night. The shield of romantic thoughts is destroyed once Holmes kills the hound, allowing for neoclassicism to triumph over romanticism once again. Throughout The Hound of the Baskervilles, references to dark and light show the constant, yet unsuccessful fight for romanticism to triumph over neoclassicism. Watson and Holmes try to bring light to the novel, but the darkness of the romantic aspects of the

4 Swanger 4 moor do not allow it. As the story evolves, neoclassicism becomes less apparent and the romanticism becomes the driving force.

5 Swanger 5 Work Cited Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir. The Hound of the Baskervilles. New York: Dover Publications, Print.