Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound Of The Baskervilles Today

The Appeal of Gothic Literature For many years, people have enjoyed the genre of gothic literature. Gothic literature contains elements that appeal to people. There are usually ominous events, confusing mysteries, and bleak climates. Often times, the characters are passionate or stubborn. The stories often leave people worried and frightened. In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles and television shows today, there are many characteristics of gothic literature. In The Hound of the Baskervilles, some characteristics of gothic literature are the setting, drama, and protagonist. The story takes place at Dartmoor, where it is gloomy and isolated. Watson, the narrator of the novel, says, “The longer one stays here the more does the spirit of the moor sink into one’s soul” (73). This quote shows that as Watson spends more time at Baskerville Hall, he starts to feel more of the grim and mysterious environment; it almost becomes a part of him. The initial reason Watson goes to Baskerville Hall is to solve a crime. One of the main events in the story is figuring out who is responsible for the death of Sir Charles. In the beginning, readers are led to believe that Watson is on his own while solving the crime.
One popular example is The Walking Dead. This show demonstrates the characteristic of decay. The lead character, Rick Grimes, awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world. He and his family must find ways to survive in a world filled with dangerous zombies. Another television show that demonstrates elements of gothic literature is CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. In this show, there is a lot of drama and heightened emotion as a team of investigators uses deductive reasoning and physical evidence to solve murders. Throughout the show, the atmosphere is mysterious and grim. These are two examples of television shows using characteristics of gothic literature in today’s