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Arthur Conan Doyle EssayA critical account of The Speckled Band and The Engineers Thumb by Arthur Conan DoyleIn the narrative of The Speckled Band a woman called Helen Stoner arrives at Holmes rooms in a state of terror. She is the stepdaughter of Dr Grimesby Roylott, a violent man who spent five years in India and associates scarce with gipsies, and has such exotic pets as a baboon and a cheetah.Helens mother is now dead, and two years previously her sister died in mysterious circumstances a strange whistling disturbed her in her rest period for some nights, and on the night of her death she appeared transfixed, able only to shriek, the speckled band she had been about to marry and now Helen is planning to do the same her stepfather has moved her to her sisters bedroom next to his and the whistling has recurred. Despite a warning from the maniacal Dr Roylott, Holmes and Watson head for Stoke Moran, examine the house and wait the night in Helens bedroom. Holmes discount ra te proves correct Dr Roylott sends a swamp adder (the speckled band) through a ventilator to kill Helen, Holmes have words drives it back and the murderer is poisoned.The main shells in the story consist of Helen rockr who is the main client. She arrives at intelligence agent Holmes rooms in Baker Street to ask him for help. The theatrical role of Helen Stoner sets the tone of the story shiver with fear, her hardihood all drawn and grey, with restless frightened eyes, like those of some hunted animal. She is obviously a sure and levelheaded woman therefore there must be a reason for her terror.The character of Sherlock Holmes in the story appears to be that of an appealing eccentric. In this story he uses his powers of deduction to disclose minute details with which to solve the final mystery, for instance he knew you must have started early, and yet you had a good drive in a dog cart, along heavy roads before you reached the station. done the story he displays elements of humour, after doctor Roylott threatened with a poker he replies, he seems a very amiable person. Subtly alluring to his own physical power by, he picked up the marque poker and with a sudden effort straightened it out again. Whilst examining the premises of Stoke Moran, he threw himself down upon his face with his lens in his hand, and crawled swiftly backwards and forwards, examining minutely the crack between the boards. This illustrates Holmes minute attention to detail.Dr Watson is the grand narrator of this story. His ability to perceive and describe details is as important as his inability to conclude from them what Holmes can. He says, Holmes, I seem to see dimly what you are hitting at, after Holmes had described the put down of the ventilator and the rope. The relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson is one of an intimate friend and associate. In contrast to Holmes, Dr Watson makes the sensible deductions and assumption of the of the ordinary intelligent man. He is portrayed as an amiable man as sound as the devoted recorder of Holmes achievements.A vivid exposition is built up of Dr Roylott by the description of Helen stoner. We know that he came from an aristocratic background. However successive heirs had squandered the money. After taking a aesculapian degree he went to India, where he spent some time in prison from murdering a inwrought servant. She describes his violence of temper approaching to mania.We are also told that he likes to associate with gypsies and also keeps exotic animals, for example, a cheetah and a baboon. In another passage Dr Roylott enters Holmes room and is described as a capacious man with a face marked with every evil passion. He is said to resemble a fierce old bird of pray. We are led also to believe that Dr Roylott is violent towards his Stepdaughter when Homes sees burses on her wrists.The story is set during the Victorian era with the backdrop of the decaying grandeur of Stoke Moran this help this links closely to the character of Dr Roylott as a fallen aristocrat and also helps to create a mysterious atmosphere. The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone with a high central portion, and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were broken, and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly caved in, a picture of ruin.