Sherlock Holmes never actually said “Elementary, my dear Watson!” There have been more than 60 Holmes films, including one in which he is portrayed by a mouse, one by a dog, and at least one as a woman. Arthur Conan Doyle, the original author, was a medical doctor, a freemason, and a believer in spiritualism and clairvoyance. These and other curious facts will be explored (or should we say “detected“?) in this seminar, as we examine a cross-section of the many adaptations of Doyle’s iconic detective. We will begin by reading many of the original short stories, followed by viewing film and television versions of Holmes, and ending with a smattering of fan fiction and popular-culture revisions of the Holmes character. Along the way we will consider how Sherlock Holmes changes over time and in different cultural moments. What is the enduring power of this mysterious figure, Sherlock Holmes?
