The Sign of Four: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Sign of Four" is a detective novel by Arthur Conan Doyle featuring major characters that contribute to a complex narrative of mystery and intrigue. The story centers around Sherlock Holmes, a renowned detective celebrated for his keen observation and deductive skills, and his loyal friend Dr. John Watson, who becomes romantically involved with their client, Mary Morstan. Mary is a young woman whose father, an officer in India, has been missing for a decade, prompting her search for answers.
Key to the plot is Major Sholto, a former acquaintance of Mary’s father, who holds crucial information about a treasure and the circumstances surrounding her father's disappearance. His twin sons, Dr. Thaddeus and Bartholomew Sholto, play significant roles as the story unfolds, with Thaddeus attempting to aid Mary while Bartholomew finds himself in peril after discovering the treasure. The antagonist, Jonathan Small, is a pivotal character whose backstory reveals his connection to a group known as "the Four," who initially uncovered the jewels in India and resort to murder in their quest to reclaim them.
Together, these characters weave a tale that examines themes of loyalty, greed, and the search for truth, highlighting the interplay between personal motivations and broader moral dilemmas. The narrative invites readers to explore the complexities of each character's decisions and their impact on the unfolding mystery.
The Sign of Four: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
First published: 1890
Genre: Novel
Locale: London, England
Plot: Detective and mystery
Time: 1888
Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective known for his powers of observation and deduction.
Dr. John Watson, Holmes's friend and assistant. In this story, he is attracted to Mary Morstan, proposes to her, and is accepted.
Mary Morstan, Holmes's client. She is a young English-woman whose father, an officer with an Indian regiment, failed to meet her, as he had sent word he would, at a London hotel. Her father has been missing for ten years.
Major Sholto, a friend and brother officer of Miss Morstan's father. He reveals to his two sons that Morstan died accidentally as they argued over some jewels that had been handed over to them for transportation from India to England. He refuses to relinquish the fabulous jewels and is relentlessly hounded by the Four. He dies strangely before he can reveal their hiding place to his sons.
Dr. Thaddeus Sholto, an art collector, one of the major's twin sons. Trying to share his wealth with Mary Morstan, he sends her a pearl each year. He learns that his twin brother has located the treasure chest, and he so informs Mary Morstan and Holmes.
Bartholomew Sholto, Dr. Sholto's twin brother. After having located the jewels in his dead father's attic, he is found murdered.
Jonathan Small, Holmes's key to the mystery. When captured, he tells that he is one of the Four, four men who accidentally discovered the jewels in India. Imprisoned after an uprising, they gave the secret of the treasure to Major Sholto and the now dead Morstan. Small and one of the other men sought to regain the treasure, committing murder in doing so. About to be captured, Small dumps the jewels in the river.