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What is the curse of the Baskerville family?
The curse of the Baskervilles originates in the seventeenth century with the infamous Sir Hugo Baskerville. According to local legend, Sir Hugo was a terrible man who kidnapped a young woman he thought was beautiful. After she escaped, he set his hunting dogs on her. However, a mysterious, supernatural hound hunts Sir Hugo, eventually killing him. Local residents believe that this hell hound has hunted the Baskerville family ever since.
How does Sir Charles Baskerville die?
Sir Charles Baskerville dies of fright after seeing Mr. Stapleton’s phosphorus-painted dog, believing it to be the mythic Hound of the Baskervilles. Mr. Stapleton has Laura Lyons lure Sir Charles to the moor gate at 10pm under the guise of needing money to leave her abusive husband. He later lies to Laura Lyons, promising her the money himself, and encouraging her not to visit Sir Charles. When Sir Charles approaches the moor gate, Mr. Stapleton unleashes the hound. Sir Charles’s weak heart cannot tolerate the stress of the fright.
Why does Sherlock Holmes pretend to stay in London?
Although Sherlock Holmes quickly pieces together many aspects of Mr. Stapleton’s scheme before Sir Henry Baskerville even sees Baskerville Hall for the first time, he knows that he requires evidence to bring Mr. Stapleton before a court. He therefore pretends to stay in London, hoping that Mr. Stapleton will continue working on his devious plans without taking extra precautions. By staying hidden and building his case, Holmes tricks Mr. Stapleton into incriminating himself in front of Inspector Lestrade.
What is the significance of the portrait of Sir Hugo Baskerville?
By looking at the portrait of Sir Hugo Baskerville, Sherlock Holmes is able to recognize the resemblance between Sir Hugo and Mr. Stapleton. From this discovery, Holmes deduces that Mr. Stapleton must be a Baskerville heir. Significantly, out of all the Baskervilles portrayed in the family portraits, Mr. Stapleton most resembles Hugo. Hugo’s wicked reputation matches Mr. Stapleton’s dastardly deeds, suggesting that Mr. Stapleton has inherited the worst qualities of the Baskervilles.
Why does the culprit return Sir Henry Baskerville’s new boot?
The culprit returns Sir Henry Baskerville’s new boot but keeps the old one because he wanted to use the boot to train the hound on Sir Henry’s scent. Because the new boot has never been worn, it is useless for Mr. Stapleton’s purposes. The boot theft proves extremely significant to Holmes’s investigation because it offers him definitive proof that the hound must be a real dog. Were the hound a supernatural entity bent on the destruction of the Baskerville family, it would require no scent training to find its target.
