The Hound of the Baslkervilles: Chapter 9: Qs. & Ans.

Topics on Chapter 9

Q1.  :Describe the significance of the light upon the moor and how the mystery of the light is solved.

Ans. The Chapter ‘The Light Upon the Moor’ is very much important because it throws light on several issues of the story.

The subplot of the novel related to Seldon becomes clear to Dr. Watson, Sir Henry and also to the readers. Both Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore were in the list of the suspects given to Dr. Watson by Sherlock Holmes. Barrymore was constantly being suspected for having his link with the person who was spying Sir Henry in London.

 Dr. Watson and Sir Henry were curious to know as to whom Barrymore was showing the candle light the previous night. So the next night, Dr. Watson followed him to know about it. He noticed that Barrymore waved the burning candle from the open window of an empty room. He seemed to give a signal to somebody at a distance. Dr. Watson told all that to Sir Henry and both of them decided to follow Barrymore at night.

It becomes clear that Mr. Barrymore and his wife were protecting and helping  Seldon, who was Mrs. Barrymore’s brother. Barrymore was caught red handed while giving signals with the help of candle light to provide him food.

Now this also becomes clear that Barrymore had no love relationship with any country girl.

Q2. Why does Sir Henry go without Watson to meet Miss Stapleton? Describe their meeting.

Ans. Dr. Watson knew that Sir Henry was fascinated by the charms of Miss Stapleton. But he never knew that he could risk his life by deciding to meet her alone on the moor. Dr. Watson performed his duty to warn Sir Henry about his rash decision, but he did not follow Watson’s advice and went to meet his lady love.

But still, Dr. Watson followed both of them at a distance to provide Sir Henry a security cover.

Both the lovers met at the fixed place at fixed time. They walked side by side slowly talking happily. It seemed as if they were in deep discussion. Then Sir Henry tried to express his love to Miss Stapleton, but it seemed that she was trying to resist it. She also tried to press upon him to go away from the Baskerville Hall as there was danger to his life.

After that Sir Henry presented a marriage proposal to her, but at that very moment Stapleton reached venting his anger on Sir Henry out of jealousy. Thus their meeting came to an abrupt end.

Q3. Stapleton was rude to Sir Henry when he interrupted them and vented his anger on him. But later on, he gives an explanation to Sir Henry about his bad behavior and feels sorry for it. Are you satisfied with his explanation?

 When Sir Henry and Miss Stapleton were busy in their conversation, Stapleton came running to them and started abusing  Sir Henry. It was very rude of him.

Later on, Stapleton tried to defend his rough behaviour with him. He apologized to him for his bad behavior. He told him that he was very possessive of his only sister. He could not bear the thought of losing his sister to anyone. Moreover he had no idea of their being so close in a relationship. That was why; he could not control his anger at that time. He also told him that it would be a good thing if his sister got married to a neighbor like him. But he would have to wait for three months for that.

But we do not agree with the explanation Stapleton forwarded to assuage the hurt feeling of Sir Henry. We know that he is the mastermind who has made a plan to kill Sir Henry and be the owner of the whole Baskerville estate. So, how could a villain like Stapleton be the well wisher of Sir Henry?

The Hound of the Baskervilles: Chapter 8; Qs. & Ans.

Topics on Chapter 8

Topic 1 : First Report of Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes about the romantic relationship between Sir Henry and Miss Stapleton.

ü Dr. Watson sends his first report to Sherlock Holmes about the developing romantic relationship between Sir Henry and Miss Stapleton.

ü Dr. Watson is not happy with this development between them because he is very much concerned about the safety of Sir Henry, who is already at risk there.

ü Sir Henry is really captivated by the beauty and charms of Miss Stapleton. According to Dr. Watson’s observations, it is Sir Henry’s being young and his loneliness at the Baskerville Hall which has made Sir Henry show a lot of interest in her.

ü Another thing that Dr. Watson notices is that there is a lot difference between the temperament of Mr. Stapleton and his so called sister.

ü Miss Stapleton also shows very much interest in Sir Henry Baskerville.

ü Another thing worth mentioning here is that Mr. Stapleton does not approve of such type of relationship. Watson has seen Stapleton feeling irritated whenever he found Sir Henry and his sister engaged in conversation.

Topic 2: Dr. Watson’s visit to the Yew Alley:

ü We come to know about Dr. Watson’s visit to Yew Alley Through his report sent to Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Mortimer, who had come to have lunch with Sir Henry and Dr. Watson, takes them to Yew Alley. They watch the place where Sir Charles had met with his tragic death.

ü The place seems to cast a shadow of gloom on the place as they walk through the passage that seemed to be like a tunnel because there were high walls of hedges on the both sides.

ü Dr. Watson observed very minutely the place where Sir Henry seemed to have been waiting for someone. He had dropped ashes from his cigar two times there.

ü It was the place where Sir Charles seemed to have seen something frightful coming towards him, which had made him run towards the moor.

ü Dr. Watson thinks that the terror and fatigue must have caused Sir Charles’ heart failure.

ü This visit makes Dr. Watson ponder over a few necessary points. He wonders as to what that ‘terrible’ object could be.  It could be a ‘sheep-dog’ of the moor or some phantom hound or something in human flesh and blood.

ü In this way, Dr. Watson’s visit to the Yew Alley proves to be very important. It makes his belief that there must be some human being causing danger to Sir Henry’s life. The same person also is responsible for Sir Charles’ tragic death.

ü Topic 3:

The reasons leading to Dr. Watson’s doubts on Mr. Barrymore:

ü Not only Doctor Watson, but Sherlock Holmes and even Sir Henry suspected on Mr. Barrymore at least up to the middle of the novel.

ü There were certain reasons for that. The first reason is that his face had also black beard on it like that of the man in the cab stalking Sir Henry in London.

ü The second reason is that Mr. Barrymore decides to leave Baskerville Hall at the arrival of Sir Henry there. He gives unsatisfying reasons for his decision.

ü The third reason which Makes Dr. Watson and even Sir Henry suspect him more strongly than before is that he tells lie about the woman who kept on sobbing the previous night while his wife’s eyes were red and swollen.

ü Dr. Watson also comes to know from the Grimpen postmaster that the telegramme was received by Mrs. Barrymore, not Mr. Barrymore.

ü Another reason that makes Sir Henry and Dr. Watson confident in their suspicion on him is that Barrymore was found walking at night with a burning candle in his hands and waving it to and fro in an empty room.

ü These are the reasons that make him a victim of suspicion.

                                                                                                                                                               

The Hound of the Baskervilles; Chapter 7: Qs. & Ans.

Topics on Chapter 7

Topic 1 :The incidents leading to Dr.  Watson’s Suspicion about Stapleton

ü  Sherlock Holmes had already instructed Dr. Watson to remain very much alert at Baskerville Hall as there was danger to Sir Henry’s life.

ü  So Dr. Watson tried to study each and every thing there during his stay. He also wanted to show to Sherlock Holmes that he was also a very alert detctive.

ü  Much of his suspicion was focussed on Barimore couple.

ü  At the breakfast time, Barrimore was called by Sir Henry to explain as to who could be the woman that kept on sobbing the previous night.

ü  Barrimore showed his ignorance to it, Dr. Watson’s sharp eyes were able to see Mrs. Barrimore’s wife’s red and swollen eyes.

It confirmed the fact it was she who was sobbing and weeping last.

ü  After that, Dr. watson went to meet the Grimpen post master to clarify from him whether the test telegramme was received by Mr. Barrimore or someone else at the Baskerville Hall.

ü  The postmaster told him that it was Mrs. Barrimore who had actually recived the telegramme saying that her husband was upstairs.

ü  Thus, Sherlock Holmes was unable to find out whether Barrimore was in London on the day when Sir Henry was being spied by the man in the cab having black beard like that of Mr. Barrimore.

ü  In this way, Dr. Watson’s doubts about Barrimore couple were strenthened.

Topic 2  Watson’s doubts on Stapleton:

ü  Dr. Watson has reasons for doubting Stapleton. He shows extra concern in the case of Sir Charles’s death. He also wants to know from Dr. Watson much very about Sir Henry.

ü  He is very curious to know about the course of action Sherlock Holmes is going to take in his investigations about the causes of Sir Charles death. He alos offers his help in the case.

ü  Stapleton becomes so much informal with Dr. Watson in his first meeting with him that he also invites him to visit Meripit House.

ü  Dr. watson accepts the invitation because he wanted to know much about the place as wellas Stapleton and his sister.

ü  During the conversation, Stapleton also warns Watson about the hdden dangers of the Moor, so he warns the detective against moving here and there on the Moor.

ü  Stapleton does not forget to hint at the superstition of the curse on the Baskervilles. He aslo wants to confirm from Watson if Sir Henry believes in superstions or not.

ü  He also talks as to how the family curse of the hound had affected Sir Charles’ already weak heart. Stapleton firmly adds that Sir Charles must have seen something dangerous on that fateful night. It had caused his tragic death.

ü  As Stapleton runs after a moth or a butterfly, Miss Stapleton arrives there. She mistook Dr. watson for Sir Henry. Without mincining any word, she warns Watson to leave the place at once for safety reasons.

Topic 3.  Meeting between Watson and Miss Stapleton

ü  In the chapter 7, two meetings take place between Dr. watson and Miss Stapleton. First, he meets her when she appears all of a sudden in front of him as Stapleton runs after a moth or a butterfly. She mistakes him for Sir Henry and without making any formality, she tells him to leave Baskerville Hall at once. She also advises him not to say anything about it to her brother Stapleton. He was coming towards them.

ü  When Stapleton calls Dr. Watrson by name, then she realises her mistake of misidentifying him.

ü  After that, Dr. Watson leaves Meripit House to reach Baskerville Hall. But then Miss Stapleton finds time to secretly meet Dr. Watson. She comes behind him tells him that her warning was meant for Sir Henry, not him. She requests Watson to persuade Sir Henry to leave the Moor and return to London as there was danger to his life there.

ü  Again she requests Dr. Watson to keep it as secret from her brother that she had said anything to him.

ü  Thus we see that these two meetings between Dr. Watson are very much important for Sherlock Holmes. It also helps Dr. Watson to reach the conclusion that there was solid reason behind Miss Stapleton’s hiding of what she had said to Dr. Watson.

Topic 4. Mysteries of the Moor highlighted by Stapleton.

ü  Stapleton tells Dr.Watson about the beauty as well as the hidden dangers of the moor.

ü  If he calls it ‘a wonderful place’, he also calls it ‘barren and mysterious.’  While telling about Grimpen Mire, Stapleton tells Dr. Watson that ‘a false step yonder means death to man or beast.’

ü  Then he refers to the hills and calls them islands cut off on all sides, but he appreciates them for the rare species of plants and butterflies.

ü  The deep moaning sound heard by Dr. watson also adds to the grim and mysterious atmosphere of the place.

ü  Stapleton interprets this as the call given by the hound of Baskervilles for prey. Stapleton also points towards a hillside and calls it the home of Prehistoric man.

ü  In this way, Stapleton’s purpose of filling a sense of chill and fear in Dr. Watson’s mind becomes clear. He wants to scare the detective so that he fails in his mission and leave the place in in fright.

ü  But the irony is that it is Stapleton who meets his death in the end as he fall into the mire and is swallowed by it. His warning that ‘a false step yonder means death to man or beast’ proves true on him.

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