History Literature / TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles

* BittersweetEnding: Holmes manages to save Henry Baskerville's life, but he is left a nervous wreck. [[spoiler: And then we find out what Beryl was put through.]]
* BookEnds: [[spoiler:Near the beginning of Dr. Watson's stay on Dartmoor, Stapleton runs into the Grimpen Mire. Near the end, he does it again -- but unfortunately for him, a thick fog has risen, and he can't see the markers which allow him to do it safely.]]
* BrokenBird: [[spoiler: Beryl Garcia-Stapleton and Laura Frankland-Lyons.]]
* BoundAndGagged: Beryl Stapleton, near the end. [[spoiler: It's because she had intended to warn Henry, so BigBad Stapleton hit her and then got her restrained.]]

* TheButlerDidIt: The butler John Barrymore is a major suspect, but turns out to be a RedHerring. [[spoiler: What he and the housekeeper/his wife Elisa ''did'' do was sheltering ''another'' killer... Selden.]]
* CutAndPasteNote: Sir Henry receives one warning him to stay away from Baskerville Hall. Holmes is able to identify the newspapers that had been chopped up, by the font, and the type of scissors used to do it. [[spoiler: It came from Beryl, locked away in an hotel room by Stapleton to not lose sight of her as he made his evil plans; she still managed to grab the nearest newspaper and make the letter.]]

* DomesticAbuser: [[spoiler: Stapleton's treatment of Beryl, as she explains and later Holmes expands on.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister [[spoiler: Elisa Barrymore]]. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although Watson doesn't make the connection explicit, tells us something about [[spoiler: the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him, his much abused wife Beryl, is positively glad to see him go.]]

* HellHound: The Hound in the old Baskerville legend. (Its modern counterpart [[spoiler:turns out to have a more mundane origin]].)
* HighHeelFaceTurn: There is a female character involved with the villain who ends up helping the heroes. [[spoiler: It's actually subverted: Beryl (said woman) helps not just because of Henry's love, but as ''her revenge against the villain who treated her like shit for years'', which smacks of TheDogBitesBack. (Though in some adaptations she ''also'' loves Henry [[InLoveWithTheMark because he]] [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe was kind to her]].)]]
* HoneyTrap: The villain forces a young woman named [[spoiler: Beryl Stapleton]] to act as one for Sir Henry.
** He also used [[spoiler: Laura Lyons (the estranged daughter of GrumpyOldMan Frankland) as such. Laura was desperate after being abandoned by her JerkAss husband so he tricked her into writing a letter asking Sir Charles for help, which he'd use to stage the FrightDeathTrap.]]

* MySisterIsOffLimits: The naturalist Jack Stapleton is very protective of his beautiful younger sister Beryl. [[spoiler: In a cruel subversion, it's because she is ''his wife'' and he's forcing her to pose as his sister as a part of his HoneyTrap scheme.]]

* PermaShave: [[spoiler: On finding that Holmes has been secretly living in a stone hut on the moor for several weeks, Watson notes that "he had contrived, with that catlike love of personal cleanliness which was one of his characteristics, that his chin should be as smooth and his linen as perfect as if he were in Baker Street."]]

* QuicksandSucks: The Grimpen Mire. [[spoiler: Which is the perdition of the BigBad.]]
* SiblingYinYang: The Stapleton siblings. Older brother Jack is coolheaded, polite and blond. Younger sister Beryl is tall, darkhaired and HotBlooded. [[spoiler: Subverted, they're ''not'' siblings.]]

* TroubleMagnetGambit: Happens by accident when [[spoiler: the escaped convict Seldon is secretly given some old clothes of Sir Henry's. The Hound is set on the trail by the smell of Sir Henry's boot, and understandably mistakes Seldon for its real target because of the clothes' odor.]]
* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Sir Charles' wayward brother Rodger is said to have resembled a family portrait of Lord Hugo, a distant and also wayward ancestor, to an uncanny degree. [[spoiler: Later it turns out to be VERY important: Rodger had a son who looked a LOT like his father... and he turns out to be the BigBad. This is proved by Holmes covering the portrait's hair in front of a shocked Watson.]]

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2002 movie adds several details. i.e, Dr. Mortimer is actually an old man and quite more serious than in the book, his wife is an ardent believer in the supernatural and hosts a séance that turns out to be being ''very'' plot-important, [[spoiler: Selden]] not only [[spoiler: is directly shown]] but actually becomes an AscendedExtra, Frankland and Laura aren't included, and not only [[spoiler: Stapleton murders poor Beryl]], but [[spoiler: his motives go much more by ItsPersonal than the huge Baskerville inheritance itself.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister [[spoiler: Elisa Barrymore]]. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although [[FridgeBrilliance Watson doesn't make the connection explicit]], tells us something about [[spoiler: the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him, his much abused wife Beryl, is positively glad to see him go.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister [[spoiler: Elisa Barrymore]]. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although Watson doesn't make the connection explicit, tells us something about [[spoiler: the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him, his much abused wife Beryl, is positively glad to see him go.]]

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Dr Mortimer, is skull obsessed, absent minded, constantly accompanied by his spaniel and has yellow nicotine stained fingers but he is also a skilled surgeon of high esteem.

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2002 movie adds several details. i.e, Dr. Mortimer is actually an old man and quite more serious than in the book, his wife is an ardent believer in the supernatural and hosts a séance that turns out to be being ''very'' plot-important, [[spoiler: Selden not only is directly shown but he]] becomes an AscendedExtra, Frankland and Laura aren't included, and not only [[spoiler: Stapleton murders poor Beryl]], but [[spoiler: his motives go much more by ItsPersonal than the huge Baskerville inheritance itself.]]
* QuicksandSucks: Cranked UpToEleven in a film version, which starts with a policeman [[spoiler: who was pursuing Selden]] being swallowed by the Grimpen Mire. [[spoiler: And the GrandFinale has the BigBad Stapleton swallowed as well. Holmes ''barely'' survives.]]

** Cranked UpToEleven in a very recent film version, which starts with a policeman [[spoiler: who was pursuing Selden]] being swallowed by them. [[NightmareFuel The scene itself is so very creepy.]] [[spoiler: And the GrandFinale has the BigBad Stapleton swallowed as well. Holmes ''barely'' survives.]]

* HeyItsThatGuy: Holmes and Watson are [[MoulinRouge the Duke]] and [[HarryPotter Professor Quirrell]].

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2002 movie adds several details. i.e, Dr. Mortimer is actually an old man and quite more serious than in the book, his wife is an ardent believer in the supernatural and hosts a séance that turns out to be being ''very'' important, [[spoiler: Selden]] becomes an AscendedExtra, Frankland and Laura aren't included, and not only [[spoiler: Stapleton murders Beryl]], but [[spoiler: his motives go much more by ItsPersonal than the huge Baskerville inheritance itself.]]

* PermaShave: On finding that Holmes has been secretly living in a stone hut on the moor for several weeks, Watson notes that "he had contrived, with that catlike love of personal cleanliness which was one of his characteristics, that his chin should be as smooth and his linen as perfect as if he were in Baker Street."

* SiblingYinYang: The Stapleton siblings. Older brother Jack is coolheaded, polite and blond. Older sister Beryl is tall, darkhaired and HotBlooded. [[spoiler: Subverted, they're ''not'' siblings.]]

* HellHound: The Hound in the old Baskerville legend. (Its modern counterpart turns out to have a more mundane origin.)

* BookEnds: [[spoiler:Near the beginning of Dr. Watson's stay on Dartmoor, Stapleton runs into the Grimpen Mire. Near the end, he does it again -- but unfortunately for him, his wife has removed some of the markers which allow him to do it safely.]]

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2002 movie adds several details. i.e, Dr. Mortimer is actually an old man and quite more serious than in the book, his wife is an ardent believer in the supernatural and hosts a party that ends up being ''very'' important, [[spoiler: Selden]] becomes an AscendedExtra, Frankland and Laura aren't included, not only [[spoiler: Stapleton murders Beryl]], but [[spoiler: his motives go much more by ItsPersonal than the huge Baskerville inheritance itself.]]

* ParanormalInvestigation: Subverted in that Holmes, though conceding the possibility of the Hound being a supernatural creature, deliberately excludes it from his considerations, on the grounds that if it is a such a entity, there's nothing he can do about it.

* AdaptationExpansion: The 2002 movie adds several details. i.e, Dr. Mortimer is actually an old man and quite more serious than in the book, his wife is an ardent believer in the supernatural and hosts a party that ends up being ''very'' important, [[spoiler: Selden]] becomes an AscendedExtra, Frankland and Laura aren't included, not only [[spoiler: Stapleton murders Beryl]], but [[spoiler: his motives go much more by ItsPersonal than the huge Baskerville inheritance itself.]]

* TheButlerDidIt: The butler is a major suspect, but turns out to be a RedHerring. [[spoiler: What he and the housekeeper ''did'' do was sheltering ''another'' killer.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister [[spoiler: Elisa Barrymore]]. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although Watson doesn't make the connection explicit, tells us something about [[spoiler: the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him, his much abused wife Beryl, seems positively glad to see him go.]]

* HighHeelFaceTurn: There is a female character involved with the villain who ends up helping the heroes. [[spoiler: It's actually subverted: Beryl (said woman) helps not just because of Henry's love, but as ''her revenge against the villain who treated her like shit for years'', which smacks of TheDogBitesBack. (Though in some adaptations she ''also'' loves Henry [[InLoveWithTheMark because he was kind to her]].)]]
* HoneyTrap: The villain forces a young woman named [[spoiler: Beryl Stapleton]] to act as one for Sir Henry.

''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' has been adapted and parodied many times, in nearly every possible medium.

The great detective is called on to investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, which his doctor attributes to a legendary family curse connected to an enormous spectral hound. For better or worse, Sir Charles's nephew Sir Henry is coming from the USA to claim his inheritance, and so Holmes and Watson have to team up to keep him safe from this supposeed "family curse"...

* MySisterisOffLimits: The naturalist Jack Stapleton is very protective of his beautiful younger sister Beryl. [[spoiler: In a cruel subversion, it's because she is ''his wife'' and he's forcing her to pose as his sister as a part of his HoneyTrap scheme.]]

* HighHeelFaceTurn: There is a female character involved with the villain who ends up helping the heroes. [[spoiler: it's actually subverted: Beryl (said woman) helps less because she loves Henry (though she certainly doesn't hate him and is worried for his sake) and much more as ''revenge against the villain who treated her like shit for years''.]]

The great detective is called on to investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, which his doctor attributes to a legendary family curse connected to an enormous spectral hound.

* BittersweetEnding: Holmes manages to save Henry Baskerville's life, but he is left a nervous wreck.
* BoundAndGagged: Beryl Stapleton, near the end.

* CutAndPasteNote: Sir Henry receives one warning him to stay away from Baskerville Hall. Holmes is able to identify the newspapers that had been chopped up, by the font, and the type of scissors used to do it.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister [[spoiler: Elisa Barrymore]]. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although Watson doesn't make the connection explicit, tells us something about the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him seems positively glad to see him go.

* HighHeelFaceTurn: There is a female character involved with the villain who ends up helping the heroes. [[spoiler: it's actually subverted: Beryl (said woman) helps less because she loves Henry (though she certainly doesn't hate him) and much more as ''revenge against the villain who treated her like shit for years''.]]
* HoneyTrap: The villain forces Beryl Stapleton to act as one for Sir Henry.
** He also used [[spoiler: Laura Lyons (the estranger daughter of GrumpyOldMan Frankland) as such. Laura was desperate after being abandoned by her JerkAss husband so he tricked her into writing a letter asking Sir Charles for help, which he'd use in the GFrightDeathTrap.]]

** Cranked UpToEleven in a film version, which starts with a policeman [[spoiler: who was pursuing Selden]] being swallowed by them.

* TroubleMagnetGambit: Happens by accident when the escaped convict Seldon is secretly given some old clothes of Sir Henry's. The Hound is set on the trail by the smell of Sir Henry's boot, and understandably mistakes Seldon for its real target because of the clothes' odor.

* TheButlerDidIt: The butler is a major suspect, but turns out to be a RedHerring.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The escaped SerialKiller Seldon is still loved by his sister. Upon seeing her completely heartbroken reaction after Seldon is accidentally killed by the Hound, Watson comments [[LampshadeHanging "Evil indeed is the man who has not one woman to mourn him."]] Which, although Watson doesn't make the connection explicit, tells us something about the villain of the novel, whose death at the end is mourned by nobody; the one woman who might have been expected to mourn him seems positively glad to see him go.

* HighHeelFaceTurn: There is a female character involved with the villain who ends up helping the heroes.

* QuicksandSucks: The Grimpen Mire

* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Sir Charles' wayward brother is said to have resembled a family portrait of Lord Hugo, a distant and also wayward ancestor, to an uncanny degree.