Sign of four - Characters

Sign of four

Characters

Dr. Watson is the narrator of the story and Sherlock Holmes’ loyal assistant. He is a doctor by profession and has a background as a surgeon in the British Army. Over the course of the novella, Watson falls in love with Miss Morstan, finally asking her to marry him. Watson aids Holmes throughout the story, though the major breakthroughs in the case are always the result of Holmes’ brilliant mind. Watson functions as a kind of counterpart to Holmes; the detective frequently uses him as a sounding board for his ideas, and in his inability to see problems as clearly as Holmes, Watson is representative of the general reader. That is, Watson is a kind of everyman figure of decent—but not Holmes’ level—intelligence. Watson is more emotional than Holmes and is frequently concerned for the latter’s wellbeing, especially when it comes to Holmes’ drug use. But Watson is in awe of Holmes’ abilities, which is why he decides to preserve them for posterity by writing them down. In his powers of observation about the more emotional side of life, Watson actually possesses something that Holmes lacks—an ability to understand people and the way that they feel.

Sherlock Holmes, the story’s protagonist, is the infamous detective and occupant of 221b Baker Street. He has a supreme, almost superhuman intelligence that allows him to solve difficult cases. This intelligence is based on his deeply held belief in the power of rationalism—essentially, any problem is solvable if looked at clearly and logically enough. Holmes’ mindset is distinctively Victorian, showing an affiliation with the ideas of Charles Darwin and encompassing certain elements of outdated pseudoscience that results in a discomforting belief in the superiority of white people over other races. Because of Holmes’ intellectual and deductive abilities, Miss Morstanasks him to help her solve the case of her missing father, Captain Morstan, which subsequently draws in the mystery of the Agra treasure too. Likewise, Athelney Jones, the Scotland Yard detective, is fully aware of Holmes’ abilities and relies upon him for help in his own work (though doesn’t always give Holmes the credit he deserves). Holmes, for his part, takes on cases for the thrill of it—not because he wants fame or fortune. This thrill-seeking also contributes to the darker side of Holmes’ character: his drug-taking. Holmes’ mind needs stimulation and, when he doesn’t have a case to work, he turns to cocaine, which greatly concerns his assistant, Dr. Watson. Ultimately, the entire novella functions at the pace of Holmes’ thoughts. When Holmes is stuck on an aspect of the case, the action slows to a halt; when he has a breakthrough, the action picks up again.

Miss Morstan comes to Sherlock Holmes to see if he can help her find out what happened to her father, Captain Morstan, who disappeared a few years previously. She has also been receiving a pearl once a year in the post and been told to go to London’s Lyceum Theater in the evening of the day she comes to see Holmes. She therefore acts as the catalyst for the entire story, providing Holmes with a much-needed problem to solve. She is generally portrayed as quite passive, but is also virtuous, especially in her apparent lack of concern about her share of the Agra treasure (she is more interested in knowing what has happened to her father). Over the course of the novella, Miss Morstan falls in love with Dr. John Watson; at the end, she agrees to marry him. She lives  Mrs. Forrester, serving as her governess. She is described as beautiful and is around twenty-seven years old.

Athelney Jones is the hapless detective from Scotland Yard, the official police agency. He is described as a fat and bumbling man and is in a position of high authority. He functions as a counter-example to Sherlock Holmes’ genius, frequently coming up with the wrong theories about the case and even arresting the wrong man (Thaddeus Sholto). Ultimately, Jones knows Holmes is superior to him in intellect and resorts to asking for help from the great detective. Jones is happy to take credit for Holmes’ work, though does also express his gratitude for the assistance.

Jonathan Small is the wooden-legged man who seeks vengeance on Major Sholto for the theft of the Agra treasure. He is one of “the four” original men who acquired the treasure. He has lived a tough life, having lost his leg to a crocodile while serving as a soldier in India for the British Army. While guarding the Agra fortress during the Indian Mutiny, Small was brought in on a plan to acquire the treasure with Abdullah Khan and Mahomet Singh, who were guards under his command (the fourth man, Dost Akbar, was the foster brother of Abdullah Khan). Small was sent to a penal colony on the Andaman Islands for his role in the killing of the merchant who had possession of the Agra treasure. On the islands, Small met Captain Morstan and Major Sholto, letting them in on the secret about the treasure in exchange for help with his escape. Sholto, however, double-crossed the others and fled to England with the treasure. Small managed to escape the Andaman Islands with his companion, Tonga, and searched for Sholto, eventually managing to recover the treasure from Pondicherry Lodge, the Sholto family home. His victory doesn’t last long, however, as Holmes soon catches up with him and brings about his imprisonment. Small scatters the jewels of the Agra treasure into the Thames to prevent anyone else from enjoying their riches.

Tonga is a native of the Andaman Islands who was aided by Jonathan Small when suffering from ill health. This made him feel a sense of loyalty towards Small, which explains why he accompanies him in attempting to recover the Agra treasure. Tonga’s portrayal in the book is extremely problematic: he is described as a savage “black cannibal,” painted more as an animal than a human being. He thus represents the deep racial prejudices of the Victorian era. Tonga uses poisonous blow darts as a weapon, killing Bartholomew Sholto with one and almost hitting Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson too. Tonga dies when Holmes and Watson shoot him during the boat chase. Notably, Tonga isz given no dialogue at all throughout the entire novella, again reflecting the racial prejudice that his character embodies.

Thaddeus Sholto is one of Major Sholto’s sons, brother to Bartholomew Sholto. He is an eccentric character with an anxious manner. Thaddeus is the one who decides to contact Miss Morstan, feeling that she has been treated unfairly and deserves her share of the Agra treasure (a view also expressed by Major Sholto on his deathbed). Thaddeus has been sending pearls each year to Miss Morstan and it is him who contacts her to try and reunite her with her share of the riches. According to Thaddeus, his brother would have preferred to cut out Miss Morstan altogether.

Thaddeus Sholto is one of Major Sholto’s sons, brother to Bartholomew Sholto. He is an eccentric character with an anxious manner. Thaddeus is the one who decides to contact Miss Morstan, feeling that she has been treated unfairly and deserves her share of the Agra treasure (a view also expressed by Major Sholto on his deathbed). Thaddeus has been sending pearls each year to Miss Morstan and it is him who contacts her to try and reunite her with ex share of the riches. According to Thaddeus, his brother would have preferred to cut out Miss Morstan altogether.

Bartholomew Sholto is one of Major Sholto’s sons and lives at the family home, Pondicherry Lodge. Thaddeus Sholto, Bartholomew’s brother, takes Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Miss Morstan to Bartholomew with the intention of dividing up the Agra treasure. It transpires, however, that Bartholomew has been killed by a poisonous blow dart. His face is locked in a frozen grimace when he is discovered. Bartholomew differs from Thaddeus in that he disagreed with his brother’s intentions to honor Miss Morstan’s share of the treasure—he would have preferred them to greedily keep it for themselves.

Captain Morstan was an officer in the British army who served in India. He is Mary Morstan’s father, and his unexplained disappearance is the catalyst for the novella’s plot. He was friends with Major Sholto and had agreed with him to facilitate Jonathan Small’s escape from the Andaman Islands penal colony—where he and Sholto were working—in exchange for a share of the Agra treasure. Sholto deceives him and takes the treasure for himself. According to Thaddeus Sholto—which in turn is according to Major Sholto—Captain Morstan died from a heart attack during an argument with Sholto. Sholto then hid his body to avoid suspicion and the detection of the treasure.

Major Sholto is the father of Bartholomew and Thaddeus Sholto and was a friend to Captain Morstan, with whom he served in India. Jonathan Small relates how he brought Sholto into the Agra treasure scheme, hoping to secure his release from the Andaman Islands penal colony where Sholto was an authority figure. Sholto, suffering from gambling debts, double-crossed Small and Captain Morstan and took the treasure for himself. On his deathbed, he had a slight change of heart and instructed his sons to share the treasure with Miss Morstan—but he died before revealing the treasure’s location after seeing the face of Jonathan Small at the window.

McMurdo is the doorman at Pondicherry Lodge, the Sholto family home. When Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Miss Morstan and Thaddeus Sholto arrive, he is unwilling to let anyone but Thaddeus into the house (under orders from Bartholomew Sholto). However, his attitude soon softens when Holmes realizes that the two have met before in an amateur boxing match.

Abdullah Khan is an Indian man and one of the signatories of “the sign of the four” and the man who told Jonathan Small about the Agra treasure. The plan to kill the merchant carrying the treasure was mostly Abdullah’s idea, but he was imprisoned for the murder before he could enjoy his riches.

Mrs. Forrester

Mrs. Forrester employs Miss Morstan as a governess, but the relationship between the two women is more like that of close friends than employer and employee. Dr. Watson visits her home to give the two women information about the case and remarks upon its sanctuary-like qualities.

Mordecai Smith

Mordecai Smith is the proprietor of the Aurora boat and is portrayed as a common, working-class man. He agrees to help Jonathan Small and Tonga escape but is apprehended when Sherlock Holmes and his entourage run the boat aground.

Mrs. Hudson

Mrs. Hudson is the landlady and housekeeper at 221b Baker Street, the famous London address of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. She shows concern for Holmes when he grows increasingly agitated at the irresolution of the case.

Mrs. Bernstone

Mrs. Bernstone is the housekeeper and Pondicherry Lodge, the family of the Sholtos. When Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Miss Morstan and Thaddeus Sholto go to Pondicherry Lodge, they encounter a distressed Mrs. Bernstone who is worried that Bartholomew Sholto has not been out of his room all day.

Mahomet Singh

Mahomet Singh is an Indian man and one of the signatories of “the sign of the four.” He colluded with Jonathan Small, Abdullah Khan and Dost Akbar to seize the Agra treasure.

Dost Akbar

Dost Akbar is an Indian man and one of the signatories of “the sign of the four.” He lures the merchant—the man who is carrying the Agra treasure—into the trap set by the other men.