STAGE
4
The Hound of the
Baskervilles
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Introduction
This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only
and should not be given to students.
The story
Dr Mortimer visits Sherlock Holmes and Doctor
Watson and tells them about Sir Hugo Baskerville,
who was killed by an enormous black hound one
night on the moors in Devon in 1640. His descendant
Charles Baskerville died recently, apparently because
of his weak heart, but Dr Mortimer found the prints of
Background to the story
a huge hound nearby.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was born
Next morning Dr Mortimer returns with Sir Henry
in Edinburgh and studied medicine at Edinburgh
Baskerville, who is now head of the family. Sir
University. In 1897, while practising as a doctor in
Henry has received a note warning him not to go to
the south of England, he produced his first book, A
Baskerville Hall, so Watson arranges to accompany
Study in Scarlet. This introduced to the world his great
him there.
creation, the super-observant, eccentric and gifted
In the nearby village of Grimpen, Watson meets
detective Sherlock Holmes, along with his friend and
Stapleton, a naturalist who knows the dangerous
companion, the good-natured if naïve Doctor Watson,
Grimpen Marsh well. Stapleton’s beautiful sister
and his arch enemy, the scheming villain Professor
mistakes Watson for Sir Henry and secretly warns
Moriarty. The book was a great success, and Holmes
him to leave. Later, Sir Henry falls in love with her. One
became hugely popular. He remains so to this day; a
night Sir Henry and Watson see the butler signalling
hundred years after his creation, tourists still come in
with a light to someone on the moor – it is his wife’s
thousands to 221B Baker Street in London, Holmes’s
brother, an escaped convict. Watson and Sir Henry
well-known address.
hunt for the convict, but he escapes, and they hear a
The books did much to popularize detective stories,
frightening howl.
and The Hound of the Baskervilles has remained
Watson learns that when Sir Charles died he was
one of the most celebrated of the Holmes stories.
waiting to meet a lady called Laura Lyons. Holmes
With its eerie setting, the ghastly beast of the title,
arrives and reveals that Laura Lyons hopes to marry
the complicated plot and the rich seam of romantic
Stapleton, unaware that his ‘sister’ is actually his wife.
entanglement and deception, it has something for
Suddenly they hear the awful howl again. They find a
everyone. The Hound of the Baskervilles has also
man’s dead body on the ground, but it is the body of
been produced in the form of films and radio plays.
the escaped prisoner.
Holmes and Watson pretend to leave, but that
Before reading
night they wait outside the Stapletons’ house, where
Here are some ways to help your students approach
Sir Henry is visiting. When Sir Henry begins to walk
the story:
home, a huge black dog appears and runs after him,
1
but Holmes and Watson shoot it. Stapleton flees to an
Give students the title of the book and show them
the picture on the cover. Ask them to try and guess
island in the marsh, but in the fog he loses his way
what kind of story it is.
and disappears.
2
Stapleton, they discover, was in fact Sir Henry’s
Give students a copy of the text on the back
cousin. With both Sir Charles and Sir Henry dead, he
cover of the book, and of the story introduction
would inherit the fortune. But his elaborate and wicked
on the first page. When they have read the texts,
plan did not succeed.
ask them a few questions about the story, or use
the Before Reading Activities in the back of each
Bookworm.
63
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Hound of the Baskervilles
STAGE
4
Pre-reading activity
Anticipation through chapter titles
The Hound of the
Baskervilles
The Case Begins
The Baskerville Papers
How Sir Charles Died
The Problem
Sir Henry Baskerville
The Escaped Prisoner
The Letter
Laura Lyons
r
The Man on the Moo
Too Late
Death on the Moor
The Trap
More Mystery
The Search for
the Murderer
Baskerville Hall
The Stapletons
of Pen House
Looking Back
To the teacher
Aim: To anticipate plot, speculate about clues
come up with an idea of a plot line, but this is not
and details
essential. If they find it difficult to start, give them a
Time: 15–20 minutes
few questions to consider, e.g.:
Organization: Supply the students with the following
Chapter 1: What does ‘case’ tell you about the book?
list of chapter titles, either as individual copies or on
What kind of story is it?
an overhead projector. Check to make sure that there
Chapter 3: How did Sir Charles die? Why is it
are no problems with vocabulary items in the list.
important?
Then divide the students into small groups and ask
Chapter 5: Who is Sir Henry Baskerville? Is he related
them to speculate as widely as they can about the
to Sir Charles? If so, how?
meaning of the chapter titles, their connection with
When students have finished, allow each group to
one another, and their connection with the title. It is
outline its ideas in a short verbal report to the class.
not important whether their guesses are correct or
Give no indication as to whether they have guessed
not; they should simply be encouraged to speculate
correctly, but let them listen to all the ideas and
about possible connections. They may be able to
discuss them if they wish.
PHOTOCOPIABLE
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
64
STAGE
4
The Hound of the Baskervilles
While reading activity
Quiz
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
The head of the Baskerville family in 1640.
Mortimer said the dog’s footprints were _____________ .
The city where the story begins.
The moor gate was closed and ___________ .
The Alley has two ________ of yew trees.
The gate was the only ____________ from the Alley to the moor.
Sir Henry has been living in this country.
The dead girl was the daughter of Sir Hugo’s ________________ .
Dr Mortimer came from this county.
____
________
______
______
______
_______
___
_________
__________
People say the hound is a supernatural creature – a _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _.
To the teacher
Where: At the end of Chapter 4
first letters to the answers will give the word that
Aim: To check comprehension of facts and ideas
completes the sentence below the puzzle.
Time: 10–15 minutes
Once all the students have finished, you may like to
Organization: Divide the students into pairs and
quickly check the answers together. Later, students
give each pair a copy of the prepared acrostic.
can work either individually or in pairs to produce an
(More able students may wish to tackle the puzzle
acrostic puzzle for a different section of the book.
individually, possibly comparing answers with another
This could be done in class or as homework.
student later.) Tell them that the answers to all the
Key: 1 Hugo; 2 enormous; 3 London; 4 locked;
questions can be found in the first four chapters of
5 hedges; 6 opening; 7 USA; 8 neighbour;
the book. When they have completed the puzzle, the
9 Devonshire; Answer: hell-hound.
65
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE
STAGE
4
The Hound of the Baskervilles
After reading activity
Ten years on
Ten years have passed since the events described in the book. Imagine you are a journalist
writing an article about what has happened to the various characters now. Where do they
live now, and what jobs are they doing? Are they still in contact with any of the other
characters? Have they changed in any way since the story ended?
Mrs Stapleton
Laura Lyons
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Sir Henry
Dr Mortimer
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To the teacher
Aim: To revise and reassess character and plot
ability of the students involved will influence the
through imaginative extension of plot
teacher’s choice.
Time: 20–30 minutes (longer if wished)
Depending on time, ability and inclination, students
Organization: The story ends where the author
may present their conclusions simply as an oral
decides to end it, but we may imagine that the
report, a letter from one character to another, a
characters continue their lives afterwards. This
newspaper report, or in any other form that appeals
activity may occupy part of a lesson or continue as
to them. When the work is presented or shown
homework; it may be done by individuals, pairs or
to the class, students may like the opportunity to
groups, and it may lead to an oral report or a written
discuss, challenge or comment on one another’s
summary. The amount of time available and the
conclusions.
PHOTOCOPIABLE
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
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