The Final Problem — Conan Doyle's contested attempt to end Sherlock Holmes

Synopsis

The story follows Holmes as he confronts a powerful criminal mastermind whose activities have begun to threaten the public order. After a series of maneuvers and escapes, Holmes pursues Moriarty to Switzerland, where the two men struggle near the Reichenbach Falls. In the account Watson believes both men have fallen to their deaths; the episode is presented as the final resolution of the conflict between detective and villain.

Characters and themes

The principal figures are Sherlock Holmes—often introduced in Conan Doyle’s prose as a consulting detective—and Professor Moriarty, described as an intellectual criminal of exceptional ability. The story explores themes of rivalry, sacrifice, and the moral costs of pursuing justice. It also frames Holmes and Moriarty as mirror images: both unusually gifted, but one using gifts for public service and the other for organized crime.

Publication, authorial intent and immediate reaction

Conan Doyle intended the episode as a terminal point for his detective, partly to devote time to other literary projects. The apparent death of Holmes, as related in the story, provoked strong public reaction and press commentary. Contemporary readers and periodicals expressed surprise and dismay at the loss of a popular character, and public demand contributed to Conan Doyle’s later decision to reveal that Holmes had survived.

Legacy, later developments and adaptations

The apparent death in the Reichenbach confrontation became one of the most discussed moments in detective fiction. The character of Holmes was subsequently revived in later stories, in which Conan Doyle explained how Holmes escaped. The episode has been adapted and referenced across stage, radio, film and television, and has influenced how authors portray fictional deaths and resurrections.

• Literary significance: a rare instance where an author deliberately attempted to end a popular series.
• Adaptations: stage plays and screen adaptations frequently recreate the Reichenbach encounter and its dramatic setting.
• Reception: the public outcry after publication illustrates early fandom and popular attachment to serial characters.

Notable distinctions and further reading

This story is singular among Conan Doyle’s work because it stages a direct, physical clash between Holmes and Moriarty, rather than leaving the antagonist as a shadowy background figure. For readers interested in how Conan Doyle later addressed Holmes’s fate, consult the subsequent tale in which Holmes’s continued existence is revealed. See also contemporary analyses that consider how the episode shaped detective fiction and popular serialization.

Key references and resources: the story itself is often studied as part of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes; further background and commentaries may be found in annotated editions and scholarly essays. For primary text and contextual notes, readers can begin with the original publication and modern critical selections that discuss the Reichenbach confrontation and its aftermath.

Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty remain central figures in discussions about the story, while the plot device of apparent finality is discussed under authorial intent and narrative closure. The theme of apparent death and later resurrection is a touchstone of popular reaction, summarized in references to the apparent death of a beloved fictional character.