The age of Sherlock Holmes is a bit of a mystery, just like many aspects of his life. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the famous detective, never explicitly stated Holmes's exact age, we can glean some insights from the stories themselves.
Clues from the Stories
- "A Scandal in Bohemia" (1891): This story mentions Holmes as being "a man of forty," which would place him around 1851.
- "The Adventure of the Empty House" (1903): In this story, Holmes is described as having "grown older, thinner, and paler" since his supposed death. This suggests that he was already middle-aged at the time of his "death" in "The Final Problem" (1893).
- "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane" (1926): This story, written by Doyle after a long hiatus from Holmes, places the detective at the age of 60.
The "Canon"
The "Canon" refers to the collection of 56 short stories and four novels featuring Sherlock Holmes that were written by Conan Doyle. While the exact dates of these stories vary, they generally span from the late 1880s to the early 1900s.
Conclusion
Based on these clues, we can estimate that Sherlock Holmes was born sometime around 1851, making him in his late 30s to early 40s during the majority of the stories. However, his exact age remains a mystery, adding to the intrigue of the character.
