What do Robert Downey Jr., Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, Fritz Weaver, Roger Moore, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daffy Duck have in common? Why, it’s elementary, my dear Watson! They all have portrayed Sherlock Holmes. Literary detectives launch an investigation of how varying portrayals of a character influence a drama. The approach detailed here could be used with a wide range of literature.  From Romeo and Juliet to The Great Gatsby, your sleuths will be engaged in the search for clues that reveal how who done it changes everything.

Concepts

characterization, characters, sherlock holmes, sir arthur conan doyle, romeo and juliet, william shakespeare

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Additional Tags

characterization, romeo and juliet, sherlock holmes, william shakespeare, literary characters, sir arthur canon doyle, english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Add scenes from Baz Luhrman's 1996 film to the list of adaptations to show

Pros

• The resource includes specific suggestions for using various adaptations of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet
• Groups are asked to present their own adaptations of key scenes from the play

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.7 RL.11-12.3 RL.11-12.5 RL.11-12.7