THE MISTY WORLDS OF ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Abstract: Arthur Conan Doyle’s interest in spiritualism and all kind of natural mysteries of the material world is well known. The paper aims to trace how the writer’s devotion was reflected in his works of fiction. Conan Doyle tried to depict ghosts and spirits in many of his writings, basing the images on his own experience, evidences of other people and, obviously, imagination. The paper traces how the genre form can influence the imagery. It is shown that Doyle demonstrated different approaches in his writings concerning the supernatural phenomena. The close interlacing of the Gothic elements with pragmatic scientific approach of the author form strong artistic effect. His mystical stories of the 1890-1910s leave place for the reader's imagination even when they give rational explanation of the strangeevents and thus they can be defined as typically neo-romantic in their origin. The naturalistic description of paranormal phenomena in The Land of Mist aimed to prove their reality makes the miracles look fake and ridiculous. Doyle’s attempt to use the form of the adventure novel and familiar popular characters to show his readership the importance and beauty of Spiritualism failed. The novel turned into a manifesto of spiritualism.Keywords: English literature, Arthur Conan Doyle, short stories, The Land of Mist, Spiritualism, spirits,Victorian Gothic