Who created the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes?

The iconic detective Sherlock Holmes was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a British author and physician whose works laid the foundation for modern detective fiction. First appearing in "A Study in Scarlet" in 1887, Holmes became a symbol of the genre due to his extraordinary powers of observation, logical reasoning, and use of forensic science. Doyle’s portrayal of Holmes, along with his loyal companion Dr. John Watson, has had a lasting influence on both literature and popular culture, inspiring countless adaptations and interpretations of the detective character.

The other authors mentioned—Rudyard Kipling, Oscar Wilde, and George Bernard Shaw—are noted for their contributions to different genres of literature, such as poetry, drama, and social commentary, but they did not create the Sherlock Holmes character. Their distinct literary styles and themes highlight the diverse landscape of British literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it was Doyle who established the detective narrative and made the character of Holmes a legendary figure in literary history.