John Clayton is a character that appears in Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles. He is known for being a staple of the Baskerville family, as he connects to the original curse that haunts the Baskerville lineage.
In the story, John Clayton is primarily identified as the servant of Sir Charles Baskerville and later, Sir Henry Baskerville. His role emphasizes the themes of loyalty and the impact of the family’s dark history on the lives of those who serve them. As a close observer of the eerie occurrences surrounding the Baskerville estate, he provides crucial insights that help Holmes and Watson unravel the mystery.
The significance of John Clayton lies in his portrayal of the ordinary man caught in the web of extraordinary events, illustrating how the Baskerville legend affects not only the aristocrats but also those beneath them in the social hierarchy.