Stapleton is considered a suspect in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles for several reasons that intertwine throughout the story. First and foremost, his mysterious demeanor and ambiguous background raise red flags for both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. He lives in an isolated area on the moors and has a strong interest in the legend of the Baskerville curse, which makes him an intriguing figure.
Additionally, Stapleton is revealed to have a close family connection to the Baskerville lineage, claiming to be a Baskerville himself. This puts him in a position where he could potentially benefit from the untimely death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the subsequent inheritance of the Baskerville estate. His motivations are further clouded by his peculiar behavior, including his treatment of his wife and his interactions with the protagonist, which often seem evasive.
His connection to the hound, a creature responsible for the grisly deaths linked to the Baskerville curse, intensifies suspicion. The fact that he trains the hound to terrorize the moor serves as a cover for his ulterior motives. Through these elements, Doyle crafts Stapleton as a compelling suspect, making the journey through the narrative both suspenseful and engaging. Ultimately, Stapleton’s intricate relationship with the Baskerville legacy and his nefarious actions paint him as a prime suspect, leading readers to question his true intentions until the very end.