Mycroft Holmes Fictional character of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Country: Great Britain

Biography of Mycroft Holmes

Mycroft Holmes is the older brother of the renowned detective Sherlock Holmes. He is a fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and possesses deductive abilities even greater than his younger brother. However, Mycroft lacks the inclination to physically verify the correctness of his conclusions, making him unable to work as a detective.

In the story "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter," Sherlock describes his brother as surpassing him in observation and the use of deductive reasoning. If detective work only involved thinking in a comfortable armchair, Mycroft would be the greatest crime solver in the world. However, he lacks ambition and energy. Mycroft would never take an extra step to verify his own conclusions and would rather be considered wrong than make the effort to prove himself right.

Initially, Sherlock explains to Dr. Watson that Mycroft works as an accountant for certain government departments, but it later becomes clear that his true role is much more significant. Although Arthur Conan Doyle leaves questions about Mycroft's exact position in the British government, Sherlock Holmes refers to his brother as "the most indispensable man in the country." Mycroft serves as a sort of human computer, with an exceptional brain capable of storing an immense amount of facts.

Sherlock continues to unveil the extraordinary nature of Mycroft and his occupation in the story "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans." Mycroft's brain is described as a powerful organ where everything is neatly organized and can be retrieved at any moment. His expertise lies in knowing everything. Ministers seeking information on the naval fleet, India, Canada, or bimetallism can gather the necessary facts from relevant departments, but only Mycroft can immediately shed light on them and establish their interconnection. He has become the central figure, receiving reports from all departments and serving as the hub where the overall balance is assessed.

Mycroft appears or is mentioned in four of Doyle's stories: "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter," "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," "The Final Problem," and "The Empty House." He is primarily a "sitting problem solver," rarely working under intense pressure. It seems that Mycroft reaches conclusions by ignoring the presented evidence. He relies on his brother for the practical aspects of the cases.

However, Mycroft's flaws sometimes overshadow his deductive talents. In "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter," his illiterate approach to a case nearly costs a client their life. Mycroft and Sherlock share some similarities as brothers, but in this particular story, Mycroft is described as "stout and hearty." In "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," Mycroft's physical appearance is portrayed as a representation of immense potential physical strength, with a massive body dominated by a head with an exceptional forehead and deep-set steel-colored eyes.

Mycroft spends most of his time at the Diogenes Club, where he is one of the co-founders. According to Doyle's collection of stories, "His Last Bow," Sherlock was born in 1854, and Mycroft, being seven years older, was born in 1847.

Mycroft has appeared in radio adaptations, movies, TV series, computer games, and comics. In the popular BBC series "Sherlock" that first aired in 2010, Mycroft was portrayed by Mark Gatiss, who also contributed to the script of this highly acclaimed multi-episode hit. In this modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, the brothers have a smoldering animosity towards each other. Dr. Watson describes their behavior as "sibling rivalry," while Mycroft directly refers to it as "childish enmity."

In the series "Elementary" from 2012, Rhys Ifans portrayed Sherlock's brother. In the Russian series "Sherlock Holmes" from 2013, Igor Petrenko played the role of Mycroft (and Sherlock). In the plot, Mycroft is portrayed as Sherlock's twin brother, serving the queen.