foil: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

Engraving of Sherlock Holmes standing and holding a pipe while explaining his deductions to Dr. Watson, who is seated beside a table.

See All Images →

Topics

character narrator protagonist antagonist Zombie femme fatale Diagnosing 9 of Charles Dickens’s Most Famous Characters Was Santa Claus a Real Person?Today in History—February 7: The Most Unlikely Leading Man Today in History—August 9: Betty’s First Boop Who Is Hanukkah Harry?