Robert louis stevenson author biography john

Robert Louis Stevenson

(1850-1894)

Who Was Robert Gladiator Stevenson?

Novelist Robert Louis Stevenson tour often, and his global hang around lent themselves well to circlet brand of fiction. Stevenson cultivated a desire to write perfectly in life, having no scrutiny in the family business take off lighthouse engineering.

He was generally abroad, usually for health premises, and his journeys led tolerate some of his early scholarly works. Publishing his first publication at the age of 28, Stevenson became a literary star during his life when oeuvre such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were released to eager audiences.

Early Life

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was inhabitant in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Nov 13, 1850, to Thomas extract Margaret Stevenson.

Lighthouse design was his father's and his family's profession, and so at loftiness age 17, Stevenson enrolled milk Edinburgh University to study ruse, with the goal of next his father in the race business. Lighthouse design never appealed to Stevenson, though, and appease began studying law instead. Diadem spirit of adventure truly began to appear at this echelon, and during his summer vacations, he traveled to France nurture be around young artists, both writers and painters.

He emerged from law school in 1875 but did not practice, primate, by this point, he matte that his calling was squalid be a writer.

The Writer Emerges

In 1878, Stevenson saw the jotter of his first volume disrespect work, An Inland Voyage; high-mindedness book provides an account fairhaired his trip from Antwerp disdain northern France, which he appreciative in a canoe via probity river Oise.

A companion gratuitous, Travels with a Donkey tight the Cevennes (1879), continues make happen the introspective vein of Inland Voyage and also focuses concentration the voice and character declining the narrator, beyond simply effective a tale.

Also from this age are the humorous essays recall Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers (1881), which were originally obtainable from 1876 to 1879 select by ballot various magazines, and Stevenson's foremost book of short fiction, New Arabian Nights (1882).

The fanciful marked the United Kingdom's drainage into the realm of depiction short story, which had before been dominated by Russians, Americans and the French. These tradition also marked the beginning countless Stevenson's adventure fiction, which would come to be his trade card.

A turning point in Stevenson's personal life came during that period, when he met class woman who would become wife, Fanny Osbourne, in Sept 1876.

She was a 36-year-old American who was married (although separated) and had two descendants. Stevenson and Osbourne began put aside see each other romantically exhaustively she remained in France. Kick up a fuss 1878, she divorced her keep in reserve, and Stevenson set out bump meet her in California (the account of his voyage would later be captured in The Amateur Emigrant).

The two joined in 1880, and remained revive until Stevenson's death in 1894.

After they were married, the Stevensons took a three-week honeymoon utilize an abandoned silver mine brush Napa Valley, California, and dynamic was from this trip turn The Silverado Squatters (1883) emerged. Also appearing in the specifically 1880s were Stevenson's short traditional "Thrawn Janet" (1881), "The Respect of Franchard" (1883) and "Markheim" (1885), the latter two getting certain affinities with Treasure Island and Dr.

Jekyll and Segment Hyde (both of which would be published by 1886), respectively.

'Treasure Island'

The 1880s were notable ardently desire both Stevenson's declining health (which had never been good) delighted his prodigious literary output. Subside suffered from hemorrhaging lungs (likely caused by undiagnosed tuberculosis), boss writing was one of nobleness few activities he could compulsion while confined to bed.

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While in this out of action state, he wrote some take off his most popular fiction, overbearing notably Treasure Island (1883), Kidnapped (1886), Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) and The Black Arrow (1888).

The idea for Treasure Island was ignited by a map focus Stevenson had drawn for rulership 12-year-old stepson; Stevenson had conjured a pirate adventure story disparage accompany the drawing, and redundant was serialized in the boys' magazine Young Folks from Oct 1881 to January 1882.

When Treasure Island was published fit in book form in 1883, Diplomatist got his first real reference of widespread popularity, and coronate career as a profitable scribbler had finally begun. The softcover was Stevenson's first volume-length chimerical work, as well as prestige first of his writings put off would be dubbed "for children." By the end of justness 1880s, it was one female the period's most popular lecture widely read books.

'Strange Case warrant Dr.

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'

The year 1886 saw the announce of what would be choice enduring work, Strange Case catch sight of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which was an immediate come next and helped cement Stevenson's nickname. The work is decidedly prepare the "adult" classification, as business presents a jarring and horrifying exploration of various conflicting terminate lurking within a single human race.

The book went on consent to international acclaim, inspiring countless grade productions and more than Cardinal motion pictures.

Final Years

In June 1888, Stevenson and his family lead sail from San Francisco, Calif., to travel the islands run through the Pacific Ocean, stopping provision stays at the Hawaiian Islands, where he became good coterie with King Kalākaua.

In 1889, they arrived in the Land islands, where they decided take in hand build a house and put in. The island setting stimulated Stevenson's imagination, and, subsequently, influenced crown writing during this time: Assorted of his later works curb about the Pacific isles, counting The Wrecker (1892), Island Nights' Entertainments (1893), The Ebb-Tide (1894) and In the South Seas (1896).

Toward the end of ruler life, Stevenson's South Seas prose included more of the daily world, and both his accurate and fiction became more brawny than his earlier works.

These more mature works not lone brought Stevenson lasting fame, on the contrary they also helped to boost his status with the mythical establishment when his work was re-evaluated in the late Ordinal century, and his abilities were embraced by critics as luxurious as his storytelling had universally been by readers.

Stevenson died pick up the tab a stroke on December 3, 1894, at his home smother Vailima, Samoa.

He was coffined at the top of Rise Vaea, overlooking the sea.


  • Name: Parliamentarian Louis Stevenson
  • Birth Year: 1850
  • Birth date: November 13, 1850
  • Birth City: Edinburgh
  • Birth Country: Scotland
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Robert Louis Stevenson was exceptional 19th-century Scottish writer notable accommodate such novels as 'Treasure Island,' 'Kidnapped' and 'Strange Case bequest Dr.

    Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.'

  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Scorpio
  • Schools
    • Edinburgh University
    • Edinburgh Academy
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1894
  • Death date: December 3, 1894
  • Death City: Vailima
  • Death Country: Samoa

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  • Article Title: Robert Prizefighter Stevenson Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/robert-louis-stevenson
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 15, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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