Robert Louis Stevenson - Cody Jones

[6OPUC]

The 1800's were a time when literature seemed to be advancing at a fast pace, especially in Europe. many authors in that area were publishing great works that quickened the pace each time they were relieased. One of these authors is Robert louis Stevenson. His influence is greatly due to his wide travels and unique characterization. In regard to this, Stevenson's travels and love for adventure produced characters that have influenced authors of his time and many beyond.

Stevenson was born on November 13, 1850, in Edinburgh, Scotland (Kiely, p.281). His father was a civil engineer, who constructed lighthouses. For a time, it seemed as though Stevenson was going to follow in his father's footsteps, attending Edinburgh University and learning his father's trade, but he was encouraged by his friends to begin writing (Kiely). Throughout his career, he traveled around the world, which influenced his chomplex characters. He settled in Samoa where he died on December 3, 1894 of a cerebral hemmorrhage (DISCovering Authors).

Stevenson provided a number of contributions, influenced in part by his travels. A major contribution, more specifically, was his ability to create complex characters and rich environments for the charaters' personalities to grow and develop (DISCovering Authors). This was quite new to his peers in writing during his time, and his influence is quite noticable today. For example, one may often find The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde quoted in newspaper articles. A 1934 film starring Fredrich March based directly on the novel provides visual effects to the classic story (Microsoft Encarta). In 1963, a comical twist was filmed starring Jerry Lewis. In 1996, this film, "The Nutty Professor," was remade, starring Eddie Murphy (Microsoft Encarta).

One may take notice that the places Stevenson traveled may have impacted his writings when examining the settings of his works. His poor health forced him to move south every few months (DISCovering Authors). His novels An Inland Voyage and Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes document his travels through France. Across the Plains, with other Memories and Essays, The Amateur Emigrant, and Silverado Squatters all tell about his adventures in America (DISCovering Authors). He and his family made their way to the South Pacific in 1888. Having visited there before, this area may have been part of the influence for Treasure Island. In 1890, he settled in Samoa and lived there until his death (DISCovering Authors).

Two examples of Stevenson's works that show a good comparison between his great novels and those that weren't appriciated as much or as as widely as others are The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Kidnapped!. Jekyll and Hyde seemed to be an instandt best seller and brought him great recognintion, selling 40,000 copies within the first six months of publication (DISCovering Authors). Kidnapped!, on the other hand, did not bring as much success, but did sell quite well at first. His popularity sharply dropped soon after his death, because his critics claimed he imitated other styles and authors, but rose again in the 1980's (Daiches, internet).

Stevenson was influenced by his adventures, and he wrote adventures that influenced many people throughout the years. People today still admire his novels, quote his poetry, and read his works to their children. Beyond the grave, Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson must be smiling.