Biography: Robert Louis Stephenson (1850-94)

Robert Louis Stephenson
Figure 1.--Robert Louis Stevenson was a noted Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. Here we see the great writer and his family taken in Samoa (Vailima, on the island of Upolu) with the local servants (1892). Notice Lloyd's striped school blazer.

Robert Lewis/Louis (Balfour) Stephenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland (1850). His crative career was shortened by ill health. He had noted accomplishmentts as a novelist, poet, and travel writer. He contracted tuberculosis as a child. His family was noted for constructing famous lighthouses. A lighthouse was of grear importance before modern navigaional methods and radio communication. He at first worked as a lighthouse designer, but then turned to the law, although he never actually worked as a lawyer. He lived in Bourmouth, England where he wrote some of his famous stories. He finally moved to Samoa for his health and for a time lived on and operated a plantation. Of course during all this he wrote his great works. His first great success was Treasure Island which he wrote in 1882. He had returned to Scotland from the South Pacific. He made friends with a school boy who enjoyed drawing. Stephenson to amuse his friend drew an island and then he explains the shape of the island "took my fancy beyond expression". Treasure Island is perhaps his best known book. In it Jim Hawkins battles pirates. His next book was Kidnapped in which another boy character, David Balfour, attempts to gain his rightful inheritance from a wicked uncle. David is Scottish so he perhaps should be on a list of Scottish chracters. Stephenson is of course also remembered for his wonderful poems in A Child's Garden of Versus. He married Fanny Osbourne, an American, who was a great support to both him and his work.

Parents

His family was noted for constructing lighthouses, some of them becoming notable landmarks. A lighthouse was of great importance before modern navigaional methods and radio communication had been developed. His parents were staunchly religious middle-class Presbeterians, Thomas and Margaret Isabella Balfour Stevenson.

Childhood

Robert was was born in Edinburgh (1850). He was not a healthy boy and had a variety of medical problems, most notably he contracted tuberculosis as a child. A nursemaid was ebgaged to care for him-Alison Cunningham. She was called Cummy within the family and helped care for Robert through much of his childhood. She was an invenerate story teller and her stories captured Robert's imagination. Cummy's stories were on the dark side. Her stories included accounts of the Covenanters (Scots Presbyterian martyrs). She also read extensively to Robert. The fare she selected was Victorian penny-serial novels, Bible stories, and the Psalms. She acidulously drilled the catechism into the boy. His parents approved, especially the religious element. His father also enjoyed telling stories. Robert was not healthy, but he was precocious. From an early age he was exponding on serious issues like church dogma. He was a dutiful son as a boy.

Education

Robert attended Edinburgh Academy. A Scottish academy isather like a European college, a private school offering a combined primary and secondary education. He then entered Edinburgh University, planning to follow the family tradition of lighthouse building. Hewas, however, not physically equipped for such a career. He thus turned to rhe study of law, but even while at university his interests tuened ton literary pursuits. His studies were interupted by bouts of illness. Robert only began to question religiou and his parents uncompromising middle-class values after entering Edinburgh University.

Health

Illness affected his studies as a boy. The family had money to afford trips to the south of France. The health problems would persist as an adult. Eventually he would head to Samoa in the South Pacific. These travels besides offering respite from his illnesses would over time buld up a treasure trove of experienses from whichb he could draw for his story telling. An early example was "Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes" (1879). Another example was when travels in Belgium and France on canoe led to "An Inland Voyage" (1878). Much later his time in Samoa led to "In the South Seas" (1893).

Careers

He at first worked as a lighthouse designer, but then turned to the law, although he never actually worked as a lawyer. He lived in Bourmouth, England where he wrote some of his famous stories.

Family

While on one of his many trips south to the inviting warnmer climate of France, Stevenson met an American artist-- Fanny Osbourne (1840-1914). She was in France without her husband, but with her son Lloyd and daughter Isobel. Stephenson had loved stories since his childhood when Cummy and his father would recount wonderful, often historical tales. He had become quite a story teller himself. Lloyd and Isobel in the days before televisiion and the movies were captivated by the wonderful adventure tales Stephenson with his engaging personality told. Not only were the children captivated, but Fanny and Robert fell in love. The affair with a married woman caused problems with his morally strict parents. The children were dazzled by Stevenson's outgoing personality and pirate stories, and Louis and Fanny fell in love and they married. Fanny would prove to be a great support to both him and his work.

New York


Samoa

He finally moved to Samoa for his health and for a time lived on and operated a plantation.

Body of Work

Stephenson had noted accomplishmentts as a novelist, poet, and travel writer. Heis probably the best known Scottish novelist and important poet. His crative career was shortened by ill health which he had experiebnced since boyhood. While he died a still young man, he left a marvelous literary legacy. My favorite is Treasure Island. His first great success was Treasure Island which he wrote in 1882. He had returned to Scotland from the South Pacific. He made friends with a school boy who enjoyed drawing. Stephenson to amuse his friend drew an island and then he explains the shape of the island "took my fancy beyond expression". Treasure Island is perhaps his best known book. In it Jim Hawkins battles pirates. His next book was Kidnapped in which another boy character, David Balfour, attempts to gain his rightful inheritance from a wicked uncle. David is Scottish so he perhaps should be on a list of Scottish chracters. Stephenson is of course also remembered for his wonderful poems in A Child's Garden of Versus.










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Created: 2:19 PM 8/12/2011
Last updated: 2:19 PM 8/12/2011