Robert Louis Stevenson Biography

Robert Louis Stevenson, full name, Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (Born: November 13, 1850, Edinburgh Scotland — Died: December 3, 1894, Valimia Samoa) was a Scottish poet, essayist, and author of fiction and travel books. His work was well known for his novels including The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, The Treasure Island, and the Master of Ballantrae. 

Robert Louis' father, Thomas Stevenson, was a renowned lighthouse Engineer in Edinburg, Scotland. Thomas Stevenson married Marget Balfour and they were blessed with Robert Bert Louis Balfour Stevenson on November 13, 1850. His name was later changed to Robert Louis Stevenson. Read on to get more information about Robert Louis Stevenson Biography, Early life, Early work, and Adventures.

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Who is Robert Louis Stevenson?

Robert Louis Stevenson (13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894), was a 19th - century Scottish essayist, poet, novelist, and travel writer. Born and Educated in Edinburg, Robert was the only child to his parents. Throughout his childhood, he was troubled with frequent fevers and breathing problems and had a full-time nurse to take care of him named Alison Cunningham, “Cummy”. Prone to Illness, Stevenson spent much of his winter lying in bed. The only thing which entertained him the most is his great passion for reading, especially Sir Walter Scott, John Bunyan, William Shakespeare, and The Arabian Nights. Over 30 years later, Stevenson dedicated A Child's Garden of Verses (1885) to her nurse affectionately named “Cummy”. The shady and ailing nature of his childhood is composed in this book through poems like “The Land of Counterpane.”

About Robert Louis Stevenson Early Life

R.L.Stevenson was the only child to his parents Thomas Stevenson, and his wife Margaret Isabella Balfour. He first attended school at the age of six but was not able to enjoy his school life much as he often missed going to school due to his illness and had a private tutor. At the age of seventeen, he joined the University of Edinburgh to study engineering like his father. But, he soon realized that he had no interest in Engineering, so his father persuaded him to become a lawyer.

Even though Stevenson was suffering from his illness, he travelled throughout the world and wrote about Adventure.

Robert Louis Stevenson Early Work

Robert Louis Stevenson is not only best known for his remarkable work during his 21-year career but also for the range of options he had adopted including essays, novels, short stories, travel writing, poetry, blogs, and biography.  As it is known that Stevenson is both an amateur musician and composer. He also played pennywhistle, piano, and the Boehm flageolet, and wrote or arranged music for these and other instruments. 

At the age of 21, he openly declared his intention of becoming a writer, against the strong opposition of his father. In 1875 Stevenson joined the Scottish bar, an organization for lawyers to appease his father. During this period, Stevenson was more involved in improving his writing skills by following the styles of renowned authors William Hazlitt and Daniel Defoe, and many others. 

Before and after the completion of his law degree, Stevenson's several essays were published in different periodicals. As a constant rover, his two books An Inland Voyage and Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes published in 1878 and 1879, are based on his excursions in France. During most of his journey, he searched for climates that would lead to his poor health.

Robert Stevenson Popularity and Adventure

Looking for an adventure to inspire his writing skills, Stevenson landed on a canoe trip from Antwerp, Belgium, to northern France with his friend, Walter Simpson. This journey eventually inspired his work An Inland Voyage. 

In September 1876, Stevenson visited grez-sur-loing, outside Paris, to meet with his cousin Robert “Bob” Alan Mowbray Stevenson. During this journey, she unexpectedly met American woman Fanny Osbourne and her two children. At that time. Stevenson was 25, and Fanny was 36. Despite knowing this age difference, Louis fell and Fanny married in 1880. 

Both Stevenson and his wife stayed in an abandoned mining camp in America, later reported as The Silverado Squatters (1883). After a year, Stevenson came back to Scotland. But the climate there deteriorated his health, and for the next four years, he and his wife spent their life in Switzerland and the south of France. Despite his illness, these years proved to be productive. Stevenson's writings were beautifully narrated in some of his collections including The New Arabian Nights, published in 1883, and The Merry Men, published in 1887.

Stevenson Journey to the Pacific Ocean

During the period between the 1880s to 1887, Stevenson was looking for a place perfect for his health. During summers, he prefers to stay in Scotland and England whereas during winters he departs to France, living at Davos-Platz and the Chalet de Solitude at Hyeres, where for a time being, he almost enjoyed complete happiness. During his remarkable career, he produced the bulk of his renowned work including Treasure Island, his first bestselling book; Kidnapped; The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde, the story which made him popular and two volumes of verse, A Child's Garden of Verses and Underwoods.

After his father died in 1887, Stevenson followed the suggestions given by his physician to try a complete change of climate. He set off to Colorado with his family; but after landing in New York, they decided to spend the winter at Saranac Lake, in the Adirondacks. During the intensely cold winter, Stevenson wrote a number of his best essays, including Pulvis et Umbra, The Master of Ballantrae, and cheerfully planned, for the coming summer, a cruise to the southern Pacific Ocean. 

This was the best and thrilling moment of his life. In June 1888, Stevenson leased the yacht Casco and set sail with his family from San Francisco. The salt sea air and thrill of adventure deteriorated his health; and for nearly three years he travelled along the eastern and central Pacific, visiting important island groups, stopping for extended stays at the Hawaiian Islands, where he met King David Kalakaua, with whom Stevenson spent much time. 

Stevenson also met the king's niece, Princess Victoria Kaiulani, also of Scottish heritage. Stevenson also spent some of his days at the Gilbert Islands, the Samoan Islands, and Tahiti. During this period, Stevenson completed The Master of Ballantrae, composed two ballads based on the legends of the islanders, and wrote The Bottle Imp. Stevenson's experiences of these years are observed in his various letters and in The South Seas.

Robert Louis Stevenson Awards

Although Stevenson's writing was highly inspired, he did not win major awards during his life. Stevenson was nominated for the Hugo award for best dramatic presentation for "The Body Snatcher".