Robert Louis Stevenson (born 13 November 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland; died 3 December 1894 in Vailima, Samoa) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet, and travel writer whose works have become enduring classics of English literature.
Early Life
Stevenson was born into a prominent family of lighthouse engineers. Although his father expected him to follow the family profession, Stevenson’s fragile health and literary inclination led him down a different path. Sickly from childhood due to chronic lung disease—likely tuberculosis—he spent much of his youth in and out of illness, developing a fascination with storytelling, imagination, and the world beyond Scotland.
He studied engineering briefly, then law, but ultimately decided to pursue writing full time, despite initial resistance from his family.
Personal Life
In 1876, Stevenson met Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne, an American divorcee ten years his senior, while traveling in France. He later journeyed across the Atlantic and the American frontier to reunite with her—an arduous trip given his poor health. They married in 1880.
Stevenson and Fanny traveled widely, seeking climates better suited to his lungs. Their journeys took them through Europe, the United States, and eventually the South Pacific. In 1890, they settled in Samoa, where Stevenson—known locally as Tusitala (“teller of tales”)—became deeply involved in local community life and politics.
Stevenson died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 44 and was buried on Mount Vaea in Samoa. His grave bears the epitaph from his own poem Requiem.
Major Works
Robert Louis Stevenson was remarkably versatile, writing across many genres: adventure fiction, horror, children’s literature, poetry, essays, and travel writing. His most notable works include:
Novels
- Treasure Island (1883) – The quintessential pirate adventure story.
- Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) – A gothic novella exploring dual identity and moral conflict.
- Kidnapped (1886) – A historical adventure set in Scotland.
- The Black Arrow (1888) – A tale of the Wars of the Roses.
- The Master of Ballantrae (1889) – A dark, complex historical novel about two brothers in conflict.
- Catriona (1893) – The sequel to Kidnapped.
Short Stories and Collections
- New Arabian Nights (1882)
- The Bottle Imp (1891)
- Island Nights’ Entertainments (1893)
Poetry
- A Child’s Garden of Verses (1885) – A collection of poems for and about childhood, still widely loved.
Travel Writing
- Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879)
- The Silverado Squatters (1883)
- In the South Seas (posthumously published, 1896)
Legacy
Stevenson’s influence on adventure storytelling, psychological horror, and children’s literature is immense. His clean, vivid prose and imaginative flair have inspired generations of readers and writers. Despite lifelong illness, he produced an astonishingly broad and influential body of work in just a few decades.