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Kidnapped is an adventure novel written by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. First published in 1886, this classic work is known for its thrilling narrative, vivid characters, and its portrayal of the political and social turbulence in 18th-century Scotland.
The story is set in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising of 1745, a historical conflict between supporters of the Stuart monarchy and the British government. The novel follows the journey of David Balfour, a young and initially naive protagonist who is cheated by his uncle and then kidnapped. He finds himself on a tumultuous adventure that takes him across the Highlands and introduces him to a cast of memorable characters, including the enigmatic Alan Breck Stewart.
Kidnapped explores themes of loyalty, justice, and identity as David Balfour navigates the complex political landscape of the time. The novel vividly portrays the rugged Scottish landscape and the harsh realities faced by its people.
Stevenson's storytelling prowess and his ability to create rich and multifaceted characters make Kidnapped a beloved work of historical adventure fiction. It is a tale of survival, friendship, and the search for justice, set against the backdrop of a fascinating period in Scottish history.
Keywords: Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped, adventure, Jacobite Rising, 18th-century Scotland, Highlands, loyalty, justice, identity. -
Robert Louis Stevenson's fascination with the mid-18th Century Jacobite rebellion in Scotland led to the production of his classic Kidnapped, along with its later sequel, Catriona. The Master of Ballantrae-written only a couple years after Kidnapped-shares the same evocative historical setting.
The story revolves around the fractious relationship of the two sons of the Lord of Durrisdeer: the elder and duplicitous James, and Henry, the stolid younger brother. Split apart on opposing sides in the Jacobite rising of 1745, it appears that James has met his death on the battlefield of Culloden, while Henry not only wins as a bride the love of James's life but looks set to inherit the title and the estate. James, however, proves both more hardy and more sinister than he appears, and the stage is set for anguish and tragedy.
The narrator of the story is the loyal steward to the estate, Ephraim Mackellar, who employs the documentary evidence of other characters to relate events. Along with Stevenson's preface offering an account of how he (putatively) came across the tale, the narration becomes pleasingly complex: who is telling the story, and how far can their account be trusted? Meanwhile, this tale of adventure, passion, and revenge carries its own timeless appeal, giving rise to several adaptations for radio, screen, and stage. -
El abogado Mr. Utterson era un hombre de semblante adusto, jamas iluminado por una sonrisa; frio, parco y vergonzoso en la conversación; remiso en sentimientos; enjuto, alto, taciturno, aburrido, y sin embargo adorable, en alguna medida. En las reuniones de amigos, y cuando el vino era de su agrado, irradiaba de sus ojos algo eminentemente humano; algo que, a decir verdad, jamas salia a relucir en su conversación, pero que expresaba no sólo con aquellos gestos silenciosos de su cara después de la cena, sino mas a menudo y llamativamente en su vida cotidiana. Era austero consigo mismo; bebia ginebra cuando estaba solo, para mortificar su afición por los vinos anejos; y aunque le encantaba el teatro, hacia ya veinte anos que no cruzaba las puertas de ninguno. En cambio mostraba una acreditada tolerancia en su trato con los demas; unas veces asombrandose, casi con envidia, de la gran tensión animica que implicaban sus delitos; y en cualquier situación extrema era mas propenso a prestar ayuda que a reprender. «Me inclino por la herejia de Cain -solia decir pintorescamente-: dejo que mi hermano se vaya al diablo por su propio pie». Con este caracter, a menudo tuvo la suerte de ser el último conocido de confianza y la última influencia bienhechora en las vidas de hombres venidos a menos. Y mientras éstos siguieron acudiendo a sus aposentos, jamas les mostró el mas leve cambio de actitud.
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The wrong box : A Humorous Tale of Intrigue, Misunderstanding and a Misplaced Fortune.
Robert Louis Stevenson
- Culturea
- 26 Juin 2023
- 9791041818181
The Wrong Box is a comic novel co-written by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, known for classics such as Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and his stepson Lloyd Osbourne. This uproarious tale of a misguided inheritance offers a refreshing contrast to Stevenson's more famous adventure and horror tales.
Set in Victorian England, the story unfolds around a long-standing investment scheme known as a 'tontine', where the last surviving member of a group is entitled to the entire fund. Two estranged brothers find themselves as the last remaining survivors, leading to a flurry of deception, mistaken identity, and a farcical pursuit of a misplaced fortune.
Stevenson and Osbourne ingeniously weave a web of eccentric characters and unlikely circumstances, resulting in numerous comic misadventures. The novel offers wry observations of human nature and social conventions, all presented through the authors' characteristic wit and narrative flair.
The Wrong Box is an entertaining romp of confusion and comedy, showcasing a lesser-known side of Stevenson's literary talent. It promises laughter and amusement at every turn, making it a must-read for fans of classic literature with a humorous twist.
Keywords: Robert Louis Stevenson, The Wrong Box, Lloyd Osbourne, comic novel, Victorian England, tontine, mistaken identity, farcical pursuit, fortune, eccentric characters, human nature, social conventions, wit, narrative flair, comedy, classic literature, comic novel, Victorian comedy, inheritance misadventures, classic humor, Treasure Island, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, literary classics, Scottish authors, mistaken identity, human nature, Victorian social conventions, eccentric characters, Stevenson's humorous works. -
Treasure Island : An adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
- Culturea
- 2 Mai 2022
- 9782382743751
The plot is set in the mid-18th century, where an old sailor named Billy Bones starts to lodge at the rural Admiral Benbow Inn on England's Bristol Channel. He tells the innkeeper's son, Jim Hawkins, to keep a lookout for a one-legged seafaring man. A former shipmate named Black Dog confronts Bones and they get into a fight, causing Black Dog to flee. A blind beggar named Pew then visits the inn, delivering a summons to Bones called the black spot. Shortly thereafter, Bones suffers a stroke and dies. Pew and his accomplices attack the inn, but are routed by excise officers, and Pew is trampled to death. Jim and his mother escape with a mysterious packet from Bones' sea chest, which is found to contain a map of an island on which the infamous pirate Captain Flint hid his treasure. Jim shows the map to the local physician Dr. Livesey and the squire John Trelawney, and they decide to make an expedition to the island, with Jim serving as a cabin boy.
They set sail on Trelawney's schooner, the Hispaniola, under Captain Smollett and Jim forms a strong bond with the ship's one-legged cook, Long John Silver. The crew suffers tragedy when first mate Mr. Arrow, a drunkard, is washed overboard during a storm. While hidden in an apple-barrel, Jim overhears a conversation among the Hispaniola's crew which reveals that many of them are pirates who had served on Captain Flint's ship, the Walrus, with Silver leading them. They plan to mutiny after the salvage of the treasure, and to murder the captain and the few remaining loyal crew... -
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes revealed Robert Louis Stevenson's romantic temperament and his interest in picturesque history, people, and places during his 12-day, 200-kilometre (120 mi) solo hiking journey through the sparsely populated and impoverished areas of the Cévennes mountains in south-central France.
