A Sense of Dark Places: The Gothic Representation of the Scottish Natural Environment in Fiction by Robert Louis Stevenson

This thesis examines the Gothic representation and symbolic function of the Scottish natural environment in two works by Robert Louis Stevenson: the short story “The Merry Men” (1882), and the adventure novel Kidnapped (1886). The Gothic aesthetics in Stevenson’s writings – such as the notion of the sublime, the personification of nature, and the past versus the present – highlight the themes that the author expresses through his description of the Scottish landscape and seascape. By analysing the depiction of the Scottish natural environment in “The Merry Men” and Kidnapped, and by comparing these images with the aesthetics characteristic of the Gothic genre, I will demonstrate that the Scottish natural environment is not only Gothic in description, but also symbolises the themes and motifs of the narratives involved, such as heritage, memory and identity. Moreover, in the two narratives, the idea of Scotland as a nation as well as its specific physical environment becomes dark and...Show moreThis thesis examines the Gothic representation and symbolic function of the Scottish natural environment in two works by Robert Louis Stevenson: the short story “The Merry Men” (1882), and the adventure novel Kidnapped (1886). The Gothic aesthetics in Stevenson’s writings – such as the notion of the sublime, the personification of nature, and the past versus the present – highlight the themes that the author expresses through his description of the Scottish landscape and seascape. By analysing the depiction of the Scottish natural environment in “The Merry Men” and Kidnapped, and by comparing these images with the aesthetics characteristic of the Gothic genre, I will demonstrate that the Scottish natural environment is not only Gothic in description, but also symbolises the themes and motifs of the narratives involved, such as heritage, memory and identity. Moreover, in the two narratives, the idea of Scotland as a nation as well as its specific physical environment becomes dark and mysterious, affecting both the characters’ and the readers’ sense of place. Since one’s sense of place is closely connected to one’s state of mind, this thesis also critically explores the extent to which the Scottish landscape and seascape influence the state of mind of the protagonists.Show less

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A Sense of Dark Places: The Gothic Representation of the Scottish Natural Environment in Fiction by Robert Louis Stevenson