Welcome to Robert Louis Stevenson's World of Shadows!

Hey there, future literary expert! This chapter dives deep into the unsettling world of Robert Louis Stevenson, focusing on four crucial texts: the iconic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and three fascinating short stories. This section is all about Elements of Crime and Mystery.

Why is this important? You are learning how authors use crime not just for suspense, but to explore deep questions about society, morality, and the human mind. Stevenson is a master of creating suspense, guilt, and the terrifying journey from order to chaos, and back again (sometimes).

Don't worry if the Victorian setting seems complicated; we’ll break down how Stevenson uses foggy London streets and dark motives to keep us guessing!


Unit 3 Focus: RLS and the Anatomy of Transgression

The entire focus of this unit is on transgressions against established order—whether national, social, religious, or moral laws. Stevenson, writing at the end of the Victorian era (a time often called the fin de siècle), was obsessed with what happens when these laws are broken.

Key Elements of Crime and Mystery in Stevenson’s Work

  • The Sense of Mystery: The use of fragmented narratives (like letters or wills) to delay information and build suspense, forcing the reader (and the investigator) to actively unravel the truth.
  • Settings: The creation of backdrops for criminal action. Foggy, gas-lit London often mirrors the hidden immorality of the characters.
  • Guilt and Remorse: The internal psychological suffering of the criminal (especially in Markheim and Jekyll).
  • Moral Purpose and Resolution: Does order always return? Stevenson often suggests that punishment comes from within, through self-destruction, rather than external justice.

1. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886): The Ultimate Mystery

This novella is the cornerstone of Stevenson’s crime writing, exploring the idea that the greatest criminal mystery lies within the self.

1.1 The Nature of the Crime and Criminal

The central concept here is Duality. Dr. Henry Jekyll attempts the ultimate transgression: breaking the natural and moral law by separating his good and evil selves. The resulting criminal, Hyde, is pure, unmotivated depravity.

Jekyll’s Motive: Not money or power, but the desire to relieve himself of the burden of respectability and reputation. He wants to sin without consequence.

Hyde’s Crimes:

  • Trampling the girl: An act of senseless violence, showing immediate moral bankruptcy.
  • The Murder of Sir Danvers Carew: This is the climax of Hyde’s savagery. It is described with shocking brutality (the "storm of blows") and introduces a formal investigation.

Did you know? The brutal murder of Carew is essential for the structure of the text—it moves the story from quiet speculation (mystery) into open criminal investigation (detection).

1.2 Detectives and Investigation

The primary detective is Mr. Utterson, the lawyer. He is driven by professional duty and personal concern for Jekyll.

  • Utterson represents the slow, methodical Victorian approach to detection, contrasted sharply with the chaotic, inexplicable nature of Hyde’s crimes.
  • The mystery is unravelled through documentation (Wills, Letters, Confessions), rather than traditional clues like fingerprints. This emphasizes that the truth is psychological and moral, not physical.

1.3 Guilt, Remorse, and Resolution

The syllabus asks about guilt and remorse. Jekyll experiences immense guilt only after Hyde commits the Carew murder, realizing his experiment is out of control. His final act is a confession—the ultimate act of taking responsibility.

Punishment and Justice:

  • The justice system (the police) never catches Hyde.
  • Instead, punishment is internal: Hyde’s self-destruction via the poison (Jekyll choosing to eliminate the evil, even at the cost of his own life).
  • The restoration of order is achieved through the death of both personalities, suggesting that the ultimate transgression requires the ultimate sacrifice.

Quick Review: Jekyll/Hyde

Mnemonic: Think of the 4 D's of Jekyll and Hyde Crime:
1. Duality (The core concept)
2. Depravity (Hyde’s motive)
3. Detection (Utterson’s process)
4. Destruction (The final punishment)


2. The Body Snatcher (1884): Crime, Medicine, and Retribution

This macabre short story explores a different type of transgression: crime motivated by necessity and enabled by professional immorality.

2.1 The Crime and Setting

The Crime: Body Snatching or Grave Robbing. This was a necessary but illegal practice in 19th-century medicine, as surgeons needed cadavers for anatomy lessons (a direct conflict between scientific progress and moral law).

The Criminals: Fettes and Macfarlane, medical students/assistants who use the poor and vulnerable as victims. Their crime is based on a practical, cold-blooded decision to violate the dead.

Setting Significance: The story is set largely in Edinburgh, renowned for its medical school. The setting emphasizes the dark underbelly of seemingly respectable institutions. The actions occur under the cover of darkness, symbolizing the secrecy of their transgression.

2.2 Guilt and The Supernatural Resolution

Unlike Jekyll, Fettes and Macfarlane carry their guilt for years, leading to isolation and paranoia. The tension builds through the use of suspense as their dark secret threatens to be revealed.

The Final Retribution: The climax involves the terrible discovery inside the sack meant for the dissection room.

  • After digging up a fresh corpse, they realize the victim is Gray, the man Macfarlane murdered years ago.
  • When they open the sack later, the body has mystically transformed into the body of the poor woman they had seen earlier. This powerful ending suggests that the crime is so heinous that supernatural or psychological retribution must step in where the law fails.

This ending serves as Stevenson’s commentary on justice: sometimes, the true victim is reasserted as a horrifying reminder to the perpetrators.


3. Markheim (1885): The Internal Contest of Power

This is a psychological thriller focused entirely on the immediate aftermath of a terrible crime, making it perfect for studying guilt and confession.

3.1 The Nature of the Criminal and Motive

The Crime: Markheim murders the elderly antique dealer during an attempted robbery. This is a crime driven by poverty, desperation, and perhaps weak morality.

The Central Crisis: The story takes place almost entirely within the dealer’s home as Markheim grapples with his internal struggle. He is not trying to escape; he is struggling with his soul.

3.2 The Figure of the ‘Caller’ and Moral Purpose

The core of the mystery here is philosophical: Is Markheim inherently good or evil? This is externalized by the appearance of a mysterious visitor—the Caller (often interpreted as the Devil or Markheim's corrupted conscience).

  • The Caller argues for continuing the crime (stealing the money, covering up the murder), emphasizing Markheim's capacity for evil.
  • This contest of power leads Markheim to a profound moment of insight and discovery (like the tragic hero’s journey). He realizes that true evil is the acceptance of his own corruption.

Resolution through Confession: In a massive psychological shift, Markheim chooses redemption over escape. When the blind housekeeper returns, he stops her from warning the police and freely confesses.

The moral purpose is clear: True justice is achieved not through capture, but through the criminal’s realization of his moral failings and the acceptance of punishment. Markheim embraces the legal system as a means to cleanse his guilt.


4. A Lodging for the Night (1877): The Anti-Hero and Social Transgression

This is the least conventional crime story of the set, focusing less on detection and more on the criminal as a comment on society.

4.1 Setting the Scene and the Criminal

Setting: Paris in 1456. This historical setting moves the focus away from Victorian morality and allows Stevenson to explore universal themes of poverty and criminality.

The Criminal: François Villon, a real historical figure who was a brilliant poet but also a known thief and possibly a murderer. He is the ultimate anti-hero—charismatic but deeply transgressive.

The Crime: The story opens immediately after a brawl that results in a murder and subsequent robbery. Villon then seeks refuge.

4.2 Transgression and Social Commentary

This story is a great example of how crime writing is used to comment on society:

  • Villon is highly intelligent and educated, yet he lives a life of poverty and crime. This challenges the Victorian notion that criminals are inherently ignorant or morally weak.
  • During his conversation with the old lord, Villon argues that his life of crime is a direct consequence of the social system that locks him out of respectable society. He suggests poverty is the real crime committed by society against him.

Lack of Resolution: Unlike Jekyll or Markheim, Villon does not confess, nor is he punished by the text. He simply escapes into the night. This lack of traditional resolution leaves the reader with a complex social question: How much is the individual responsible for crime if society forces them into it?


Study Summary: Key Crime Motifs Across All Texts

To analyze these texts for your exam, always link the specific actions back to the broader Unit 3 themes.

Motif/Element Jekyll & Hyde The Body Snatcher Markheim A Lodging for the Night
Nature of Crime Moral/Scientific Transgression Violating the Dead (Commercial) Murder/Robbery (Desperate) Theft/Murder (Socially forced)
Setting’s Role Foggy London: hiding urban depravity. Medical community: corruption hidden by respectability. Antique shop: intimate setting for psychological horror. Cold 15th-century Paris: backdrop for societal failure.
Resolution & Justice Self-destruction/Internal punishment. Supernatural/Guilt-driven retribution. Confession and voluntary acceptance of legal punishment. Escape; moral questions left open for audience.

Key Takeaway: Stevenson’s genius lies in shifting the "who did it" mystery to the "why did they do it, and what will they do about it?" mystery. He emphasizes that the worst crimes are often committed by those who appear most respectable.