Abstract
This paper analyzes Robert Stevenson's short story (Markheim) by probing into the symbolic meaning of objects and sounds in the background of a murder scene. Different from most short stories by other writers, who tend to express the theme by creating sophisticated characters and constructing complicated plot, this story lays unusual stress on the background and endows it with symbolic significance and textual prominence. The symbolic contrast between brightness and darkness at the place of the murder and the symbolic contrast between silence and sounds in the surroundings of the scene can be interpreted as the conflict between good and evil in Markheim's mind after he murdered the shop keeper and thus committed a sin. The symbolic depiction of the background helps to build up the psychological tension within the murderer and contributes to the manifestation of the theme: the struggle between good and evil and the conquest of good over evil. Symbolism in background depiction is shown by this paper to be an effective literary technique for revealing the theme and is thus worth drawing on even by contemporary writers.
Highlights
Robert Louis Stevenson, famous for his novel “Treasure Island”, is known as a master of suspense, adept at creating an atmosphere of horror and mystery
Symbolism is the chief means used by Robert Stevenson when he wrote this story
His unusual emphasis on the symbolic depiction of the background greatly contributes to the theme of the story, while character and plot were made subordinate to the background
Summary
Robert Louis Stevenson, famous for his novel “Treasure Island”, is known as a master of suspense, adept at creating an atmosphere of horror and mystery. In addition to his well-known novels, Robert Stevenson has written a number of impressive short stories. Markheim is an excellent piece among them, a murder story in an atmosphere of horror, which is characteristic of most of Stevenson’s works. Different from most short stories by other writers, who usually express the theme of the story by creating sophisticated characters or inventing intricate plot, this story by Robert Stevenson has only one main character and very simple plot: Markheim, who murdered a shop keeper (the curios dealer) on a Christmas Day in order to rob the treasure
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