SH+P5+2013+Robert+Louis+Stevenson’s+1885+tale+“Markheim”

=Aim- Ryne Redd= == In this short story, Robert Louis Stevenson devotes his writing to showcasing his conscience in regards to absolute moral destruction. This story presents an idea of human reinvention, which makes for an angelic ending in one's life. Stevenson's definite purpose was to, as stated by a respected scholar of St. Johns University in New York, "present not a short story as such, but a moral fable in the form of an exploration of his main character's mind" (Egan). Markheim, the main character in the short story, is certainly troubled in regards to he is as a human being. It is quite obvious that he is disgusted with his actions, as he will not even peer into a mirror to glance at himself. The explicitness of Stevenson’s point is directly presented through the actions of the main character. Human reinvention is touched upon when Markheim decides to not murder the servant, instead warning the servant of his faults and asking for immediate calling of the authorities. The darkness of Markheim's mind is changed by the presence of the supernatural being within the story, and his soul is attempting to be redeemed with assistance from this being.

Works Cited Egan, Joseph. "Markheim: A Drama of Moral Psychology." //JSTOR.// University of California Press: Digital Publishing, n.d. Web. 25 July 2013. Stevenson, Robert. "Short Stories: Markheim." //Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson.// n.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013. "Markheim." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 July 2013. Web. 26 July 2013.

=**Audience- Kyle Lorenz**= The short story “Markheim” written by Robert Louis Stephenson. In “Markheim” the audience was directed towards individuals who haven't found themselves in society. Wikipedia summarized that, “The dealer presents him with a mirror but Markheim takes fright at his own reflection, claiming that no man wants to see his own reflection”. The audience that the wr iter intended was that if one does something wrong, they will resent themselves. Markheim had a conscience from killing the master that at the end of the story, he turned himself in to the police. The secondary audience is a good versus evil approach, in the fact that his good conscience and his evil self fought a battle and in the end his good conscience turned himself in.

Works cited:

"Markheim." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 July 2013. Web. 26 July 2013.

"Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson." Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.

=**Cultural- Tyler Preston**= = = In the story “Markheim”, Robert Louis Stevenson writes about how the conscience of a man or woman determines the actions they take in life, and what side they take (Good or evil). The audience that he directs this short story to determines how his feelings are to people that are not sure about their life, and reject what they are. He tries to represent what both sides look like from his view, and displays it in “Markheim”. From a plot summary on Wikipedia, “If he has lost the love of good, he still hates evil” (Wikipedia). This influences the cultural aspect of it in that he displays both sides of good and evil, and what they represent. He tries to redeem himself by ultimately making the right decision, and choosing the “good” side, and saying that even if he is not good, he still hates evil and resents it. He proves this by telling the servant he has killed his master, and to go get the police. He has tried to wash away his sins, remove all of his bad decisions, and try to replace them with good. This convinces the modern reader that even if they have made bad decisions, they can still make the right ones, no matter their decisions in life.

Works Cited

"Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson." Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.

"Markheim." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 July 2013. Web. 26 July 2013.

=**Historical- Antonio Urquides**=



The author Robert Louis Stevenson wrote many stories that would make him famous. Robert was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1850. Robert died due to a stroke on December 3rd, 1894. Stevenson's first story had been “conjured a pirate adventure story”(Robert Louis Stevenson Biography 2). This would become the first insight to the first book //Treasure Island// which was Stevenson’s first famous story that he had written. After gaining popularity the Stevenson continued to write more stories including the short story “Markheim” and “Jekyl and Hyde”. Stevenson didn’t just write “Markheim” but it is said “Stevenson likely read Dostoyevsky's ‘Crime and Punishment’ which affected him and the plot is similar to the work of Dostoyesky”(Markheim). This statement is saying that Stevenson got the idea to write this short story after reading another story. The idea of the story is to show how much someone’s conscience can affect themselves.

Works Cited: "Robert Louis Stevenson Biography." Bio. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013. "Robert Louis Stevenson." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 25 July 2013. Web. 26 July 2013. "Markheim." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 July 2013. Web. 26 July 2013. "Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson." Short Stories: Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.