Prince Otto
by Robert Louis Stevenson
On This Page
Description
A fast-moving tale of passion and politics. In Prince Otto, first published in serial form in 1885, Stevenson uses his genius for adventure and romance to explore some decidedly grown-up themes. The tiny German state of Gru?newald seems to be a principality of the world of fairy-tale. But its ruler is beset in public by the forces of modern politics, and troubled in private by an unhappy marriage. Ill-prepared to deal with either, Otto is forced to choose between them. Key Features: * This show more first fully edited edition of the novel will provoke readers to think again about the scope and purpose of Stevenson's brilliant story-telling * Explores the most modern of themes, the moral compromises required by marriage: a romance in which the marriage of the hero and the heroine is not the happy conclusion of the plot, but the problem that the plot has to resolve * A fascinating text for what it tells us about Stevenson's goals and aspirations at this crucial stage of his career, and about the changing nature of the novel in English at the end of the nineteenth-century. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
After reading Stevenson's Treasure Island, Prince Otto is a startling change of pace. From adventure and pirates and sailing and treasure in the Caribbean--to political intrigue and romance in Germany.
The book, as I understand it, was not well-received in its time, and to be fair, I can see why. It did not fit the culture of the age, with its romantic optimism and vague opposition to monarchy, but it is still an enjoyable read--provided you like dialogue and romance. It was certainly far more pleasant than other romances I have perused lately.
The characters are written well and consistently, although it seemed Stevenson was adding a new name or title to some characters every chapter. (It helped once I realized that some titles were show more simply the German counterparts to titles he had already used in English.) The romance between Otto and Seraphina is... complicated, to be trite, but not unbelievable. Otto, apart from a brief (and destructive) moment of monarchic ire, is dedicated entirely to serving and pleasing the wife he always knew he had disappointed. Seraphina, meanwhile, is so focused on ruling the princedom that she sacrifices her personal life in frustration with Otto's political shortcomings; yet in the end, she realizes whither her manipulations brought her and remembers her love for Otto.
I was delighted to read allusions to Scripture several times in each chapter. They were often poignant and effective, especially if you know the context, and they spiced up a book which would otherwise have been rather dreary.
The book does have a happy ending, so if you're opposed to that, I suspect you should avoid it. If, on the other hand, a romance is only good when it all works out in the end, this is a fine choice. Not Stevenson's best work, of course, but thoroughly pleasant. show less
The book, as I understand it, was not well-received in its time, and to be fair, I can see why. It did not fit the culture of the age, with its romantic optimism and vague opposition to monarchy, but it is still an enjoyable read--provided you like dialogue and romance. It was certainly far more pleasant than other romances I have perused lately.
The characters are written well and consistently, although it seemed Stevenson was adding a new name or title to some characters every chapter. (It helped once I realized that some titles were show more simply the German counterparts to titles he had already used in English.) The romance between Otto and Seraphina is... complicated, to be trite, but not unbelievable. Otto, apart from a brief (and destructive) moment of monarchic ire, is dedicated entirely to serving and pleasing the wife he always knew he had disappointed. Seraphina, meanwhile, is so focused on ruling the princedom that she sacrifices her personal life in frustration with Otto's political shortcomings; yet in the end, she realizes whither her manipulations brought her and remembers her love for Otto.
I was delighted to read allusions to Scripture several times in each chapter. They were often poignant and effective, especially if you know the context, and they spiced up a book which would otherwise have been rather dreary.
The book does have a happy ending, so if you're opposed to that, I suspect you should avoid it. If, on the other hand, a romance is only good when it all works out in the end, this is a fine choice. Not Stevenson's best work, of course, but thoroughly pleasant. show less
A quaint little story. Not Treasure Island for sure. It still has its digs and enough voice to make it a good story.
A do-nothing young Prince of a mythical German country finds that his realm is in danger from his wife and plotting underlings. He loses self-respect, but not his love for his wife. Stevenson's second book. Very different in tone from Treasure Island, and critical of royal realms.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
CCE 1000 Good Books List
1,033 works; 12 members
Author Information
2,802+ Works 139,512 Members
Novelist, poet, and essayist Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. A sickly child, Stevenson was an invalid for part of his childhood and remained in ill health throughout his life. He began studying engineering at Edinburgh University but soon switched to law. His true inclination, however, was for writing. For several years show more after completing his studies, Stevenson traveled on the Continent, gathering ideas for his writing. His Inland Voyage (1878) and Travels with a Donkey (1878) describe some of his experiences there. A variety of essays and short stories followed, most of which were published in magazines. It was with the publication of Treasure Island in 1883, however, that Stevenson achieved wide recognition and fame. This was followed by his most successful adventure story, Kidnapped, which appeared in 1886. With stories such as Treasure Island and Kidnapped, Stevenson revived Daniel Defoe's novel of romantic adventure, adding to it psychological analysis. While these stories and others, such as David Balfour and The Master of Ballantrae (1889), are stories of adventure, they are at the same time fine studies of character. The Master of Ballantrae, in particular, is a study of evil character, and this study is taken even further in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886). In 1887 Stevenson and his wife, Fanny, went to the United States, first to the health spas of Saranac Lake, New York, and then on to the West Coast. From there they set out for the South Seas in 1889. Except for one trip to Sidney, Australia, Stevenson spent the remainder of his life on the island of Samoa with his devoted wife and stepson. While there he wrote The Wrecker (1892), Island Nights Entertainments (1893), and Catriona (1893), a sequel to Kidnapped. He also worked on St. Ives and The Weir of Hermiston, which many consider to be his masterpiece. He died suddenly of apoplexy, leaving both of these works unfinished. Both were published posthumously; St. Ives was completed by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, and The Weir of Hermiston was published unfinished. Stevenson was buried on Samoa, an island he had come to love very much. Although Stevenson's novels are perhaps more accomplished, his short stories are also vivid and memorable. All show his power of invention, his command of the macabre and the eerie, and the psychological depth of his characterization. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Prince Otto
- Original publication date
- 1885
- People/Characters
- Prince Otto
- Important places
- Grunewald
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 220
- Popularity
- 148,348
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (2.78)
- Languages
- 7 — Danish, English, Estonian, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 70
- ASINs
- 23
