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Excerpt

Excerpt from Prayers Written At Vailima, and A Lowden Sabbath Morn, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Sometimes a passing band of hostile warriors, with blackened faces,
would peer in at us through the open windows, and often we were forced
to pause until the strangely savage, monotonous noise of the native
drums had ceased; but no Samoan, nor, I trust, white person,
changed his reverent attitude. Once, I remember a look of surprised
dismay crossing the countenance of Tusitala when my son, contrary to
his usual custom of reading the next chapter following that of
yesterday, turned back the leaves of his Bible to find a chapter
fiercely denunciatory, and only too applicable to the foreign dictators
of distracted Samoa. On another occasion the chief himself brought the
service to a sudden check. He had just learned of the treacherous
conduct of one in whom he had every reason to trust. That evening the
prayer seemed unusually short and formal. As the singing stopped he
arose abruptly and left the room. I hastened after him, fearing some
sudden illness. ‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘It is this,’ was the
reply; ‘I am not yet fit to say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us.”’

It is with natural reluctance that I touch upon the last prayer of my
husband’s life. Many have supposed that he showed, in the wording of
this prayer, that he had some premonition of his approaching death.
I am sure he had no such premonition. It was I who told the assembled
family that I felt an impending disaster approaching nearer and nearer.
Any Scot will understand that my statement was received seriously. It
could not be, we thought, that danger threatened any one within the
house; but Mr. Graham Balfour, my husband’s cousin, very near and
dear to us, was away on a perilous cruise. Our fears followed the
various vessels, more or less unseaworthy, in which he was making
his way from island to island to the atoll where the exiled king,
Mataafa, was at that time imprisoned. In my husband’s last prayer,
the night before his death, he asked that we should be given strength
to bear the loss of this dear friend, should such a sorrow befall us.

CONTENTS

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Prayers Written at Vailima and A Lowden Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson**

This excerpt is from a collection of reflections and prayers written by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) during his final years in Samoa, where he lived at his estate, Vailima. The text is narrated by Fanny Stevenson, his wife, who recounts moments of religious devotion, cultural tension, and personal tragedy in their household. The passage blends autobiographical reflection, colonial critique, and spiritual struggle, offering insight into Stevenson’s life in the Pacific, his relationship with Samoan culture, and the emotional weight of his final days.

Context of the Source

Stevenson in Samoa
- After years of ill health, Stevenson settled in Samoa in 1890, seeking a climate better suited to his tuberculosis.
- He became deeply involved in Samoan politics, advocating for indigenous rights against German and American colonial interference.
- The Stevenses’ household at Vailima was a mix of European and Samoan influences, with Stevenson earning the name "Tusitala" ("Teller of Tales") from the locals.
Religious and Cultural Tensions
- Stevenson was not conventionally religious, but he participated in family prayers, reflecting his Scottish Presbyterian upbringing.
- The excerpt highlights clashes between Christian morality and Samoan customs, as well as the hypocrisy of colonial "civilizing" missions.
Historical Background
- Samoa was politically unstable due to foreign powers (Germany, Britain, USA) manipulating local chiefs.
- Mataafa, a Samoan chief and rival to the German-backed king, was exiled—Stevenson supported him, leading to tensions with colonial authorities.

Themes in the Excerpt

Faith and Hypocrisy
- The passage contrasts genuine devotion with performative piety, especially in the chief’s refusal to recite the Lord’s Prayer when he cannot sincerely forgive.
- Stevenson’s son selecting a "fiercely denunciatory" Bible passage critiques colonial rulers who claimed moral superiority while exploiting Samoa.
Colonialism and Resistance
- The "hostile warriors with blackened faces" and "native drums" symbolize Samoan resistance against foreign domination.
- The foreign dictators mentioned are likely German and American officials who imposed their rule under the guise of "civilization."
Mortality and Premonition
- Fanny’s Scottish superstition ("impending disaster") contrasts with Stevenson’s lack of premonition about his death.
- His final prayer, though not prophetic, reveals his fear for his cousin’s safety—a poignant irony since Stevenson himself died the next day (December 3, 1894).
Cultural Exchange and Misunderstanding
- The chief’s struggle with forgiveness shows how Christian teachings clash with Samoan values (e.g., fa’a Samoa, where honor and vengeance play key roles).
- The disrupted prayer service reflects the instability of life in colonial Samoa, where political betrayals were common.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Analysis

Juxtaposition & Contrast
- "Reverent attitude" vs. "savage, monotonous noise of the native drums" → Highlights the tension between European order and Samoan tradition.
- The chief’s abrupt exit during prayer contrasts with the formality of the service, emphasizing authentic emotion over ritual.
Symbolism
- Blackened faces of warriors → Represents Samoan defiance against colonial rule.
- The Bible passage "fiercely denunciatory" → Symbolizes Stevenson’s own critiques of imperialism.
- The unfinished Lord’s Prayer → A metaphor for moral inconsistency in both Samoans and colonizers.
Dramatic Irony
- Stevenson prays for strength to bear his cousin’s potential death, but he himself dies the next day—a tragic twist.
- Fanny’s superstitious dread is fulfilled, but not in the way she expects.
First-Person Narration (Fanny’s Perspective)
- Her Scottish cultural lens ("Any Scot will understand") adds folkloric weight to her premonition.
- Her intimate, conversational tone makes the account feel personal and immediate.
Fragmented Structure
- The excerpt moves between vignettes (the interrupted prayer, the chief’s exit, the final prayer), mirroring the unstable, disrupted life in Samoa.

Significance of the Passage

Stevenson’s Legacy in Samoa
- The text humanizes Stevenson, showing him as both an outsider and a participant in Samoan life.
- His sympathy for Samoan autonomy contrasts with many colonial writers who portrayed indigenous people as "savages."
Critique of Colonialism
- The "foreign dictators" and the chief’s betrayal reflect Stevenson’s political engagements—he wrote letters protesting colonial abuses.
- The disrupted prayer symbolizes how colonialism corrupted both native and European moral frameworks.
Spiritual and Existential Reflection
- The chief’s inability to forgive raises questions about the limits of Christian morality in a colonized world.
- Stevenson’s final prayer—though not about himself—becomes prophetic in hindsight, adding a tragic dimension to his death.
Cultural Hybridity
- The blending of Scottish Presbyterianism and Samoan customs in the household reflects Stevenson’s own hybrid identity as a European living in the Pacific.

Line-by-Line Breakdown of Key Moments

"Sometimes a passing band of hostile warriors... would peer in at us"
- Imagery: The "blackened faces" suggest war paint, a traditional Samoan practice.
- Tone: The matter-of-fact description normalizes the threat of violence, showing how colonial conflict was part of daily life.
"no Samoan, nor, I trust, white person, changed his reverent attitude"
- Irony: The white colonizers are just as hypocritical as the Samoans in maintaining appearances.
- Theme: Religious performance vs. genuine faith.
"a chapter fiercely denunciatory, and only too applicable to the foreign dictators"
- Allusion: Likely refers to Biblical prophecies against tyrants (e.g., Isaiah, Revelation).
- Political Commentary: Stevenson’s son’s choice mirrors his own anti-colonial views.
"I am not yet fit to say, ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’"
- Dramatic Moment: The chief’s honesty contrasts with hypocritical Christian colonizers.
- Moral Dilemma: Can forgiveness coexist with justice in a colonized society?
"It is with natural reluctance that I touch upon the last prayer of my husband’s life"
- Foreshadowing: Fanny’s hesitation signals the weight of what follows.
- Emotional Tone: The personal grief makes the historical account more poignant.
"Our fears followed the various vessels, more or less unseaworthy"
- Metaphor: The unseaworthy ships symbolize the fragility of life in the Pacific.
- Irony: While worrying about Balfour, Stevenson’s own life was ending.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

This excerpt is more than a personal memoir—it is a microcosm of colonial Samoa, where faith, politics, and culture collide. Stevenson, though a white outsider, engages deeply with Samoan struggles, making his writing both a historical document and a literary meditation on morality.

For literary scholars, it shows Stevenson’s shift from adventure novels to introspective, politically charged prose.
For postcolonial readers, it exposes the contradictions of imperialism through intimate, human moments.
For biographers, it reveals Stevenson’s final days—not as a romanticized deathbed scene, but as a family in suspense, unaware of the tragedy to come.

The passage blurs the line between prayer and protest, faith and doubt, colonialism and resistance—making it a powerful, multilayered text that resonates far beyond its historical moment.

Questions

Question 1

The chief’s refusal to complete the Lord’s Prayer most fundamentally illustrates a tension between:

A. the performative nature of Christian ritual and the private struggles of the individual conscience.
B. Samoan communal values and the individualistic ethics of European Protestantism.
C. the moral demands of a borrowed religious framework and the psychological realities of betrayal.
D. the literal interpretation of Scripture and its metaphorical application to political conflict.
E. the spiritual authority of the chief and the secular power dynamics of colonial Samoa.

Question 2

The narrator’s assertion that “no Samoan, nor, I trust, white person, changed his reverent attitude” during disruptions serves primarily to:

A. underscore the resilience of faith in the face of external chaos.
B. expose the shared hypocrisy of both colonizers and colonized in maintaining appearances.
C. contrast the disciplined demeanor of Europeans with the emotional volatility of Samoans.
D. suggest that religious observance transcends cultural and political divisions.
E. imply that the narrator’s trust in white moral consistency is itself an act of faith.

Question 3

The son’s selection of a “fiercely denunciatory” Bible passage is most plausibly interpreted as an act of:

A. adolescent rebellion against paternal religious authority.
B. unconscious alignment with Samoan resistance against colonial rule.
C. deliberate subversion of the prayer’s ostensible piety to critique imperial hypocrisy.
D. literalistic adherence to Scripture’s condemnations of moral transgression.
E. ironic detachment from the spiritual gravity of the family ritual.

Question 4

The structural juxtaposition of the chief’s abrupt departure and the narrator’s fear of “some sudden illness” generates its effect through:

A. dramatic irony, as the chief’s moral crisis is misread as physical infirmity.
B. foreshadowing, as both moments prefigure the narrator’s later premonition of disaster.
C. bathos, undercutting the spiritual tension with mundane concern for health.
D. parallelism, linking personal betrayal to the broader theme of colonial exploitation.
E. allegory, with the chief’s exit symbolizing the collapse of indigenous faith under colonial pressure.

Question 5

The passage’s treatment of premonition and fate is most accurately characterized by:

A. a rationalist dismissal of superstition, framed by the narrator’s Scottish cultural lens.
B. a tragic determinism, where Stevenson’s prayer inadvertently summons his own death.
C. a postcolonial critique of European projections onto indigenous spiritual beliefs.
D. an existential ambiguity, leaving unresolved whether fate or coincidence governs events.
E. a layered irony, in which human attempts to anticipate disaster are both fulfilled and misdirected.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The chief’s inability to recite the Lord’s Prayer stems from the cognitive dissonance between the Christian imperative to forgive (a "borrowed religious framework" imposed by colonizers) and his psychological state after betrayal. The passage emphasizes his genuine struggle—not performativity (A), cultural conflict (B), hermeneutics (D), or power dynamics (E), but the irreconcilable gap between doctrinal demand and human emotion in a colonized context.