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{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=May 2021}}
{{Redirect|Body Snatcher||Body Snatcher (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Body Snatcher||Body Snatcher (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=September 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2015}}
{{In-universe| subject = short story| category = literature| date = September 2015}}
{{In-universe| subject = short story| category = literature| date = September 2015}}}}
}}

{{Infobox short story | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
{{Infobox short story | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name = The Body Snatcher
| name = The Body Snatcher
Line 13: Line 11:
| genre = [[Supernatural horror]]
| genre = [[Supernatural horror]]
| publication_type = [[Newspaper]]
| publication_type = [[Newspaper]]
| publisher = [[Pall Mall Gazette]]
| publisher = ''[[Pall Mall Gazette]]''
| pub_date = December 1884
| pub_date = December 1884
| media_type = Print (Newspaper)
| media_type = Print (Newspaper)
Line 19: Line 17:
| isbn =
| isbn =
}}
}}

"'''The Body Snatcher'''" is a [[short story]] by the [[Scottish people|Scottish]] author [[Robert Louis Stevenson]] (1850–1894). First published in the ''Pall Mall Christmas "Extra"'' in December 1884, its characters were based on criminals in the employ of real-life surgeon [[Robert Knox]] (1791–1862) around the time of the notorious [[Burke and Hare murders]] (1828).
"'''The Body Snatcher'''" is a [[short story]] by the [[Scottish people|Scottish]] author [[Robert Louis Stevenson]] (1850–1894). First published in ''[[The Pall Mall Gazette]]'' in December 1884, its characters were based on criminals in the employ of the surgeon [[Robert Knox]] (1791–1862) around the time of the notorious [[Burke and Hare murders]] in 1828.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Richarson |first1=Ruth |date=January 31, 2015 |title=Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body Snatcher |journal=[[The Lancet]] |volume=385 |issue=9966 |pages= 412–413|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60144-1 |doi-access=free |pmid=25713852 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://medhum.med.nyu.edu/view/296 |title=The Body Snatcher |last=Moore |first=Pamela |date=December 19, 1996 |website=medhum.med.nyu.edu |publisher=[[New York University]] |access-date= November 20, 2023}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
A group of friends share a few drinks, when an eminent doctor, Wolfe Macfarlane, enters. One of the friends, Fettes, recognizes the name and angrily confronts the new arrival. Although his friends all find this behaviour suspicious, none of them can understand what might lie behind it. It turns out that Macfarlane and Fettes had attended medical school together, under anatomy professor Robert Knox. Their duties included taking receipt of bodies for dissection, and paying the pair of shifty and suspicious men who supplied them.
A group of friends are having a few drinks when an eminent doctor, Wolfe Macfarlane, enters. One of the friends, Fettes, recognises the name and angrily confronts the new arrival. Although his friends find this behaviour suspicious, none of them can understand what might lie behind it. It turns out that Macfarlane and Fettes had attended medical school together under Mr. K, an anatomy professor. Their duties included taking receipt of bodies for dissection and paying the pair of shifty and suspicious men who supplied them.


On one occasion, Fettes identifies a body as that of a woman he knew, and is convinced she has been murdered. But Macfarlane talks him out of reporting the incident, lest they are both implicated in the crime.
On one occasion, Fettes identifies a body as that of a woman that he knew and is convinced that she has been murdered. However, Macfarlane talks him out of reporting the incident, lest they both become implicated in the crime.
Later, Fettes meets Macfarlane at a tavern, along with a man named Gray, who treats Macfarlane in a rude manner. The following night, Macfarlane brings Gray's body along as a dissection sample. Although Fettes is now certain that his friend has committed murder, Macfarlane again convinces him to keep his silence, persuading him that if he is not courageous enough to perform such manly deeds as these, he will end up as just another victim. The two men make sure the body is comprehensively dissected, destroying any forensic evidence.
Later, Fettes meets Macfarlane at a tavern, along with a man named Gray, who treats Macfarlane rudely. The following night, Macfarlane brings Gray's body as a dissection sample. Although Fettes is now certain that his friend has committed murder, Macfarlane again convinces him to keep his silence, persuading him that if he is not courageous enough to perform such manly deeds as these, then he will end up as just another victim. The two men do ensure that the body is comprehensively dissected, destroying any forensic evidence.
Fettes and Macfarlane continue their work, without being implicated in any crime. However, when a shortage of bodies leaves their mentor in need, they are sent to a country churchyard to exhume a recently buried woman. As they are driving back with the body seated between them, they begin to feel nervous and stop to take a better look. They are shocked to discover that the body between them is that of Gray, which they thought they had destroyed.
Fettes and Macfarlane continue their work without being implicated in any crime. However, when a shortage of bodies leaves their mentor in need, then they are sent to a country churchyard to exhume a recently buried woman. Driving back with the body seated between them, they begin to feel nervous and stop to take a better look. They are shocked to discover that the body between them is that of Gray, which they thought that they had destroyed.


==Adaptations in other media==
==Adaptations in other media==
The 1945 film ''[[The Body Snatcher (film)|The Body Snatcher]]'' was loosely based on the short story. The film was produced by [[Val Lewton]] and directed by [[Robert Wise]], and starred [[Boris Karloff]], [[Henry Daniell]] and [[Bela Lugosi]].
The 1945 film ''[[The Body Snatcher (1945 film)|The Body Snatcher]]'' was loosely based on the short story. The film was produced by [[Val Lewton]] and directed by [[Robert Wise]], and starred [[Boris Karloff]], [[Henry Daniell]] and [[Bela Lugosi]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/748/the-body-snatcher/#overview |title= The Body Snatcher (1945) |author=<!--Not stated--> |website= tcm.com| access-date=November 20, 2023}}</ref>

⚫
The movie “The Flesh and the Fiends” was released in 1960. It tells the story of Dr. Knox (Peter Cushing) and his association with Burke and Hare.


⚫
The movie ''[[The Flesh and the Fiends]]'' (1960) tells the story of Dr. Knox (Peter Cushing) and his association with Burke and Hare.
A television film was made of the story in 1966, directed by [[Toby Robertson]].


A television film was made of the story in 1966, directed by [[Toby Robertson]], broadcast as the second episode of ''[[Mystery and Imagination]]''. Only audio recordings of the production are known to survive.
⚫
"The Body-Snatcher" published in the Warren magazine ''[[Creepy (magazine)|Creepy]]'' #7 [February 1966] was adapted by [[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]] and illustrated by [[Reed Crandall]]. The story is slightly altered: Fettes is Dr "Toddy" MacFarlane's laboratory assistant rather than a fellow student of Dr Knox.


⚫
"The Body-Snatcher", published in the Warren magazine ''[[Creepy (magazine)|Creepy]]'' No. 7 [February 1966], was adapted by [[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]] and illustrated by [[Reed Crandall]]. The story is slightly altered: Fettes is Dr "Toddy" MacFarlane's laboratory assistant rather than a fellow student of Dr Knox.
⚫
The story was also adapted by Ian Martin for a 1974 episode of ''[[CBS Radio Mystery Theater|The CBS Radio Mystery Theater]]'' starring [[Howard Da Silva]], [[Ralph Bell]], [[Court Benson]], [[Patricia Elliott]], and Ken Harvey. The show was also adapted for radio again in 1980 as part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation series [[Nightfall (radio series)|Nightfall]].


⚫
The story was also adapted by Ian Martin for a 1974 episode of ''[[CBS Radio Mystery Theater|The CBS Radio Mystery Theater]]'' starring [[Howard Da Silva]], [[Ralph Bell (actor)|Ralph Bell]], [[Court Benson]], [[Patricia Elliott]], and Ken Harvey. The show was also adapted for radio again in 1980 as part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation series ''[[Nightfall (radio series)|Nightfall]]''.
A translated audio book version of the short story has been published in [[Malayalam]] by Kathacafe in 2017.<ref>https://www.kathacafe.com/collections/adventure/products/the_body_snatcher</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310050214/http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/body.htm Full text]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310050214/http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/body.htm Full text]
* {{librivox book | title=The Body-Snatcher | author=Robert Louis Stevenson}}
* {{librivox book | title=The Body-Snatcher | author=Robert Louis Stevenson}}
*[http://www.sc.edu/library/spcoll/britlit/rls/bsnatch.jpg Cover of the Christmas 1884 edition of the ''Pall Mall Gazette'']
* {{isfdb title|id=83957}}
* {{isfdb title|id=83957}}


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[[Category:1884 short stories]]
[[Category:1884 short stories]]
[[Category:Short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson]]
[[Category:Short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson]]
[[Category:Ghosts in written fiction]]
[[Category:Short stories about ghosts]]
[[Category:Ghost stories]]
[[Category:Horror short stories]]
[[Category:Horror short stories]]
[[Category:Works originally published in The Pall Mall Gazette]]
[[Category:Works originally published in The Pall Mall Gazette]]

Latest revision as of 09:15, 26 August 2024

"Body Snatcher" redirects here. For other uses, see Body Snatcher (disambiguation).

"The Body Snatcher"
Short story by Robert Louis Stevenson
LandScotland
SpracheEnglisch
Genre(s)Supernatural horror
Publication
Publication typeNewspaper
PublisherPall Mall Gazette
Media typePrint (Newspaper)
Publication dateDecember 1884

"The Body Snatcher" is a short story by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). First published in The Pall Mall Gazette in December 1884, its characters were based on criminals in the employ of the surgeon Robert Knox (1791–1862) around the time of the notorious Burke and Hare murders in 1828.[1][2]

Plot

[edit]

A group of friends are having a few drinks when an eminent doctor, Wolfe Macfarlane, enters. One of the friends, Fettes, recognises the name and angrily confronts the new arrival. Although his friends find this behaviour suspicious, none of them can understand what might lie behind it. It turns out that Macfarlane and Fettes had attended medical school together under Mr. K, an anatomy professor. Their duties included taking receipt of bodies for dissection and paying the pair of shifty and suspicious men who supplied them.

On one occasion, Fettes identifies a body as that of a woman that he knew and is convinced that she has been murdered. However, Macfarlane talks him out of reporting the incident, lest they both become implicated in the crime.

Later, Fettes meets Macfarlane at a tavern, along with a man named Gray, who treats Macfarlane rudely. The following night, Macfarlane brings Gray's body as a dissection sample. Although Fettes is now certain that his friend has committed murder, Macfarlane again convinces him to keep his silence, persuading him that if he is not courageous enough to perform such manly deeds as these, then he will end up as just another victim. The two men do ensure that the body is comprehensively dissected, destroying any forensic evidence.

Fettes and Macfarlane continue their work without being implicated in any crime. However, when a shortage of bodies leaves their mentor in need, then they are sent to a country churchyard to exhume a recently buried woman. Driving back with the body seated between them, they begin to feel nervous and stop to take a better look. They are shocked to discover that the body between them is that of Gray, which they thought that they had destroyed.

Adaptations in other media

[edit]

The 1945 film The Body Snatcher was loosely based on the short story. The film was produced by Val Lewton and directed by Robert Wise, and starred Boris Karloff, Henry Daniell and Bela Lugosi.[3]

The movie The Flesh and the Fiends (1960) tells the story of Dr. Knox (Peter Cushing) and his association with Burke and Hare.

A television film was made of the story in 1966, directed by Toby Robertson, broadcast as the second episode of Mystery and Imagination. Only audio recordings of the production are known to survive.

"The Body-Snatcher", published in the Warren magazine Creepy No. 7 [February 1966], was adapted by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Reed Crandall. The story is slightly altered: Fettes is Dr "Toddy" MacFarlane's laboratory assistant rather than a fellow student of Dr Knox.

The story was also adapted by Ian Martin for a 1974 episode of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater starring Howard Da Silva, Ralph Bell, Court Benson, Patricia Elliott, and Ken Harvey. The show was also adapted for radio again in 1980 as part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation series Nightfall.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Richarson, Ruth (31 January 2015). "Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body Snatcher". The Lancet. 385 (9966): 412–413. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60144-1. PMID 25713852.
  2. ^ Moore, Pamela (19 December 1996). "The Body Snatcher". medhum.med.nyu.edu. New York University. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  3. ^ "The Body Snatcher (1945)". tcm.com. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
[edit]
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