Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

novella by Robert Louis Stevenson

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a book by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was published in 1886.[1] The book has been adapted to movies, comic books, and other media.

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll
and Mr Hyde
Title page of the first London edition (1886)
AuthorRobert Louis Stevenson
LanguageEnglish
GenreHorror
Thriller
Publication date
5 January 1886
Media typePrint
Hyde: 1904 edition

Dr Henry Jekyll is a respected doctor. He believes that man has both good and evil sides. He creates a serum of a special drug. It is supposed to separate the two different sides. He tests it on himself. The experiment succeeds all too well. Dr Jekyll changes into his evil self, Edward Hyde. Hyde commits horrible crimes in London, and changes back into Dr Jekyll. Eventually, Jekyll turns into Hyde without wishing to, resulting in Jekyll committing suicide.

Themes

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The novel is based on the Victorian English idea of pretending to be someone else, and acting a different way around other people to look more respectable. This is shown by Jekyll changing into Hyde. It is also a variation on the theme of "scientist meddling with nature comes to grief".

References

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  1. Saposnik, Irving S. "The Anatomy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 11.4, Nineteenth Century (1971): pp. 715-731.
 
Poster from the 1880s