Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish novelist and travel writer, most noted for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and A Child's Garden of Verses.
Why did Dr. Jekyll leave everything to Mr. Hyde?
who does Jekyll leave everything in his will to? why does this upset utterson? At first, Jekyll leaves everything in his will to Mr. Hyde. This upsets Utterson because Hyde is a mean and nasty person. utterson and dr Lanyon were both friends with which main character
Was there a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
Why, yes. Deacon Brodie is his name. But his real name is William Brodie (28 September 1741 – 1 October 1788) and he was the real-life Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Is "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" a typical Gothic novel?
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a classic of late Victorian Gothic. Just a glance at the little wordle I've created shows just how the novel fits neatly into this category. But for those of you not sure about what Gothic is then here's a brief explanation.
What is the moral of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
The moral message of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is that man’s soul is paired with both elements of good and evil. These basic elements cannot be separated because man is defined by the conflict within his inner nature and how he deals with this duality.
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What mental illness does Jekyll and Hyde have?
The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a well-known example of a psychiatric disorder, commonly known as split personality.
Was Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde evil?
Jekyll is a kind and respected English doctor who has repressed evil urges inside of him. In an attempt to hide this, he develops a type of serum that he believes will effectively mask his dark side. Instead, Jekyll transforms into Edward Hyde, the physical and mental manifestation of his evil personality.
What is the moral of the novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
Good versus evil is one of the most significant themes in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel. Dr. Jekyll's desire to separate and rid himself of his evil side results in a potion that actually transforms him into a brute of a man without a conscience.
Why is Hyde called Hyde?
Hyde, as his name indicates, represents the fleshy (sexual) aspect of man which the Victorians felt the need to "hide" — as Utterson once punned on his name: "Well, if he is Mr. Hyde, I will be Mr. Seek." Hyde actually comes to represent the embodiment of pure evil merely for the sake of evil.
Why did Jekyll create Hyde?
Lanyon's and Jekyll's documents reveal that Jekyll had secretly developed a potion to allow him to separate the good and evil aspects of his personality. He was thereby able at will to change into his increasingly dominant evil counterpart, Mr. Hyde.
How does Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde End?
After arguing for a time, the two of them resolve to break into Jekyll's laboratory. Inside, they find the body of Hyde, wearing Jekyll's clothes and apparently dead by suicide—and a letter from Jekyll to Utterson promising to explain everything.
Why did Dr Jekyll go to such great lengths to protect Mr Hyde?
Jekyll goes through the greatest of lengths to prevent his Hyde identity from being discovered, in order to avoid anyone knowing of his somewhat questionable scientific work and morally despicable behavior.
Do you think Jekyll and Hyde are the same person?
The fact of the matter is Jekyll and Hyde, though different in appearance, are still the same exact person. Hyde comes from Jekyll, but possibly even more terrifying, Jekyll comes from Hyde. In every evil, corrupt person lies some form of goodness, which may be even scarier.
What is the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella's impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the vernacular phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" referring to persons with an unpredictably dual nature: outwardly good, but sometimes shockingly evil.
Who wrote the book "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde"?
For other uses, see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (disambiguation). Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Jekyll Hyde, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, or simply Jekyll and Hyde. It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel ...
What does Utterson read in Jekyll and Lanyon?
Utterson reads Lanyon's letter, then Jekyll's. Lanyon's letter reveals his deterioration resulted from the shock of seeing Hyde drink a serum that turned him into Jekyll. Jekyll's letter explains he had indulged in unstated vices and feared discovery.
What does Utterson fear about Hyde?
Utterson fears Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll, as Jekyll recently changed his will to make Hyde the sole beneficiary. When Utterson tries to discuss Hyde with Jekyll, Jekyll tells Utterson he can get rid of Hyde when he wants and asks him to drop the matter.
What did Stevenson write about?
While still a teenager, he developed a script for a play about Deacon Brodie, which he later reworked with the help of W. E. Henley and which was produced for the first time in 1882. In early 1884, he wrote the short story " Markheim ", which he revised in 1884 for publication in a Christmas annual. According to his essay, "A Chapter on Dreams" ( Scribner's, Jan. 1888), he racked his brains for an idea for a story and had a dream, and upon waking had the intuition for two or three scenes that would appear in the story Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Biographer Graham Balfour quoted Stevenson's wife Fanny Stevenson:
Why does Jekyll make a potion?
He creates a serum, or potion, in an attempt to separate this hidden evil from his personality. In doing so, Jekyll transformed into the smaller, younger, cruel, remorseless, and evil Hyde. Jekyll has many friends and an amiable personality, but like Hyde, he becomes mysterious and violent.
How long did it take Stevenson to rewrite the book?
Stevenson rewrote the story in three to six days. A number of later biographers have alleged that Stevenson was on drugs during the frantic rewrite; for example, William Gray's revisionist history A Literary Life (2004) said he used cocaine while other biographers said he used ergot. However, the standard history, according to the accounts of his wife and son (and himself), says he was bed-ridden and sick while writing it. According to Osbourne, "The mere physical feat was tremendous and, instead of harming him, it roused and cheered him inexpressibly". He continued to refine the work for four to six weeks after the initial revision. The novella was written in the southern English seaside town of Bournemouth, where Stevenson had moved to benefit from its sea air and warmer climate.
What does Jekyll tell Utterson about Hyde?
Jekyll tells Utterson not to concern himself with the matter of Hyde. A year passes uneventfully. Then, one night, a servant girl witnesses Hyde brutally beat to death an old man named Sir Danvers Carew, a member of Parliament and a client of Utterson. The police contact Utterson, and Utterson suspects Hyde as the murderer.
Who is the lawyer in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On their weekly walk, an eminently sensible, trustworthy lawyer named Mr. Utterson listens as his friend Enfield tells a gruesome tale of assault. The tale describes a sinister figure named Mr. Hyde who tramples a young girl, disappears into a door on the street, and reemerges to pay off her relatives with ...
Why does Lanyon die from Jekyll?
For a few months, Jekyll acts especially friendly and sociable, as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. But then Jekyll suddenly begins to refuse visitors, and Lanyon dies from some kind of shock he received in connection with Jekyll.
Why did Hyde need Lanyon's help?
Far from his laboratory and hunted by the police as a murderer, Hyde needed Lanyon’s help to get his potions and become Jekyll again —but when he undertook the transformation in Lanyon’s presence, the shock of the sight instigated Lanyon’s deterioration and death.
What is the building that Hyde visits?
Curious, Utterson stakes out a building that Hyde visits—which, it turns out, is a laboratory attached to the back of Jekyll’s home. Encountering Hyde, Utterson is amazed by how undefinably ugly the man seems, as if deformed, though Utterson cannot say exactly how. Much to Utterson’s surprise, Hyde willingly offers Utterson his address.
What happened to Jekyll when he was awake?
Horrified, Jekyll tried more adamantly to stop the transformations, and for a time he proved successful; one day, however, while sitting in a park, he suddenly turned into Hyde, the first time that an involuntary metamorphosis had happened while he was awake. The letter continues describing Jekyll’s cry for help.
Who did Utterson write to?
Shortly thereafter, Utterson again visits Jekyll, who now claims to have ended all relations with Hyde; he shows Utterson a note, allegedly written to Jekyll by Hyde, apologizing for the trouble he has caused him and saying goodbye.
Which book explored human psychology?
In fact, Fyodor Dostoyevsky paved the way with a book that explored human psychology in its most complex essence: The Double (1846). Other more recent works such as Steppenwolf (1927) by Hermann Hesse also tried to explore this complexity. The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores the consequences of trying to separate good from evil, ...
What was the first book to give life to a character with a complex personality disorder?
These thoughts led him to write the famous book Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886). This book was one of the first to give life to a character with a complex personality disorder. In the same way, it challenged the science and religion of the time by telling a terrifying story. This novel has become so popular ...
Is Hyde a caveman?
Moreover, while Jekyll is described as good-looking, Hyde is described as a caveman-looking being, with a wild and unpleasant appearance. Intrigue and magic are two of the main components of this book. The ending is great, as it’s the moment when we discover the truth thanks to one of Jekyll’s notes.
Was Jekyll a good man?
Jekyll was a ‘good man’, a distinguished man of good position, a man who, like all others, repressed the darkest impulses inside him. His passion for medicine and his obsession with the idea of separating good from evil led him to drink a strange potion that gave life to Mr. Hyde.
Why did Jekyll give up the freedom of Hyde?
Jekyll was alarmed that he transformed into Edward Hyde without the assistance of the potion, and became concerned that the character of Hyde might irrevocably take over. Concerned that he had overstepped his bounds, Jekyll chose to give up the freedom of Hyde and for two months maintained the identity of Dr. Jekyll.
How did the two men find Hyde's body?
The two men break down the door to the room where Jekyll has hidden himself. They find Hyde's dead body and assume he committed suicide immediately before they entered the room. They ransack the area looking for Jekyll's body or evidence of his death, but are unsuccessful.
What did Utterson believe about Jekyll and Lanyon?
Lanyon's account, Utterson reads Jekyll's own description of his failed experiment. Jekyll believed that the soul is made up of two separate distinctions: good and evil. These two separate beings live in continuous and inherent conflict with each other.
What does Utterson conclude about Hyde?
Utterson concludes that Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll and resolves to seek the man out to understand why. After tracking the man down, Hyde is initially civil but turns angry when Utterson extends the conversation, probing into his relationship with Dr. Jekyll.
What happened to Jekyll and Enfield?
The men have a brief conversation, but Jekyll abruptly shuts the window as he begins to suffer what appears to be a seizure. Enfield and Utterson are struck by the disturbing appearance of Jekyll's face as he withdraws from view. About a week later, Richard Poole, Jekyll's faithful butler, approaches Utterson.
What happened at the beginning of the book?
At the book's opening, two men, Mr. Utterson and his cousin Mr. Richard Enfield, are leisurely walking through London. Initially silent, the men pass a mysterious basement cellar door, and Mr. Enfield launches into a story about a strange occurrence related to the door. Late one night, while on his way home, Enfield chanced upon a deformed, ...
How many potions does Jekyll make?
Slowly, Jekyll begins an experiment where he attempts to completely differentiate these two aspects of human nature. Jekyll experiments extensively and then makes two potions. One transforms him into Edward Hyde, and the second transforms him back into Henry Jekyll.
Who is the heir to Jekyll's estate?
What’s more, Mr. Hyde has been made the heir-to-be of Jekyll’s estate in his will. John thinks the two are separate individuals and suspects Mr. Hyde for blackmail. John tries to question Dr. Jekyll if Mr. Hyde is blackmailing him, but Dr. Jekyll brushes him off. After a year, Mr. Hyde attacks a man and beats him to death with a cane.
Why does John break into the lab?
Suspicious, John breaks into the laboratory due to hearing a strange voice. They discover Mr. Hyde has committed suicide adorned in Dr. Jekyll’s attire and has left a note. John then reads the two letters back at home. In his friend’s letter, he discovers that Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll are the same individuals that transform between ...
Who are the two characters in the story of the sailor?
It narrates the story of a man who shifts between two personas. These are Mr. Edward Hyde and Dr. Henry Jekyll. The following is a brief synopsis of the story.
What is the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a novella published in the 1880s that deals with the duality of human nature. The story is told from the point of view of Mr. Gabriel John Utterson. Utterson is a lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll’s. The book opens with Utterson walking and conversing with Mr. Enfield, who is a businessman and distant cousin. Mr. Enfield recounts to Mr. Utterson how he once saw a man named Hyde, who had run over a girl, come out of a door they are passing, with a check signed by Dr. Jekyll. The check was for almost one hundred pounds. Utterson notes that the door in question leads to a laboratory that connects to his friend’s, Jekyll’s, house.
How many pages are there in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
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What did Dr. Jekyll transform into?
Lanyon describes how Dr. Jekyll transformed into Edward Hyde, and how that transformation shocked him into his sickness and ultimate death. Mr. Utterson, continuing to read Dr. Jekyll’s letter, discovers that the drug he was working on was meant to test whether or not man had a dual nature—good and evil.
Where does Edward Hyde live?
Following the gruesome murder, Utterson goes with the police inspector to look for Hyde, who reportedly lives in Soho, then a seedy area of London. However, they can’t find Edward Hyde. With Hyde missing and suspected of murder, Mr. Utterson worries for Dr. Jekyll’s safety.
Does Dr Jekyll tell Hyde his will is correct?
Dr. Jekyll not only assures Mr. Utterson that his will is correct and he intends to pass on everything to Hyde, but he also refuses to talk about his connection to Hyde, which vexes Mr. Utterson. About a year passes, and a maid witnesses a crime while looking out her window.
Who is Dr. Jekyll's friend?
Utterson is a lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll’s. The book opens with Utterson walking and conversing with Mr. Enfield, who is a businessman and distant cousin. Mr. Enfield recounts to Mr. Utterson how he once saw a man named Hyde, who had run over a girl, come out of a door they are passing, with a check signed by Dr. Jekyll.
Who finds the letter on the body of Dr. Jekyll?
It’s not until Mr. Utterson goes into Jekyll's laboratory after hearing Hyde’s voice that he confirms the truth: inside, he finds Edward Hyde, dead on the floor and wearing Dr. Jekyll's clothes. He finds a letter on the body from Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson reads Dr. Lanyon's letter first.
Overview
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or simply Jekyll and Hyde. The novella follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. He…
Inspiration and writing
Stevenson had long been intrigued by the idea of how human personalities can reflect the interplay of good and evil. While still a teenager, he developed a script for a play about William Brodie, which he later reworked with the help of W. E. Henley and which was produced for the first time in 1882. In early 1884, he wrote the short story "Markheim", which he revised in 1884 for publication in a Christ…
Plot
Gabriel John Utterson and his cousin Richard Enfield reach the door of a large house on their weekly walk. Enfield tells Utterson that months ago, he saw a sinister-looking man named Edward Hyde trample a young girl after accidentally bumping into her. Enfield forced Hyde to pay her family £100 to avoid a scandal. Hyde brought Enfield to this door and gave him a cheque signed by a reputable gentleman later revealed to be Doctor Henry Jekyll, Utterson's friend and client. Ut…
Characters
Gabriel John Utterson, a lawyer and close loyal friend of Jekyll and Lanyon for many years, is the protagonist of the story. Utterson is measured and at all times emotionless bachelor – who nonetheless seems believable, trustworthy, tolerant of the faults of others, and indeed genuinely likeable. However, Utterson is not immune to guilt, as, while he is quick to investigate and judge the faults of others even for the benefit of his friends, Stevenson states that "he was humbled to …
Analysis of themes
Literary genres that critics have applied as a framework for interpreting the novel include religious allegory, fable, detective story, sensation fiction, doppelgänger literature, Scottish devil tales, and Gothic novel.
The novella is frequently interpreted as an examination of the duality of human nature, usually expressed as an inner struggle between good and evil, with vari…
Reception
The book was initially sold as a paperback for one shilling in the U.K. and for one penny in the U.S. These books were called "shilling shockers" or penny dreadfuls. The American publisher issued the book on 5 January 1886, four days before the first appearance of the U.K. edition issued by Longmans; Scribner's published 3,000 copies, only 1,250 of them bound in cloth. Initially, stores did not stock it until a review appeared in The Times on 25 January 1886 giving it a favourable re…
Adaptations
There have been numerous adaptations of the novella, including over 120 stage and film versions alone.
There have also been many audio recordings of the novella, with some of the more famous readers including Tom Baker, Roger Rees, Christopher Lee, Anthony Quayle, Martin Jarvis, Tim Pigott-Smith, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Gene Lockhart, Richard Armitage, John Sessions, Alan Howard, Rory …
Illustrated versions
S. G. Hulme Beaman illustrated a 1930s edition, and in 1948 Mervyn Peake provided the newly founded Folio Society with memorable illustrations for the story.