Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
 Title page of the first London edition (1886) | |
| Author | Robert Louis Stevenson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Horror Thriller |
Publication date | 5 January 1886 |
| Media type | |
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.
Story
[change | change source]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
[change | change source]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
[change | change source]- ↑ 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.
