Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

Published in: 1886

Date read: 28th February 2016

Score: 3/5

Genre: Horror, Classic

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a chilling novella that explores the duality of human nature, good versus evil, and the terrifying consequences of unchecked scientific ambition. The story is primarily told from the perspective of Mr. Gabriel John Utterson, a respectable London lawyer. Utterson becomes increasingly disturbed by the strange behaviour of his friend and client, Dr. Henry Jekyll, a prominent and well-respected physician. Jekyll has inexplicably drawn up a will leaving his entire fortune to a sinister and repugnant man named Mr. Edward Hyde. Utterson, along with his cousin Richard Enfield, witnesses Hyde committing acts of shocking brutality and cruelty, yet Hyde always manages to evade capture. Hyde's appearance is described as repulsive and unsettling, inspiring immediate dislike in all who encounter him, though they cannot quite pinpoint why. As Utterson investigates, he discovers that Hyde has unrestricted access to Jekyll's laboratory and home, and that Jekyll seems strangely protective of him, even defending his character against accusations. The mystery deepens when another of Utterson's friends, Dr. Hastie Lanyon, a former colleague of Jekyll's, falls ill and dies after witnessing something horrifying connected to Jekyll and Hyde, leaving a sealed letter for Utterson to open only after Jekyll's death or disappearance. The narrative intensifies with the brutal murder of a respected Member of Parliament, Sir Danvers Carew, by Mr. Hyde, witnessed by a maid. This act galvanizes the police, and Hyde becomes a hunted fugitive. Dr. Jekyll then withdraws completely, becoming a recluse. The climax of the story comes through a series of revelations: Lanyon's sealed letter, and ultimately, a confession left by Dr. Jekyll himself. These documents unveil the horrific truth: Dr. Jekyll, driven by a desire to separate the good and evil within himself, created a potion that allowed him to transform into Mr. Hyde. Hyde is not a separate person but the physical manifestation of Jekyll's repressed, darker impulses—pure evil, utterly devoid of conscience. Jekyll initially enjoyed the freedom and anonymity Hyde provided, but he gradually lost control. The transformations became involuntary, and Hyde grew stronger and more dominant, threatening to permanently eclipse Jekyll's good nature. The novella explores the psychological battle within Jekyll, his desperate attempts to control his monstrous alter ego, and the tragic inevitability of his downfall as his scientific hubris leads to his ultimate destruction.

Comments:
This is a great story, however, I just didn't enjoy the writing as much as I have from other authors of the time.

Books that we've read by Robert Louis Stevenson (1):
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)