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    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    Ebook91 pages1 hour

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    By Robert Louis Stevenson

    3.5/5

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    First published in 1886,Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is author Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of man’s inner struggle between good and evil. The novella revolves around the investigation by London lawyer Gabriel John Utterson, concerning the association between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and the evil, morally corrupt Edward Hyde, to whom Jekyll has recently willed his estate.

    Through the use of a magic potion, Dr. Jekyll, who nurtured a belief that every person has two distinct personalities, is transformed into Mr. Hyde, in order to indulge in the darker side of his character without any consequences besmirching Jekyll’s good name. After some time, Jekyll finds that he is involuntarily turning into Hyde and must use the magic serum, which is running low, in order to turn back.

    Stevenson from early on in his career was interested in the impact of personality on human behavior and incorporated it into this work. A respected medical practitioner undertaking an experiment to split one person into two different personalities is a classic examination of the duality that exists within man and the tragic consequences that can occur when the darker elements of one’s character are let out. “Split personality" is referred to in psychiatry as dissociative identity disorder, where within the same body there exists more than one distinct personality. The phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” has become part of the vernacular to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature who are vastly different in moral character from one situation to the next.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherG&D Media
    Release dateMay 8, 2020
    ISBN9781722524449
    Author

    Robert Louis Stevenson

    Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and essayist. His most popular works include Treasure Island, A Child’s Garden of Verses, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Kidnapped.

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    Reviews for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    3.5/5

    3,660 ratings53 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A strange, deformed man haunts the streets, trampling over fallen children and seemingly wresting money from the good Dr. Jekyll to escape the consequences of his misdeeds. Jekyll has even gone so far as to make this mysterious Mr. Hyde the sole benefactor of his will, against all advice from Mr. Utterson, his lawyer. Utterson suspects blackmail, and he's determined not to rest until he's helped his dear friend and client escape with his life. For surely, he thinks, Hyde must be tempted to murder Jekyll in order to usurp him. Utterson doesn't know how right he is, though not at all in the way that he suspects.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic horror novel, and one that has been referenced so often in modern culture that I knew its biggest secret going in. For me, the surprises and the appeal were in discovering the way in which the story was told. Much of the plot involves watching Mr. Utterson and others slowly uncovering the mystery, and, for me, this resulted in a very interesting dramatic irony. I knew exactly what the characters were missing, but I didn't know all the twists and turns of the plot, how the characters would react to them, or how the story would reach its end. For me, this was enough to maintain interest, and I think other readers would have a similar experience if they have only a surface-level knowledge of the plot.This is a short book, certainly a quick read, and I found it to be a good example of British literature of the nineteenth century. Characters’ physical descriptions are meant to signify aspects of their personalities, houses and the weather are likewise described with obvious symbolism, the omniscient narrator tells you what the characters are like, and the characters have over-the-top reactions whenever anything remotely horrifying happens. Because of this, combined with how easy it is to read, I think it would make a great introductory book for anyone looking to get into British classics from the same time period without immediately jumping in the deep end.I also found it interesting as a window into the past, seeing how people lived and spoke and how they told their stories. I would recommend it if you have a similar interest, or if, somehow, you actually don't know the secret behind this particular mystery. If that's the case, I recommend you go out and read it right now. You're sure to have an experience worth talking about.
    • 5/5
      Great story. I was very surprised that the chronology was reversed. It starts at the end and works its way forward, a device that none of the knock-off versions of this tale use. A master story teller.
    • 2/5
      thr first 9 chapters of this 10 chapter book are just a forward to the final explanation what happens to the doctor. i kind of knew thr story but wanted to know why the change happens and how and of course how it ends. well, in chapter 10 i got the why and how answered. however no real end to the story. i think it would be better if yiu dont know anything about the story to enjoy this book.
    • 4/5
      Written in a dark, minimalist style, Stevenson classic murder mystery novella of good versus evil is still capable of making your skin crawl even when you already know how it ends. Ultimately it is a tale of what happens when a person allows their evil impulses into the open air and how it is impossible to ever return unscathed.
    • 5/5
      This is a re-read of this classic 19th century novella which has been the inspiration behind so many spin-offs since. It is a taut and atmospheric piece of writing, and the conclusion that Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same, two sides of the same being, only becomes evident near the end - it is hard for us to understand how this would have shocked and thrilled the reader in 1886, so familiar has the Jekyll and Hyde motif become.
    • 3/5
      I recall being frustrated that I knew the plot before the author wanted me to - so it wasn't thrilling. It was also old-fashioned writing and difficult for me. I def. need to try it again someday....
    • 3/5
      a fun read, best read at halloween time
    • 3/5
      RLS's long short story (or short novella) telling the tale of the good doctor and his evil alter ego. There are shades of early sci-fi here, with the drug made up of "volatile salts" that allow Jeckyll to switch personas. Supposedly inspired by the case of an 18th century Edinburgh society figure who dabbled in organised burglary in the evenings, the title has become the accepted phrase for the duality of human nature. Read November 2011.
    • 5/5
      Elegantly told and suspenseful, this classic story certainly stands the test of time. I read the Keynotes Classics edition. I especially appreciated the introductory key written by Michelle M. White. She provides interesting information about the author and offers valuable suggestions about what to look for in the story. As a result, I believe I got much more from this reading than I did when I first read it. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      A very intriguing story, if perhaps a bit open-ended. I had been meaning to read this book for some time, but only finally got around to it after reading A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
    • 3/5
      I thought that I would give this classic another try via audiobook but my overall impression remains that this is one case where the movie is better (specifically the 1941 version with Spencer Tracy).
    • 4/5
      "There comes an end to all things; the most capacious measure is filled at last; and this brief condescension to my evil finally destroyed the balance of my soul."It may be difficult for a reader to forget what is half-known about these famous characters, and approach this story afresh. But it's worth doing -- it's a tidy little story, and the title characters embody an intriguing attack on the nature of Victorian morality.
    • 2/5
      A lawyer and a mad scientist are the two main characters in this gothic, science fiction horror novella. I won’t recount much since the main essentials of the story are quite well known. It’s the dual natures of good and evil fighting in humans and it was so very gothic a look on it, with the crazy mad scientist who looks so good. I thought I’d hate this, but due to the good writing, it was only a dislike and two stars.
    • 4/5
      Slow in places (strange for such a short work), but exciting and suspenseful, this is a fun read. I got my nephew to read it by showing him that this was where The Incredible Hulk came from and he lapped it up. Now he doesn't have patience for funny books anymore!
    • 4/5
      Glimrende koncept. Henry Jekyll eksperimenterer med et medikament som skal hjælpe ham til at skille sin gode fra sin onde side. Det lykkes kun alt for godt. Han bliver til en ond person, Mr. Hyde, og finder for sent ud af at de kemikalier han bruger i starten indeholder et eller andet stof, som ikke findes i senere leverancer. Til sidst kan han ikke længere blive til Dr. Jekyll.En klassiker
    • 5/5
      Great piece of literature. Really interesting way of keeping the reader blind to very key pieces of information that would allow for easier identification of potential threats and climaxes. Really enjoy RLS and look forward to reading more of his work.
    • 3/5
      Bet this was a blitz before everyone and their kid knew the secret twist. A fine gothic novella, proceeding on railroad towards the ending you already knew was coming.
    • 2/5
      Curious, but quite unexceptional in all but concept. Much of the first half is merely discussion and speculation, and the second, all told through a document, and thus, there seems only a mere instant of action.
    • 3/5
      A very creepy story. I didn't know what to expect with this book when I first read it. Everyone knows the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde concept but reading it was different. It wasn't what I expected and I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing. Either way I thought it was an interesting, eerie novel and worth reading at least once. Give it a go.
    • 4/5
      The classic story of the good, but boring Dr Jekyll who transforms himself into the vital and evil Mr Hyde. Jekyll comes to loath him, but has become addicted.
    • 2/5
      The idea I had in my head about this story was better than the actual book. I was a little disappointed.
    • 3/5
      I fantom I would have liked this book a lot more if I didn't already know from the start who was Hyde. Nevertheless, it was actually very interesting once the "action" picked up. Although I found Utterson somewhat boring at times, the ending of the book made it worth it to see it through. The most interesting part was definitely the explanation of Dr Jekyll himself at the end, which I read eagerly. Overall, it was a nice book.
    • 3/5
      Everyone knows the story, which makes the book a little hard to categorize. Thought of as horror, it is more of a Victorian mystery - complete with the immense amount of talking common to Sherlock Holmes.
    • 4/5
      Short and sweet and pretty interesting. Not a bad read.
    • 3/5
      This books was surprisingly fun. It has a slow start for the first few pages, but after that it takes off.

      A quick fun little read, definitely worth the time.
    • 4/5
      A great example of the theme of the duality of man, which all of us carry in our hearts. Stevenson exploits these fears in a well-structured, yet somewhat difficult, novel.
    • 5/5
      Great book about the baser side of human nature and how easy it is for it to overpower your life if you allow it.
    • 4/5
      This creepy novel explores the good and evil found in all of us, as well as the marriage of science and mysticism, A fabulous horror classic!
    • 3/5
      two and a half stars--the plot was great, and it is such an original idea that is so often warped today, but the writing style overall had trouble captivating me.
    • 4/5
      I'm not sure the original Hyde lives up to the figure of threat and evil that pop culture has made him over the years. But this novel is short and fairly suspenseful — or it would be, if I didn't already know the answer to the mystery of Mr. Hyde and why Dr. Jekyll is protecting him. The story is quick and it's a classic worth visiting.

    Book preview

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

    STORY OF THE DOOR

    Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable. At friendly meetings, and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eye; something indeed which never found its way into his talk, but which spoke not only in these silent symbols of the after-dinner face, but more often and loudly in the acts of his life. He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone, to mortify a taste for vintages; and though he enjoyed the theatre, had not crossed the doors of one for twenty years. But he had an approved tolerance for others; sometimes wondering, almost with envy, at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds; and in any extremity inclined to help rather than to reprove. I incline to, Cain’s heresy, he used to say. I let my brother go to the devil in his quaintly: ‘own way’. In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of down-going men. And to such as these, so long as they came about his chambers, he never marked a shade of change in his demeanour.

    No doubt the feat was easy to Mr. Utterson; for he was undemonstrative at the best, and even his friendship seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good-nature. It is the mark of a modest man to accept his friendly circle ready-made from the hands of opportunity; and that was the lawyer’s way. His friends were those of his own blood or those whom he had known the longest; his affections, like ivy, were the growth of time, they implied no aptness in the object. Hence, no doubt, the bond that united him to Mr. Richard Enfield, his distant kinsman, the well-known man about town. It was a nut to crack for many, what these two could see in each other, or what subject they could find in common. It was reported by those who encountered them in their Sunday walks, that they said nothing, looked singularly dull, and would hail with obvious relief the appearance of a friend. For all that, the two men put the greatest store by these excursions, counted them the chief jewel of each week, and not only set aside occasions of pleasure, but even resisted the calls of business, that they might enjoy them uninterrupted.

    It chanced on one of these rambles that their way led them down a by-street in a busy quarter of London. The street was small and what is called quiet, but it drove a thriving trade on the week-days. The inhabitants were all doing well, it seemed, and all emulously hoping to do better still, and laying out the surplus of their gains in coquetry; so that the shop fronts stood along that thoroughfare with an air of invitation, like rows of smiling saleswomen. Even on Sunday, when it veiled its more florid charms and lay comparatively empty of passage, the street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood, like a fire in a forest; and with its freshly painted shutters, well-polished brasses, and general cleanliness and gaiety of note, instantly caught and pleased the eye of the passenger.

    Two doors from one corner, on the left hand going east, the line was broken by the entry of a court; and just at that point, a certain sinister block of building thrust forward its gable on the street. It was two stories high; showed no window, nothing but a door on the lower story and a blind forehead of discoloured wall on the upper; and bore in every feature, the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence. The door, which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained. Tramps slouched into the recess and struck matches on the panels; children kept shop upon the steps; the schoolboy had tried his knife on the mouldings; and for close on a generation, no one had appeared to drive away these random visitors or to repair their ravages.

    Mr. Enfield and the lawyer were on the other side of the by-street; but when they came abreast of the entry, the former lifted up his cane and pointed.

    Did you ever remark that door? he asked; and when his companion had replied in the affirmative, It is connected in my mind, added he, with a very odd story.

    Indeed? said Mr. Utterson, with a slight change of voice, and what was that?

    Well, it was this way, returned Mr. Enfield: "I was coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three o’clock of a black winter morning, and my way lay through a part of town where there was literally nothing to be seen but lamps. Street after street, and all the folks asleep—street after street, all lighted up as if for a procession and all as empty as a church—till at last I got into that state of mind when a man listens and listens and begins to long for the sight of a policeman. All at once, I saw two figures: one a little man who was stumping along eastward at a good walk, and the other a girl of maybe eight or ten who was running as hard as she was able down a cross street. Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the, child’s body and left her screaming on the ground. It sounds nothing to hear, but it was hellish to see. It wasn’t like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut. I gave a view-halloa, took to my heels, collared my gentleman, and brought him back to where there was already quite a group about the screaming child. He was perfectly cool and made no resistance, but gave me one look, so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running. The people who had turned out were the girl’s own family; and pretty soon, the doctor, for whom she had been sent, put in his appearance. Well, the child was not much the worse, more frightened, according to the Sawbones; and there you might have supposed would be an end to it. But there was one curious circumstance. I had taken a loathing to my gentleman at first sight. So had the child’s family, which was only natural. But the doctor’s case was what struck me. He was the usual cut-and-dry apothecary, of no particular age and colour, with a strong Edinburgh accent, and about as emotional as a bagpipe. Well, sir, he was like the rest of us; every time he looked at my prisoner, I saw that Sawbones turn sick and white with the desire to kill him. I knew what was in his mind, just as he knew what was in mine; and killing being out of the question, we did the next best. We told the man we could and would make such a scandal out of this, as should make his name stink from one end of London to the other. If he had any friends or any credit, we undertook that he should lose them. And all the time, as we were pitching it in red hot, we were keeping the women off him as best we could, for they were as wild as harpies. I never saw a circle of such hateful faces; and there was the

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