The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Published 1886
Robert Louis Stevenson
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born in Edinburgh, Scotland on November 13, 1850
At the age of seventeen, he enrolled at Edinburgh
University to study engineering
Novelist, poet, essayist
Loved to travel
Married Fanny May 1880 who changed the rest of his
life
Died December 3, 1894
Books:
 Treasure Island
 Kidnapped
About the Novella
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Written in 1885 (during Victorian Age) while getting
better from an illness
Idea came to him in a nightmare…upset wife woke him
up because she interrupted the tale
He read the tale to his wife after he wrote it, and she
made suggestions
He burned it and rewrote it in 3 days
When published, people thought it was a grand work
Victorian Age
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Queen Victoria ruled England 1837-1901
Great deal of technological advancement, economic
prosperity and reform
Rigid standards of personal behavior
Europe gained power in the world
Literature of this age
 tends to come closer to daily life
 reflects its practical problems and interests
 becomes a powerful instrument for human progress
 deviates from "art for art's sake“
 asserts its moral purpose
Age of doubt and pessimism
Influence of science is felt
Idealistic age where the great ideals like truth, justice, love,
brotherhood are emphasized by poets, essayists and novelists
Characters
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Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde…prominent doctor who has
covered up a secret life of cruel deeds
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Dr. Lanyon…friend of Dr. Jekyll
Mr. Gabriel John Utterson…lawyer and loyal friend of
Jekyll’s
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Poole…butler
Richard Enfield…Mr. Utterson’s cousin
Mr. Newcomen…works for Scotland Yard
Sir Danvers Carew…member of Parliament…killed in streets
of London by Mr. Hyde
Setting
London 1880’s
 Dr. Jekyll’s home…grand neighborhood
now in decay
 Lanyon’s home…Cavendish Square
 Mr. Hyde’s house…Soho
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Point Of View
Told from different points of view
 First 2 sections…third person limited…the
narrator reports the feelings and thoughts
of Utterson but not those of other
characters
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Themes
Duality of human nature
 Importance of reputation…keeping up
appearances
 Good vs evil
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Final Thoughts
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Do you agree?
Without Jekyll there could never have been a
Hyde and without Hyde one can never fully
know Jekyll…
 What drives people to explore the unknown…
 Why do scientists take risks…
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