The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde novella by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde novella by Robert Louis Stevenson:

Introduction

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a pioneering novella in the gothic horror genre by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Published in 1886, it explores the duality of human nature and the terror unleashed when restraint and social norms are cast aside. The novella's shocking and compelling tale of a respected doctor who unleashes his sinister alter ego has captivated readers for over a century.

About the Writer - Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

  Robert Louis Stevenson was a prolific Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer. Though plagued by poor health for much of his life, he penned numerous classics including Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Born in Edinburgh, Stevenson drew inspiration from the city's insalubrious duality of civilization and savagery. His vivid writing style and pioneering works in several genres have cemented his legacy.

I. Introduction to Robert Louis Stevenson

- Born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland

- Pioneering Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer

- Major contributions to English literature in several genres

- Best known for iconic works like Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped 

II. Early Life and Education

  - Born into a family of lighthouse engineers and developers

  - Displayed remarkable imagination and talent for storytelling from a young age

  - Studied engineering briefly at Edinburgh University before focusing on law

  - Suffered from chronic respiratory issues his entire life 

III. Career Beginnings (1870s-1880s)

   - Early essays and travelogues like An Inland Voyage and Travels with a Donkey 

   - First books An Old Romani and New Arabian Nights published in 1882

   - Global literary fame with Treasure Island published in 1883 

   - Followed up with the dark gothic novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886

IV. Major Works

   A) Treasure Island (1883)

     - Classic coming-of-age adventure tale in the South Seas

     - Pioneered the fictional genre of "buccaneers and buried gold"

     - Iconic characters like Long John Silver, Jim Hawkins

   B) Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)  

     - Groundbreaking psychological thriller/gothic horror novella

     - Explores duality of human nature and man's inner evil 

     - Coined the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" for split personalities

   C) Kidnapped (1886)

     - Historical fiction adventure set in 1700s Scottish Highlands

     - Coming-of-age tale of young David Balfour's ordeal

  

   D) A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)

     - Beloved classic collection of children's poetry

     - Simple yet profound poems from a child's viewpoint

  

V. Later Life and Travel

  - Suffered from worsening lung ailments, moved frequently for his health

  - Extended travel and residence in France, Switzerland, U.S., and Pacific islands

  - Met future wife Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne in France in 1876 

  - Finally settled in Samoa in 1890 until his death in 1894 at age 44

VI. Literary Style and Influence  

   - Vivid, imaginative settings and atmosphere in works

   - Mastery of suspense, adventure narrative, and darker psychological themes

   - Pioneered English fiction's depiction of duality/divided self (Jekyll & Hyde)

   - Influenced later authors from J.M. Barrie to Ernest Hemingway

VII. Legacy and Closing

   - Acclaimed as a literary craftsman and great storyteller across genres

   - Major contributions to adventure, horror, and children's literature

   - Legendary life of travel and perseverance despite chronic illness  

   - Remains one of Scotland and Britain's most beloved authors

Robert Louis Stevenson was a pioneering, versatile, and wildly popular author who mastered multiple genres. Despite lifelong struggles with illness, he created some of the most iconic fictional works and characters that continue to captivate readers worldwide to this day.

Key Facts About The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

>  Published in 1886 as a "shilling shocker" or penny dreadful novella

> One of the earliest works in the gothic horror and psychological thriller genres

> Sales exceeded 40,000 copies in just 6 months after initial publication

> Quickly adapted into stage plays in Boston and London just months after release

Background and Origins

Stevenson conceived the strange tale in 1885 during unrestful dreams and feverish nights while bedridden from illness. He drew inspiration from the duality of human nature and Edinburgh itself - a venerable city cloaked in civilization yet harboring a depraved underbelly just beneath the surface.

"I had long been trying to write a story on this subject, to find a body, a vehicle for that strong sense of man's radical duality." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Setting

The novella is set in the gloomy, fog-shrouded streets of late 19th century London. Key settings include the respectable house of Dr. Jekyll, the disreputable door that leads to Mr. Hyde's grotesque quarters, as well as other shadowy urban landscapes that allow Hyde's misdeeds to unfold under cover of darkness and anonymity. The night-time city becomes a haunting backdrop for the chilling tale.

Plot Summary

The respected Dr. Henry Jekyll, a pioneering scientist, unlocks the ability to transform into his sinister alter ego Edward Hyde by drinking a serum of untold ingredients. At first, Jekyll delights in being able to shed the constraints of his civilized existence by becoming the crude, loutish Mr. Hyde. However, Jekyll finds he is unable to control Hyde's violent urges and despicable acts of evil.

As the novella progresses, Hyde grows increasingly hostile, escalating from minor indecencies to unspeakable crimes. Jekyll's ability to return from his Hyde state grows increasingly difficult and unpredictable. Fearing he will be forever trapped as the monstrous Mr. Hyde, Jekyll attempts to eliminate his malevolent second self - with disastrous results that are left to be pieced together from his final statements.

Themes

Duality of Human Nature

The novella's central preoccupation is with the duality and twin natures that reside within an individual - one portion upright and civilized, the other base, primal and evil. Jekyll represents the outward virtuous self while Hyde personifies the inner depravity and darkness all humans contain but repress. The book suggests this duality is universal and present in all people.

"I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both." - Dr. Jekyll

Repression of the Natural Self

Tied to the dualism is the theme of what happens when one represses their natural self and urges in an effort to adhere to societal propriety and standards. Jekyll seeks to separate his crude impulses entirely, only to find his "respectable" and "wicked" selves at war until the repression implodes catastrophically.

"With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two." - Dr. Jekyll

The Supernatural vs. Science

The idea of a potion to unlock one's second nature exists in the realm of the supernatural and uncanny. Yet Jekyll believes he is acting in the noble pursuit of scientific knowledge and truth. The novella exists at the intersection of late Victorian society's progress in science and medicine and its fascination with the occult and uncanny - where a scientist unleashes something decidedly unnatural and sinister.

Symbolism

  

The Potion/Serum

This mysterious concoction unlocks Jekyll's ability to free the bondage of his moral restraints in the persona of Mr. Hyde. It symbolizes the potential to unleash one's repressed inner self and violent, evil impulses.

The Door

The novella features a symbolic door which lets out onto a seedy, uncared for street. This door represents the portal between Dr. Jekyll's respectable quarters and Mr. Hyde's world of misdeeds and violence on the other side of the city's upright façade.  

Names

The names Jekyll and Hyde themselves represent the dichotomy of outward respectability vs. inward profligacy. "Jekyll" sounds proper and refined while "Hyde" has harsher, muddied, more menacing tones.

"He had an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile..." - Description of Mr. Hyde

Structure 

The novel is divided into 10 chapters, told primarily from the perspective of Mr. Utterson, a trustee and friend of Jekyll who investigates his strange associate Mr. Hyde. The novel uses a delayed narrative structure, withholding key details about Jekyll's relationship to Hyde to build suspense and mystery. The climax occurs after various witnesses detail Hyde's appearance and crimes, leading to the reading of Jekyll's full confession explaining his experiments.

Critical Appreciation  

Stevenson's psychological thriller was a groundbreaking work of Gothic horror in novella form. It deftly explores the Victorian preoccupation with keeping one's outward façade of morality and decorum in control at all times over any inner wickedness or human weakness. Stevenson's sharp, vivid descriptive powers turn Jekyll's fateful transformations into menacing, haunting scenes. The compressed novella length also lends suspense and intensity to the unfolding mystery. The unsettling ambiguity of how much of Hyde is present in Jekyll lingers with the reader.

Some Key Quotes

"With every minute, the drugs lost their efficacy... My devil had been long caged, but he came out roaring." - Jekyll on Hyde emerging again

"I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both." - Jekyll on his dualism

"Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end."

Legacy and Importance

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde became a cultural sensation, widely read and adapted into plays and films over the decades since. Its examination of split personalities and struggle between outward civility and inward primal urges tapped into deep Victorian fascinations and parables about morality and the "civilized" self. 

The novella launched the career of Robert Louis Stevenson and popularized the idea of a split or double personality inhabiting the same body. It introduced the concept of a "Jekyll and Hyde" split persona that has become ingrained in popular culture. The terrifying Mr. Hyde with his vague, shifting deformities embodied the monstrous potential lurking within every person.  

Over a century later, the novella still speaks to our fascination with duality, the battle between outward restraint and inward indulgence, and confronting the darkness within the human psyche. It showcases Stevenson's mastery of Victorian gothic suspense and the psychological thriller. The book's gripping mystery, vivid atmosphere, and chilling themes have cemented The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as a seminal classic of horror fiction.

Conclusion

Robert Louis Stevenson's iconic gothic novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a pioneering work of psychological horror that continues to disturb and captivate over 130 years later. Its timeless exploration of the duality of human nature, restraint vs. indulgence, outward reputation vs. inward truth, and confronting the capacity for evil within all people remains powerfully resonant. Vividly written, suspenseful, and profoundly unsettling, it is a quintessential addition