Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Vlad Piranha

Clocking in at sixty-some pages, this book is more of a short story. I would think something so iconic would be much more substantial, but that's the genius of this work. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (so few people know it by its full name) is a quick read and well suited for a single sitting, as I'm sure Stevenson intended. He no doubt wanted his twisted tale to move quickly and command its reader's attention, not unlike a spooky story told by a campfire.

A distinguished scientific genius, Jekyll is a member of the social elite with his work honored by the king himself. Few could ever be so talented as to accomplish such a place in life, but Jekyll is unsatisfied with his position. As such a respected man, he feels constricted. With the eyes of his many friends and colleagues always watching, he feels he has no escape from the obligations of his post. He bottles up his carnal desires out of fear of the consequences of indulging his darker nature. His genius presents a solution to his problem when he concocts a potion. Upon drinking it, it will physically alter his appearance so radically that he would appear to be a different person. He dubs his alter ego Edward Hyde and spends his nights drinking and satisfying his basest desires in houses of ill repute. By morning, the effects of his potions wear off and he resumes his normal life as Dr. Jekyll.

Not everything is so clean and simple, however. Jekyll finds that his mind begins to change in that form as well and that Hyde enjoys more than just those repressed desires. He's a sociopath, and prone to violence. The more Jekyll uses the potion, the more Hyde begins to take on a life of his own and become another person altogether. To make matters even more frightening, Jekyll finds that he has begun to transform into his other half without the potion and with no control over when. Fearing what Hyde might do at any given time if given the chance, the doctor becomes a recluse while he tries desperately to create a permanent cure, meanwhile spending less and less time as himself and more and more as Hyde. He begins to realize that soon he will cease to exist and Edward Hyde will take over. Until then, Hyde waits impatiently for his chance to be released, "strung to the pitch of murder, lusting to inflict pain".

This book is completely badass, to say the least and some of the most fun I've had reading the written word. The narrative comes from the journal of Dr. Jekyll, chronicling his last days. What starts off as a suspected murder becomes something so much worse. With this style, Stevenson set the framework for 'found footage' horror films produced over a century later. The concept of a repressed beast lurking within us also found its way into pop culture features like Incredible Hulk comic books and films like Fight Club. At the time of its release in 1886, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was immensely popular with religious conservatives, where it became a morality tale about the dangers of giving in to the temptations of sin.

One last thing I'll mention is how popular culture has such a misconception of Mr. Hyde's appearance. From old Bugs Bunny cartoons to film The Leage of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Hyde always appears as a monstrous, hulking brute. That's far from his description on the page. Stevenson describes him as small, with clothing hanging off of him, to imply that Jekyll shrinks slightly when he transforms. While, on more than one occasion, passers-by note that there's something truly abnormal about his appearance, they can never consciously understand why.

I highly recommend reading this book for the following reasons:
Solid Prose
High Cultural Value
Interesting Philosophical Discussion
A Fast Read

Last edited by Vlad Piranha on Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

massive · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:41 pm Post subject:

Nice review - now that I've read this, I realize I too have never read the original prose. On my list.
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Vlad Piranha wrote:

I'm offended that a zombie holocaust isn't on the list. It would be terrifying, sure, but it would be pretty sweet if you think about it.

xsupermage · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 6:22 pm Post subject: