The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

BACKGROUND
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1850. After studying
law at university, he travelled around France. Belgium and California wehre he
met and married his wife. Over the next few years, they moved between France,
Scotland and England. Stevenson had health problems and in 18888, he and his
wife sailed to the Pacific Islands. Stevenson never returned to Europe but bought
a house in Samoa where the weather was good for his health. He died suddenly
in 1894 and wads buried on the island, where he had been know as Tusitala or
The Storyteller. His most famous works are Treasure Island, The Strange Case
of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and The Master of Ballantrae. The
personal struggle between good and evil is a theme that Stevenson returns to
again and again int he story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who each try to defeat the
others values . The other main theme oft he book is that scientific
experimentation can achieve almost anything but needs to be done with great
care since it can be used for evil purposes as well as good.

Dr Henry Jekyll is a successful and well-known london doctor who is liked for his
pleasant character and respected for his work. The mysterious Mr Edward Hyde,
on the other hand, appears to be a thoroughly bad man, although he is
completely unknown in london society. A well-known man is murdered and
Edward Hyde seems to be responsible. So how does Mr Hyde come to have the
key of Dr Jekylls house ? and why does Dr Jekyll give his lawyer, Mr Utterson, a
new will in which he leaves everything to mr Hyde? One night, Poole, Dr Jekylls
butler, visits mr Utterson and asks him to come quickly to Dr jekylls house.
When they arrived, the butler knocked gently on the door and a voice inside
asked: Is that you, Poiole? Yes, its all right, said Poole. Open the door. They
entered the brightly lit hall. all the servants were crowded together there like
frightened sheep. Why are you all here? asked Utterson. Dr jekyll would not be
pleased. Theyre all afraid,said Poole. And now,he said, addressing a kitchen
boy, bring me a candle and well get this done immediatley.then he begged mr
Utterson to Follow him to Dr Jekylls study. Poole led Utterson in silence back to
the kitchen. Sir,he said, looking mr Utterson int he eyes, was that my masters
voice? It seems much changed, replied the lawyer, very pale. Changed? No,
sir. That is not my master. He was got rid of eight days ago when we heard him
cry out int he name of God. And whos there instead of him? This is a strange
story, Poole,said Mr Utterson., biting his finger. Suppose Dr Jekyll was
murdered. What could persuade the murderer to stay? That doesnt make sense.

Eventually, Utterson returns to the study and demands to enter. The voice from
inside refuses and Utterson realises it is Mr hydes voice. Poole and Utterson
decide to break into the study.
They looked into the room. There it lay the quiet lamplight, a good fire burning,
papers set neatly on the desk and things arranged for tea. Right int he middle,
there lay the body of a man, horribly twister and not yet quite still. They went
towards it carefully and recognised the face of edward Hyde. He was dressed in
clothes that were far too big for him, clothes oft he doctors size. The muscles of

his face still moved but life was quite gone; there was a broken bottle in his
hand.
The two men turned to the desk. On it they found an envelope addressed to Mr
Utterson. The lawyer opened it and several papers fell to the floor, including a
new will from Dr Jekyll-but in place oft he name Edward Hyde, the lawyer read his
own name. I dont understand, said Utterson. hyde has been here for days. He
must have been angry to see my name instead of his but he didnt destroy this
paper. Why dont you read that note, sir?asked Poole. Because Im afraid to,
replied the lawyer. And with that he fixed his eyes on the paper and read the
note.

My dear Utterson,
When this comes into your hands, l shall have disappeared. I cannot be certain as
to how that will happen but my feelings tell me that the end is sure and must
come soon. If you wish to hear more, turn to the story of,
Your ashame and unhappy friend,
HENRY JEKYLL.

Wed better say nothing about this,said Utterson, putting all the papers in his
pocket. If your master has run away or is dead, we may at least save his good
name. I must go home and read these papers but I shall be back before midnight,
when we shall send for the police.
When Utterson returned home, he read Henry Jekylls full statement oft he case.
I was born into a rich family and was gifted with excellent abilities; so I was
certain, you might have thought, to become a respected and honourable man.
But I bean to lead a double life. I did experiments with a mixture of drugs that
would change my body and mind and would reshape them in a new way.
The frust time I drank the mixture, I experienced terrible pain, and I lost height;
but then I felt younger and happier. I also felt the desire to do evil. When I looked
int he mirror, I saw for the first time the appearance of Mr Hyde. When I took the
mixture again, I became Henry Jekyll once more. So now I had two identities; my
original self, and a completely evil identitiy. This new identity was the clear
expression oft he lowest qualities of my soul.
I repeated the experiment many times and as Mr Hyde, I did unthinkable crimes.
Even now, I can hardly believe I did them. But the drugs began to have
unpredictable effects. Once I went to bed as DR Jekyll and woke up as Mr Hyde!
My hands became bony and covered in hair. Things were getting out of control
and everyone was on my track; I was hunted, a known murderer, with a sure end
on a hangmans rope.
I have been a prisoner in my own study, more often int he shape of Mr Hyde. The
mixture of drugs doesnt seem to work anymore. I have become seriously weak
and feverish in body and mind. Nobody ha sever suffered in such a terrible way. I

am now finishing this statement It is probaby the last time that Heny Jekyll can
think his own thoughts or see his own face. I must hurry. If Hyde finds this
statement, he will tear it to pieces. Half an hour from now, I know how Hyde will
sit shaking and crying in my chair or march endlessly up and down this room
listening in terror for any sound of danger. Will Hyde be hanged on the hangman
s rope? Or willhe find the courage to take his own life? I do not care. This is my
true hour of death, and what follows concerns a person who is myself. Here then,
as I lay down the pen, I bring the life oft hat unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end.