The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Book 4 of Doubles
Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.y Hyde
Publication Year: 1886
Plot: Published as a 'shilling shocker', Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the idea of the split personality. The story of respectable Dr Jekyll's strange association with 'damnable young man' Edward hyde; the hunt through fog-bound London for a killer; and the final revelation of Hyde's true identity is a chilling exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil.
Miscellaneous: The work is commonly associated today with the Victorian concern over the public and private division, the individual's sense of playing a part and the class division of London. In this respect, the novella has also been noted as "one of the best guidebooks of the Victorian era" because of its piercing description of the fundamental dichotomy of the 19th century "outward respectability and inward lust", as this period had a tendency for social hypocrisy.
Before we got into the heart of the discussion, every reader admitted they had assumptions and predispositions regarding this novella. We all think we know what the story is how the story might go. Whether it was the Frederic March version or a Looney Tunes version, we all had ideas in our head. And, perhaps to the detriment of the novel, their experience was a little underwhelming.
The readers did not find there to be much in the way of drama and suspense. It was written in somewhat of a matter-of-fact manner, and for this group, did not grip them in the way they were expecting. They were a little disappointed that it wasn’t scary or paranoid. That being said, they acknowledged Robert Louis Stevenson’s prose to be quite readable.
As they were reading, they noticed there weren’t any “moral center” in the novella. Yes, the novel is about the potential evil that lurks in people, but they thought it might be a bit more about good vs. evil. They said they kept “waiting for a change” in the story. But alas, most of the horror takes place off the page.
Lastly, they talked about how the change that takes place in Jekyll/Hyde was due to a potion of sorts. They thought that was a little disappointing. Again, they were hoping for more of a psychological, paranoid occurence than I go fiddling around with chemicals. I know this write-up makes it sound like they didn’t like it. They did, albeit with some reservations. Sorry it wasn’t a super exciting summary!
That’s it for this week. Next week, we’ll be discussing another The Scapegoat. We hope you’re reading something good.
Until next time,
E.
If you would like to read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, here are some links: