Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a gothic novella by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or simply Jekyll & Hyde.
It is about a London lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella's impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the very phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" coming to mean a person who is vastly different in moral character from one situation to the next.
This book is one of the most gripping and fascinating books I have ever read. It is such a riveting thriller, that it is impossible to stop reading it even though it is a bit spooky.
The story begins with the Will of Dr. Henry Jekyll where we learn that if he disappears or dies his fortune will be left to Mr. Edward Hyde. Through the lawyer Mr. Utterson we come to know Jekyll and Hyde. Mr. Utterson says Hyde is a cruel and vicious man who knocks over a child on purpose and steps on her without a care. But this is only the beginning of his evil behaviour, later on he kills an MP without reason. Hyde is seen going into Dr. Jekyll's home several times on different nights. How are the two men connected?
Dr. Jekyll is a kind and responsible man but he is worried. It seems Dr. Jekyll is protecting Mr. Hyde – but why?
As we follow Mr. Utterson and through the clever use of letters written by Jekyll and Hyde, we discover the terrible secret that connects them!
This is a very well written book, with descriptive and powerful language. The characters and their feelings are described beautifully, for example, Mr. Utterson "spent his words as rarely as gold" and Hyde, who stares at people "with a sneering coolness – like the devil himself" making people feel uncomfortable just by looking at him.
There are two main ideas in the story. Firstly, the battle of good versus evil. We see this in the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and how he struggles to keep balance between both sides of himself. Secondly, it is about taking science too far and if we can control scientific research.
