THE STRANGE CASE OF DR

JEKYLL AND MR HYDE

Robert Louis Stevenson

PRESENTATION

Introduction The life and works of Robert Louis Stevenson

Context of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Edinburgh, Darwin, and the rise of
detective and horror novels)
Plot outline of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Split personality
Criticism of science
Representation of women (or lack of)
The theme of horror (mention form, suspense etc.)
Fragment of film
Useful books and articles

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

B. 1850, Edinburgh; d. 1894

Part of a respectable family (father an engineer, other members part of the church and
legal profession)
Sickly child: little contact with his parents. Cummy gives him nightmares.
Studied at Edinburgh university but led a bohemian double life
Left the city for his health
Notable works: Treasure Island (1883),
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886),
Kidnapped (1886)

VICTORIAN EDINBURGH

New Town vs. Old Town (high life vs. squalor )

Burke and Hare 1827-1828 case involved two
Irish immigrants who killed 17 people and sold their
bodies to Dr Robert Knox for Dissection at the
Edinburgh Medical College. Burke was hanged,
Hare was given immunity for testifying against his
partner. Although before RLSs time, the story would
have been remembered and probably told to him
while growing up.

VICTORIAN LONDON

Very much similar to Edinburgh in terms of class division

Grim for the most part, which made it the perfect
setting for horror (e.g. Sweeney Todd in The String of
Pearls, 1846 onwards, and other penny dreadfuls)
the dismal quarter of Soho seen under these changing
glimpses, with its muddy ways, and slatternly passengers
seemed, in the lawyers eyes, like a district of some
city in a nightmare. DJMH

OLD JACK: JACK THE RIPPER

It has been highlighted that the murders took place within two years of the
story being published, and that a play based on it was running at the same
time
Murders of five (possibly more) women, predominantly prostitutes.
The five we know were his doing happened in 1888; Whitechapel (East End
of London). The way in which they were killed shows that the killer had vast
knowledge of the human anatomy.

ORIGIN OF SPECIES

Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species published 1859

Main argument: populations evolve over time via a process of natural selection
For the first time, the evolutionary theory was considered a respectable field of scientific
study
Split the God-fearing community some argued Darwins theory
was credible (God working through evolution) while others rejected
it entirely (Creationists)
Why is this important? Two of the main arguments of DJMH
question the good and bad of human nature, along with criticising
science (as we will see later)

HORROR AND
DETECTIVE/MYSTERY FICTION
Victorian obsession with the
supernatural and its investigation
meant horror stories became more
popular.

1868 Wilkie Collins: The

Moonstone (considered the first
detective story)
1887 Conan Doyle publishes his
first Sherlock Holmes story

We can argue that Dr Jekyll and

Mr Hyde rests comfortably in
both of these categories.

INTRODUCTION TO DR JEKYLL
AND MR HYDE

Written in Bournemouth 1884-1886

One of the great horror stories
MAIN THEMES:
The double identity/ Beast in man
Criticism of science
Sexual repression

SUMMARY OF THE PLOT

Utterson (lawyer and friend of Jekylls) is concerned about Jekylls relationship with Mr
Hyde (renowned to be a nasty piece of work) to whom he has left a quarter of a million
pounds. Lanyon (another friend and doctor) is concerned about the experiments Jekyll has
been carrying out.
Hyde murders Sir Danvers Carew (an MP) and this is witnessed by Carews maid. Later,
Lanyon gives Utterson a package which is to be opened in the event of Jekylls death and
states he no longer wants to be associated with Jekyll. Lanyon dies.
Jekyll becomes reclusive, and one day Utterson and Enfield pass by his window and begin
to speak but he shuts the window.
Poole (Jekylls manservant) comes to Utterson for help thinking Jekyll has been murdered.
Together they break down the door and find Hyde who has poisoned himself. Package is
opened which contains Lanyons and Jekylls writings.
Lanyons narrative: describes how he had instructions to bring drugs to Hyde, who on
taking the drugs turns back into Jekyll.
Jekylls statement: description of his experiments, struggle between good and evil and how
the evil begins to take over. Considers suicide when he realises Hyde is taking over and he
cannot find the drugs to keep him under control.

A PROBLEM FOR READERS

Because the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is so well-known and has

become a big part of horror culture, critics have argued that the fundamental
element of the story has been spoilt that is to say, there is less enjoyment to
be got from reading the text because most readers know that Jekyll and Hyde
are one and the same.

THE DOUBLE IDENTITY

Somewhat similar to RLSs own
Double identity is reflected by the setting of London (two sides)
GOOD vs EVIL the two sides of human nature. Drummed into RLS as a little boy?)
Morality.
BEAST IN MAN having to conform to social rules results in having to hide animal
passions is Hyde Jekylls inner beast? (Jekyll respectable etc.)
Can be perceived as an interpretation of schizophrenia
(modern theory psychology)
The influence of drugs (both RLS? and in the story)
leading to:
SCIENCE IS BAD

CRITICISM OF SCIENCE

As we have already seen, scientific advances in the Victorian age were subject
to much controversy and were consequently heavily criticised (e.g. Darwin)
DJMH can be seen as one such criticism.
Jekyll/Hydes dependence on drugs bordering on desperation can be
interpreted in a similar way to a drug addict he needs to feed an addiction
in order to keep Hyde under control.

REPRESSION OF SEXUAL DESIRE AND

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN

Another argument that features prominently in criticism and commentary is

that of repressed sexual desire. This may account for the animal quality
present in Hyde, and there are many allusions to the repression (locked doors,
cabinets, secrecy etc.) Men able to live without women.
There is a marked absence of female characters in the story except for a
couple of servants who are both described in passing and the reference to the
little girl who gets knocked down by Hyde.

LITERARY TECHNIQUES USED

Symbolism
Use of language and dialogue
Different narrative voices
Irony

SYMBOLISM

Doors locked (repression, both sexual and of Hyde)

Setting London (two sides); fog and the fact that the action takes place in the
winter both serve to emphasise the horror and the idea of secrecy and all things
grim.
Masks alluded to at several points in the story (again, secrecy and dual
personality idea of having to hide something)
Name of Hyde sounds like hide; obviously intentional (If he be Mr HydeI
shall be Mr Seek)

All serve to reiterate the theme of the dual personality.

NARRATIVE VOICES AND

LANGUAGE
There are three narrative voices present:
3rd person narrator (Uttersons POV) allows the action to take place and the mystery to
build. Language and dialogue used emphasises the said mystery the dismal quarter of
Soho seen under these changing glimpses, with its muddy ways, and slatternly
passengersseemed, in the lawyers eyes, like a district of some city in a nightmare.
Dr Lanyons narrative revelation of the mystery
Jekylls statement perhaps the most important part in terms of what RLS was trying to get
across in his work (morality)
Not only does the use of different voices make for interesting reading (rather than being
just one straightforward narrative), but it also allows Jekyll/Hyde to redeem himself as the
reader sees things from his POV

IRONY

She had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy, but her manners were
excellent. - One example of contradiction, or irony, which again is used
frequently throughout the text to allude to a dual personality.
This is also evident in Jekylls changeable attitude as the story unfolds (e.g.
when Jekyll smiles at Utterson and Enfield which is then succeeded by an
expression of such abject terror and despair , as froze the very blood of the
two gentlemen below.
A profound irony can be found in RLSs criticism of science in that the very
thing that is supposed to do good (e.g. medicine) instead causes suffering.

INTERESTING ARTICLES

Doane, Janice and Hodges, Devon; Demonic Disturbances of Sexual Identity: The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr/s Hyde
Macduffie, Allen; Irreversible Transformations: Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde and Scottish Energy Science
Massey, Irving; The Third Self: "Dracula, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
and Mrime's "Lokis
Saposnik, Irving S.; The Anatomy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
NO AUTHOR (Science Scene); Dr Jekyll and Mr Cocaine
All are available on http://www.jstor.org. Sign in using UCM for full access.

TO FINISH (PART TWO)

FRAGMENT OF THE 1931 FILM ADAPTATION:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ErzUl5LeDw

The whole film is available, along with other adaptations. Just run a search for
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde