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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Dual Nature of Man.

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_The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror_, in the Penguin Classics series, consists of three tales by Robert Louis Stevenson, an essay by Stevenson, as well as an introduction and "diagnosis of Dr. Jekyll" by the editor Robert Mighall. Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish writer in the Victorian period who grew up to a strict Presbyterian upbringing which would lead him to become obsessed with sin, the nature of evil, and death throughout much of his life. Originally Stevenson wrote adventure tales and stories of pirates (_Treasure Island_ for example); however, he was to turn his writing talents to tales of horror and the supernatural, particularly with the stories seen here. Stevenson wrote these stories to be read during the Christmas season (one traditionally associated with the supernatural and tales of dread). While Stevenson was much influenced by his own strict upbringing, he also was influenced by the various evolutionary theories of criminology then popular in the Victorian period. In particular, the eugenic theories of Francis Galton and the criminological theories of Caesare Lombroso (who claimed to have found the source of the "atavistic criminal type") were then popular. Stevenson also may have been interested in sexual pathology (a taboo topic during the Victorian era). In particular, many of his stories hint at homosexuality or possibly sexual sadism (and the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was to influence the writing of Oscar Wilde who was convicted of sodomy in his time). Stevenson's stories reveal the dark side of man and the hypocrisy of the "respectable" during the Victorian period. This book contains the following tales (and essay): _Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ (1886) - This is the classic tale of a double consciousness. The respectable Dr. Jekyll, an upright citizen of a higher status, begins to develop a secret nature (to become a "secret sinner") which eventually leads him to construct the personality of a Mr. Edward Hyde as an alter. Mr. Hyde is a repulsive figure to behold, uniformly despised by those who see him, short in stature, possibly deformed, and bearing some resemblance to the simian. Mr. Hyde is also the classic atavistic criminal type, believed to be lower on the evolutionary ladder than the righteous Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll concocts a potion which he intakes and becomes the sinister Mr. Hyde. Thus, begins a classic conflict between the good and evil natures within man. While Dr. Jekyll leads an upright life, his alter Mr. Hyde engages in brutal activities, nearly plows over a child on the street, and eventually murders a man. The story unfolds as Dr. Jekyll's lawyer and friend tries to understand why Dr. Jekyll should choose such a repulsive individual as Hyde as his benefactor to his will and the ensuing transformation in Jekyll. Eventually the transformation begins to occur in Jekyll without the use of the potion, so Jekyll vows to stop taking it. However, he returns to the potion again eventually (perhaps hinting at the horrors of alcoholism or other addiction) and becomes Mr. Hyde again. Eventually the personality of Mr. Hyde is to overcome completely Dr. Jekyll (as his potion runs out). Thus is revealed the dual nature of man. "The Body Snatcher" (1884) - This tale involves the procurement of bodies to be dissected by medical students. At the time, the bodies used by medical students were in short supply. These bodies are supplied to a Dr. K__ (perhaps, Robert Knox, a real life physician who was implicated in a similar scandal); however, it soon becomes apparent that they have been murdered. The story ends with a bizarre twist. This story was a precursor to _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_, and it features many of the same surroundings. "Olalla" (1885) - This is a classic Gothic tale featuring a voyage by a man suffering from tuberculosis (which Stevenson himself was to suffer from) to Catholic Spain. There he stays with an ancient family which is under a horrifying curse - degeneracy of the blood. Stevenson based this story on many of the evolutionary beliefs popular at the time, including the hereditary nature of madness and "bad blood". The family described in this story, though of noble birth, has a history of this "taint of the blood" brought about by too much inbreeding. The story involves vampirism (the longing for blood, which perhaps influenced the later writings of Bram Stoker, whose Dracula was also an atavistic criminal type of a tainted heritage) and the narrator falls in love with Olalla, a daughter of the family. "A Chapter on Dreams" (Abridged) (1888) - This is an essay written by Stevenson in which he discusses his dreams (the role of the "Brownies" (elfin creatures) in their creation) and the source of his inspiration for _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_. The final section of this book is an essay by the editor Robert Mighall, entitled "Diagnosing Jekyll: The Scientific Context of Dr Jekyll's Experiment and Mr Hyde's Embodiment". This essay discusses the role of double-consciousness (the possibility of multiple personality), moral insanity, criminal responsibility, and sexual perversion in the character of Dr. Jekyll. It is most interesting for its remarks on the evolutionary theories of criminology popular at the time and the possible sexual perversion of Dr. Jekyll. This essay also discusses the case of "Jack the Ripper", which played out in London at the same time as _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ was appearing on the stage, and its relationship to this story. This book includes several interesting stories by Stevenson which reveal his continuing obsessions, the dual nature of man and the evolutionary taint of "bad blood". They show us how even the most respectable, upright individuals may have a dual nature (a dark side), though it is often hidden. They also have much to say about the societal hypocrisy which makes such a thing possible to begin with. The need to "keep up appearances" often betrays a darker side.

A Short Masterpiece

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I will not give away the plot, and I encourage all to read this literary masterpiece. The author's technique in this novel is to use an independent observer, a Mr. Utterson, who re-tells what has happened to his friend Dr. Jekyll. The story is short: just 70 pages. I would have never picked this book to read without some guidance. It was on Nabokov's books to read list from his Cornell teaching notes on European Literature (circa 1950) now available in book form: Lectures on Literature (Paperback) by Vladimir Nabokov. His seven books or novels are: Jane Austen - Mansfield Park Charles Dickens - Bleak House Gustave Flaubert - Madame Bovary Robert Louis Stevenson - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Marcel Proust - The Walk by Swann's Place Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis James Joyce - Ulysses Why is the present book on that list? The reason - without giving away the plot - is that it is not a simple science fiction or similar story. It is about human failings and about obsession, compulsion, and human weakness. The story is the battle between a doctor and the counter character that he has created. Who will win this battle: good or evil? This is a terrific but short novella just 70 pages long. The present Penguin classic contains a good analysis of the story by Robert Mighall, plus two other short stories: "The Body Snatcher" and "Olalla." These have similar macabre themes but on different subjects and they are not as deep as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The latter is a literary work of art similar in spirit to "Lolita," another book about human failings and compulsions. The plot details are obviously very different as is the London setting here.

Excellent edition of a classic tale

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Stevenson's famous "shilling shocker" from 1886 has almost been distilled into a diagnostic commonplace. The notion of the "Jekyll & Hyde" personality has become a shorthand description for someone who leads a psychological double-life. Stevenson's tale dwells on the dangers of duplicity and addiction, and the unpredictable consequences of starting down the slippery slope: once you start giving in to the darker half of your nature, it isn't always possible to go back. The idea is well known, generally from the numerous screen adaptations, but the original story isn't. It's well worth reading, especially in this fine edition from Penguin. Apart from including some lesser known tales from Stevenson, editor Robert Mighall provides detailed notes, an excellent introduction, and a fascinating final essay entitled, "Diagnosing Jekyll: the Scientific Context to Dr Jekyll's Experiment and Mr Hyde's Embodiment". This essay situates Stevenson's tale in the context of nineteenth-century London society, considers the likely contemporary medico-scientific explanations for Jekyll's "case" (including the memorably named condition of "masturbatic insanity"), and also reveals the impact Stevenson's work had on the public's interpretation of the real-life criminal case of Jack the Ripper. Mighall's commentary will also appeal to literary-critical readers who'll want to think about the narrative device of presenting a supernatural tale through the testimony of doctors, lawyers and written documents. Mighall also identifies some slip-ups in Jekyll's final confession which suggest he isn't quite as neatly divided as he claims. This is an excellent edition for student readers, or for those who like to read so-called classics in context.

Interesting horror/study	Customer Rating:
This is an interesting book to read, although since pretty much everyone know's what's going to happen, that takes some of the fun out of it. Other than that, it has some good points to think about, good for provoking ruminations on what your own ideas about the goodness/evilness of your own self!

A Great Horror Story

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This was the first of three Victorian horror novels I read this summer. This is a great story of how Dr. Henry Jekyll becomes obsessed with his alter ego, Edward Hyde, and continues to turn himself into Hyde. Hyde kills people and people get angry and put a bounty on Hyde's head. Dr. Jekyll vows not to drink his potion again, but one day his friend Gabriel Utterson and his butler Poole hear strange noises in Jekyll's study and have their suspicions who it is...