Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the mysterious, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in six weeks, but the story was probably brewing in Stevenson’s mind long before that.
The story quickly became popular, as gothic horror stories were “trending” at the time.
Stevenson said that the story came to him in a feverish dream when he was ill. But what many don’t know is that Stevenson most likely based the struggle of Dr. Jekyll and his devilish counterpart off of a real person.
William Brodie had been a respected cabinet-maker and member of society in Edinburgh. He had even made furniture for Stevenson’s father. The truth was, however, Brodie led a double life.
By night, the respectable man became the leader of burglars, a philandering vagrant, and a gambler (background taken from here).
But why would Stevenson be inspired by and fascinated by such a man?
At the time, the Victorian values of society dictated a respectable person’s conduct. In Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, we see this personified by Jekyll. Jekyll explains at the end that he felt trapped in the monotony and dullness of leading the private, respectable life of a scholar.
Stevenson, no doubt, felt the moral constraints of society. Indeed, he left these behind to marry his wife, who was a recently divorced 36 year old to his 25.
In Stevenson’s book, Jekyll’s sinful nature eats away at him as fleshly desires beg for an outlet. Jekyll feels torn, not wanting to compromise his position in society, but desperately wanting to give in, even just for a moment, to his more baser instincts.
Thus, Jekyll devises his brilliant plan: to create an alter ego who is unrecognizable. As Hyde, Jekyll can go and carry out the misdeeds he desires and return to his former, respectable self without consequence. The plan seems foolproof.
However, as with the historical Brodie, who was hung for his crimes, there are always consequences.
Exploring the Human Condition
I enjoyed reading this book because it plumbs the depths of the human condition. It examines the implications of a person leading a double life. It is more than a creepy tale to make our spines tingle; It sheds light on what happens when we begin to feed our darker side, little by little.
The truth is, we all lead a double life in one way. To survive, to make friends, and to like ourselves, we pay attention to our nice and acceptable parts. Yet, we all have parts of that are wild or that toy with the idea of doing something wicked.
And, in some ways, small or big, we carry out our wicked agendas. Some of us are obvious in our unholy pursuits, while others employ manipulation and deception (of self or others).
Here, Stevenson shows this struggle in a single character, who wants to satisfy both aspects of his nature. Therefore, this leads to a split: one moment he is the kind and good Jekyll, the next he is the cruel, lustful Hyde.
Building the Mystery
Stevenson effectively builds suspense and mystery throughout this story. This was a common element of gothic novels, to build up to the moment when the man encounters the horrible thing (which might not actually happen). It is all about the suspense and creating a dark, gloomy atmosphere where the reader is wondering what terrible thing the main character will discover next.
The mystery comes to a head after Hyde murdered a man and escaped. Everyone is looking for him. Then, Mr. Utterson visits Dr. Lanyon, a mutual friend of himself and Dr. Jekyll, and his suspicions about the connection between Hyde and Jekyll are aroused. Soon after, Dr. Lanyon succumbs to an illness which resulted from a serious shock, having to do with Jekyll.
Utterson is torn. Should he visit his friend, who has now locked himself away, when he has reason to suspect him of something terrible? Stevenson shows the inner struggle:
It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it; and it may be doubted if, from that day forth, Utterson desired the society of his surviving friend with the same eagerness. He thought of him kindly; but his thoughts were disquieted and fearful.
Robert Louis Stevenson. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The Lawyer as the Protagonist
The protagonist, Mr. Utterson, is portrayed as a morally upright man, loyal friend, and outstanding citizen, driven by duty. He is the lawyer handling Jekyll’s case and trying to unravel the mystery.
In short, Mr. Utterson embodies the kind of man who society appreciated and respected at the time. It is therefore understandable when Utterson is horrified to find that his respected friend Dr. Jekyll is keeping such disreputable company as Mr. Hyde (or so he thinks).
Stevenson couldn’t tell the story from Jekyll’s POV, as that would have given away the mystery from the beginning. Additionally, Jekyll is arguably not the protagonist because, even as Jekyll he does not embody the necessary goodness of Victorian values.
My Recommendation
This book is great to read if you are looking for something with an engaging mystery, a slow-moving but short plot line, and something with a good balance of description and dialogue/ action. I am impressed with Stevenson’s writing, characters and ideas so far. Treasure Island is on my reading list, and I look forward to delving into that one early next year, or perhaps sooner if I am curious enough.
I would love to hear from you!
- Have you read this book? What are your thoughts on the themes and characters?
- Do you think humans have this dual nature? If so, How do you think people deal with it?
- Have you read other works of Robert Louis Stevenson you would recommend?
You can read the ebook here for free.
Classic Reads 