STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
1. THE AUTHOR
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 13 November 1850.
Stevenson was not a healthy person. He suffered from respiratory problems all his life.
His father was an engineer and he wanted his son to follow his footsteps when he went
to university at the age of 17. Even though Stevenson wanted to be a writer, he
compromised for his father by studying law. He did not practice law. However, his
knowledge of legal matters is clear in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He wrote
poetry, essays, travel books and novels. He is most famous for writing the novels
Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. His writing
was popular during his lifetime and he is ranked amongst the 26 most translated authors
in the world. Stevenson travelled to different countries to be in the company of other
young artists. He met Fanny, in France and later followed her to America, where they
were married. He died in 1894 as a result of brain haemorrhage at the age of 44
2. TITLE
The title foreshadows what is going to happen in the novel.
o the name of the protagonist (dr jekyll) and the antagonist (mr hyde) are
placed close to each other.
o it is further suggested that there is a class difference between the two: dr
jekyll belongs to the middle class and mr hyde belongs to the lower class.
o the conjunction ‘and’ = the two characters are in some way connected.
o ‘case’ = a scientific experiment
o and the title of dr jekyll further enforces the idea that science is going to be
important.
o ‘strange’ = supernatural will play a role.
, 3. BACKGROUND
3.1.1 THE VICTORIAN PERIOD
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written during the late nineteenth
century, called the Victorian period.
o Queen Victoria ruled between 1837 and 1901.
o Victorian values required that the people showed sexual restraint, zero tolerance for
crime and strict behaviour in general.
o People were expected to conduct themselves according to the unwritten rules and
regulations of the Victorian society.
o During this period, the middle class was more politically and economically powerful.
3.1.2 SCIENCE AND THE SUPERNATURAL
The Theory of Evolution was introduced to the people, with the publication of Charles
Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species in 1859.
o According to Darwin’s theory, all life, including humans, had evolved from primitive
forms.
o Some people saw it as an attack on religion: it seemed that it was impossible to
believe that God created the world in seven days. Some people were turning more
and more towards religion, because they felt that science had become dangerous
and was interfering in matters which only God had control over.
o The focus was not only on Christianity but also on spiritualistic cults, that believed in
the supernatural, ghosts and magic.
3.1.3 GOTHIC FICTION
o Gothic fiction was known for its horrors, monsters and ancient creepy settings.
o The character Edward Hyde reminds us of the monster of the Gothic novels.
o He does not fit with the other respectable, civilised people of London.
3.1.4 DUAL NATURE
o According to Victorian belief, all human beings have a double (dual) nature.
o In the novel, the double nature of man is represented by Jekyll and Hyde.
Jekyll Hyde
Rational, Moral and Good Irrational, Instinctive, Aggressive,
Evil
