The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: And Other Tales of Terror (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

by Robert Louis Stevenson (Author), Robert Mighall (Editor, Contributor) "Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward..." (more)
Key Phrases: laboratory door, moral insanity, Edward Hyde, Henry Jekyll, Doctor Jekyll (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
tevenson's famous exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil, "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," has become synonymous with the idea of a split personality. More than a morality tale, this dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. Also in this volume are "The Body Snatcher," which charts the murky underside of Victorian medical practice, and "Olalla," a tale of vampirism and "the beast within," with a beautiful woman at its center.

About the Author
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) wrote many works of fiction, including Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and The Master of Ballantrae, as well as poetry and travel narratives. Robert Mighall edited the Penguin Classics edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray and is the author of A Geography of Victorian Gothic Fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; Revised edition (September 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141439734
• ISBN-13: 978-0141439730
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,398 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Dual Nature of Man., October 11, 2006

By	New Age of Barbarism "zosimos" (EVROPA.) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

_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.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go seek Hyde, June 26, 2003

By	Johnny Heering "trivia buff" (Bethel, CT United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: And Other Tales of Terror (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

The original version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is much different than you would expect, if you haven't read it before. It plays out as a mystery of sorts. A lawyer friend of Jekyll tries to find out what the relationship is between the respectable Dr Jekyll and the lowlife Mr Hyde. It is not revealed until near the end of the story that they are in fact the same man. Of course, nowadays everyone is aware of that before they have even read this story. Naturally, a lot of the suspense of the story is lost due to this. Still, this story became a classic for a reason and is well worth a read. And it's short too, for you kids looking for a short book to read for a book report. There are two other suspense stories by Stevenson included here, too. These two are not classics, but they are also enjoyable.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Short Masterpiece, July 16, 2006

By	J. E. Robinson - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.