THROWBACK THURSDAY: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Throwback Thursday is dedicated to reviewing classic pieces of literature. You know, the stuff we all have to read in high school. But the classics are classic for a reason! Just because a book is written decades ago doesn't mean that it doesn't hold up in today's standards. 

Have you ever felt more like a monster than man? Does every good person have a darker self inside them? Robert Louis Stevenson explores these questions in his novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has been the inspiration for countless movies, musicals, plays, and television shows since its publication in 1886. It focuses on the investigation conducted by Gabriel John Utterson, who notices strange occurences in the life of an old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll. Jekyll has recently befriended a man known as Edward Hyde. The nature of the friendship puzzles Utterson, as Hyde has a rough personality, in huge contrast to Jekyll's timid, gentle nature. There is a huge mystery of the true identity of Mr. Hyde, as no one seems to know exactly who he is. Utterson is witness to several strange, often violent situations that involve Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll. Eventually, Dr. Jekyll reveals the true nature of the mysterious identity that is Hyde. There are two personalities within Dr.Jekyll: one is good and the other evil. In one man, there lies both ends of the morality spectrum. Jekyll is able to physically separate the two personalities with the help of a chemical concoction that allows Jekyll to transform into the physical manifestation of the evil that dwells within him. It's as if he unleashes a monster every time he consumes the elixir, and this frightens him, as he becomes less and less able to control the impulsive violence of Edward Hyde. As his ability to change back from Hyde into Jekyll disappears, Jekyll comes to the conclusion that he will eventually permanently become Hyde and the good in him will cease to exist. He composes a letter to Utterson, explaining his predicament, and ponders the future in which Dr. Henry Jekyll will disappear and be replaced forever Edward Hyde. Will Hyde be arrested for his crimes and be put to death? Will his impulsiveness bring wrath and harm to himself and thus end him.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel that still holds up today because we as humans are fascinated by the concepts of the soul, of evil, and of good. Can a person be truly good or truly evil? Do people possess the ability to be both? For some, it is a struggle. Some are compelled to do bad things while others selflessly do much good for their fellow man. Robert Louis Stevenson explores in his novel what he referred to as "the horror of my other self", in which he poses the question of whether or not all persons are capable of having two selves; one inherently good and one inherently evil. By focusing on one, do we deny and repress the other to the point we eventually cannot control ourselves? The character Dr. Jekyll expresses the fascination and the occasional enjoyment in being free to act on dark urges by transforming into Mr. Hyde. It shows that everyone is capable of committing evil deeds and perhaps people want to and will do evil things if they have the chance. Stevenson raises some excellent points in this novel that force the reader to reflect on their own thoughts, actions, and moral choices.

Regarded as one of the greatest horror stories ever told, Stevenson shows us that the true horror isn't some ghoulish creature or ghostly spectre. The true horror is within ourselves.


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is available at BarnesandNoble.com , Amazon.com, and retail booksellers. It is also available on Nook, Kindle, and audio book.