The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A Book Review

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a renowned gothic novel that was written in 1886 by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. This book is set in London and follows the life of Mr. Utterson—a lawyer—as he starts to look into an increasing number of strange events involving an evil man—Mr. Hyde—and Utterson’s good friend—Dr. Jekyll. This novel provokes thoughtful discussion regarding the duality of man, the temptation of curiosity, and the complexity of morality. 

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde begins with a discussion between Mr. Utterson and his friend, Mr. Enfield, as they walk along the streets of London. As they approach an ominous  building, Enfield tells Utterson about something gruesome he witnessed not long ago; Enfield recounts that late one night, he saw a hideous man named Hyde trample a little girl on the street with no remorse. To avoid a scandal, Hyde offered to compensate the girl’s family after seeing how enraged they were. Shockingly, Hyde gave a cheque signed by a reputable man, Dr. Henry Jekyll. After hearing this story, Utterson becomes bothered as he is both Jekyll’s lawyer and good friend. Utterson’s discomfort increases as he remembers that Jekyll had written a will that would transfer all of his possessions to a certain Mr. Hyde in the case of the doctor’s death or disappearance. Utterson, concerned for the wellbeing of his friend, becomes determined to understand the connection between Jekyll and Hyde. The rest of the novel follows Utterson's investigations regarding the strange relationship between Jekyll and Hyde.

Personally, I really enjoyed this novel because of how the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, expertly built tension throughout the whole course of the book. I also found this novel to be fairly easy to understand compared to other classics, making it pleasant to read. Moreover, Stevenson’s occasional drop of witty dialogue allowed the novel to have a perfect balance between horror and humor. For example, one of my favorite witty lines was "If he be Mr. Hyde," he had thought, "I shall be Mr. Seek." That line gave me a good laugh. Finally, reading this book allowed me to reflect upon the danger of the duality of man. I realized that we all have different parts to us, some parts that we are ashamed of and some parts that we are proud of . However, it is up to us to let the good shine through and overpower the bad no matter what. 

In conclusion, the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a gothic book that not only features a thrilling mystery, but also explores the themes of the duality of man, the temptation of curiosity, and the complexity of morality. Moreover, this novel allows readers to recognize that we all have a version of Hyde buried in ourselves, but unlike Jekyll, we must learn to harness those parts and let the good shine through.