Callum Quinn, © 2021
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
By Robert Louis Stevenson
The (a) story follows one Mr. Utterson, an eminent and respected lawyer living and working within the mist-riddled streets of Victorian-era London. His curiosity is one day piqued when a friend comments on a strange encounter he recently had with a highly disagreeable man named Edward Hyde. For all who meet him, Hyde unearths inexplicable feelings of disgust and dread—and as Utterson delves deeper into the mystery of who this man is, he is disturbed to find just how closely tied this shady character is to his dear friend and client, Dr. Henry Jekyll….
The (A) story hints greatly at the duality of humankind, and how we all hold the potential for great good or great evil within us. This first comes to light when Utterson goes to pay a visit to his old friend, and reflects on the past—his own, as well as Jekyll’s—admitting he is “humbled to dust” by the mistakes he made when he was young, and “raised up again into a fearful and sober gratitude” by the things he once contemplated doing and subsequently avoided. This line of thinking is further explored the more we learn about Jekyll, who was apparently “wild” in his youth, yet also managed to maintain a respectable countenance in his later years. However, it is soon revealed that Jekyll never truly let go of his wildness, which consequently prompts his obsession with the dualities of good and evil, and a strong desire to separate them each from the limitations of the other.
Jekyll’s journey toward allowing these two conflicting personalities to live apart from one another is also indicative of themes of temptation, and the consequences of giving into it. Jekyll spent his adulthood lamenting the fact that the side of him which yearns for pleasure must be kept at bay for the sake of the side which craves respect and admiration. And once his true connection to Hyde surfaces, we see that, for a while, he relishes in the idea of being able to indulge his “wild” desires without any (foreseen) burden of consequence. In a way, Hyde is Jekyll’s ultimate excuse to do wrong for the sake of doing wrong. This is seen most clearly when we learn that, though Jekyll gives Utterson his word that he will rid himself of Hyde, he never fully acts on that promise, instead keeping Hyde’s clothing on hand as well as maintaining rent on the house he inhabited. Not only is Hyde a perfect scapegoat, but he is also like a drug—one which, unfortunately, pulls Jekyll deeper within its power the more he gives in to it.
I feel confident in saying that, even without having read the book, most of us know the concept of Jekyll and Hyde. In fact, I only ever picked up the novella for the sake of a school assignment, and while I remember where I was when I read it for the first time, I did not retain enough from the narrative to remember it once the assignment was completed. And in all honesty, it was only on a whim that I recently picked it up again. It’s a relatively short piece, and quite easy to finish in a day if you put your mind to it. However, this time around I feel more appreciative of the piece, and more likely to remember details in the future.
While I grew up knowing the “twist” that was originally revealed only within the last two chapters of the book, I still found the writing enjoyable in its ability to maintain an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. Even going into it knowing the ending, I found myself involved in Utterson’s curiosity and concern; I felt sorry for Jekyll, and even a little horrified over the final turn of events.
For anyone who is even mildly interested by the concept, I would recommend picking up Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. While the language may get a little too archaic at times, the story itself still holds up with its very human characters and subtle tones of horror and despair, as well as its dark explorations into the fragility of our own natures.
