The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is an incredible story that provides a very interesting look into the human psyche, and pairs this with a harrowing tale of science pushed too far. Right off the bat, there is an eerie atmosphere and an air of suspense. The book makes everything feel completely off, in a way, especially within character interactions. There is a quintessentially Victorian-era formality to these interactions which contributes to this. As our modern world has eschewed such formalities, this leads to a “colder” atmosphere – there is barely any feeling of warmth to the characters, especially with Dr. Jekyll. A quote that perfectly exemplifies this is one said by Mr. Enfield. This is from Enfield’s explanation of what happened when Hyde tramples the little girl:
“Yes, it’s a bad story. For
my man was a fellow that nobody could have to do with, a really damnable man; and the person that drew the cheque is the very pink of the proprieties, celebrated too, and (what makes it worse) one of your fellows who do what they call good. Black mail I suppose; an honest man paying through the nose for some of the capers of his youth. Blackmail House is what I call the place with the door, in consequence. Though even that, you know, is far from explaining all,” p9, p10
Separate from the formality of the dialog, the book also builds its tension very effectively. Very early on in the story, we get the idea that something is completely wrong with him, more so than the other characters, but the book keeps this subtle enough until things begin truly going awry, and you begin to make sense of why Jekyll is doing strange things, shutting himself in, and feigning sickness.
Within Jekyll’s explanatory letter, he delves into the idea of the duality of man, which is also affected by the lens of Victorian morality. This, in my opinion, explores the difficulty of conforming to strict morals due to the human nature of having “immoral” desires, thoughts, and actions. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story that is most definitely ahead of its time, exploring ideas and beliefs that we are still trying to think about to this day, albeit through a less supernatural lens. The supernatural elements of this story, mainly the concoction created by Dr. Jekyll to turn himself into Hyde, create another level of nuance. This invites the reader to wonder about the possibility of how science can affect humans, and explores the idea of science destroying human nature, creating greed, addiction, and changing people for the worse.