Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde Book Report

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Dr Jekyll

&

Mr. HydeRobert Louis Stevenson

A BOOK REPORT

Submitted by Obit B. Periabras

BSE-3

in full fulfillment of the requirement for the Midterms

in British and American Literature Subject.

Submitted to

Ms. Anna Marie Cadiang

Instructor

August 13, 2012


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Title : Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author : Robert Louis Stevenson

Author's Background

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94). As a novelist he is often noted for the powers of invention

and depth of psychological insight found in his work; a skill defines by G. K Chesterton as being

able to pick the right word up on the point of his pen.

Born in Edinburgh in 1850, Robert Louis (originally Lewis) Balfour Stevenson was a son of a

prosperous civil engineer. His father had plans for Stevenson to follow his profession but his

sons ill health and weak disposition meant that an alternative career had to be decided upon.

Choosing law as a compromise, Stevenson attended Edinburgh University to study for the bar

but his growing disillusion with the Presbyterian respectability of his parents class led to

frequent classes and he became distanced from them, preferring instead to lead a bohemian

existence. His fascination for the citys low life and the bizarre characters he came across proved

rich material for his later stories. By the time Stevenson was called to the bar in 1875, he was

already determined to become a professional writer. While he was still in his early twenties he

began suffering from severe respiratory problems, which the Scottish climate had nothing to

alleviate. In an attempt to relieve his symptoms, he spent much of his life travelling to warmer

countries and it was while living in France in 1876 that he met his future wife, Mrs. Fanny

Osbourne, a woman ten years his senior. He followed her to California by emigrant ship and they

later married after her divorced were finalized. Stevensons early published works, An Inland

Voyage (1876) and Travels with a Donkey in the Cervennes (1879), based on his own

adventures, and were followed by a constant stream of articles and essays. However, it wasnt


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until 1883 that his full-length work of fiction, Treasure Island, appeared. A sever bout of illness

followed by a period of rest at Bournemouth brought Stevenson into contact with Henry James

with whom he became close friends. The recognition Stevenson had received from Treasure

Islandgrew with the publication of the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Kidnapped in

1886. In 1888 he took his family to the South Seas once more in search of a climate conducive to

his condition. Settling in Samoa, he gained a reputation as a story-teller, especially among the

natives. He died of a brain hemorrhage while working on his unfinished masterpiece. Weir of

Hermiston, in 1894. Stevensons Calvinistic upbringing and constant fight against ill-health led

to the preoccupation with death and darker side of the human nature which is found in his work.

Despite Stevensons claim that fiction is to grown men what play is to the child, he had, by the

end of his life, mastered an enormous range of fiction, from historical adventure to stories and

swashbuckling romances to gothic style horror stories.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde originated in a dream Stevenson once had. Upon

waking he recalled a fine bogy tale and immediately set about writing it down. The focus on

the split personality and underlying suggestion that evil is potentially more powerful than good

ensure its continued popularity over a hundred of years.

Setting : The setting mainly rotates around Dr. Jekylls house and Mr. Utterson in

Gaunt Street, all located in London, England.

Characters

Mr. Gabriel John Utterson - a lawyer who had set himself in solving the strange case of Dr.

Jekylls relationship over his beneficiary as clearly stated in his last will and testament Mr.

Edward Hyde.


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Dr. Henry Jekyll - an old doctor who had engaged himself in scientific experiments and

discoveries, pursued his theory of dual personality and successfully separated his good from his

evil self.

Mr. Edward Hyde - the mysterious small, dwarfish man in the story who was later revealed

to as Dr. Jekyll himself but was the evil side of him, a result of Dr. Jekylls experiment.

Dr. Hastie Lanyon - a good friend and companion of Dr. Jekyll. They were on an open

dispute regarding certain scientific experiments and theories but Jekyll regards him a friend. As a

matter of fact, Dr. Jekyll chose to reveal his identity to him that unfortunately caused distress to

Dr. Lanyon that caused him death.

Mr. Richard Enfield - Uttersons cousin who has a great disgust of the certain Mr. Hyde. He is

also a businessman who remembered a strange man who had once run over a girl, gave her a

check worth hundred pounds with the similar signature of Dr. Jekyll. The story reminded of the

Will that Dr. Jekyll entrusted Mr. Utterson

Poole - Dr. Jekylls worthy servant and butler for about twenty years. He helped Mr. Utterson in

revealing the true identity of Hyde. He helped the lawyer in breaking in the laboratory where

they found Hydes lifeless body- probably committed a suicide himself

Sir Danver Carew - one of Mr. Uttersons client who has been found dead, murdered

by a small man (who was then the bad Edward Hyde) witnessed by a maid servant.

Plot

The first part of the story shows a conversation between Mr. Utterson and Richard

Enfield about a certain Edward Hyde to whom Enfield strongly dislikes. Mr. Utterson was still


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so occupied of the thoughts on who Hyde was. He thought of Dr. Hastie Lanyon, a common

friend who would have known something about the strange man but found out nothing. Luckily,

when he was out near Dr. Jekylls house, a man, small and plainly dressed approached the place

where he stands and assumed that it was Hyde. He was right to distinguish the man; a lawyers

instinct perhaps and asked few questions from him. The lawyer asked the man about Jekyll to

whom the dwarfish man bitterly reacted upon saying that he cannot find Jekyll in his place and

that he was away.

So the lawyer went to Dr. Jekylls home , talked with one of his servants Poole then

found out that Dr. Jekyll has really with a great deal of trust over Hyde. They were even ordered

to treat Hyde like the doctor, he added. It puzzled him and the though haunted him all along.

A dinner was held at Dr. Jekylls house where Mr. Utterson is one of the visitors among

those reputable men. When everybody had left, Mr. Utterson remained and took advantage of

talking regarding the will to which he expressed a strong disapproval. Dr. Jekyll was too sincere

about it, pleaded to his good lawyer to abide by what he has already written asking for his

understanding of the matter. The doctor even asked the lawyer to help the poor man when he

was already gone to which the latter replied, I promise with irrepressible sigh.

London was stunningly shocked by a ferocious murder of Sir Danver Carew. A maid,

who saw the entire commission of the crime narrated on how his master was murdered by a man

described as small and wicked-looking. The victim is carrying a stamped envelope addressed to

Mr. Utterson that is why the lawyers attention was called by the police authority led by

Inspector Newcomen. The lawyer then verified that based on the description of the maid, it was

the same Mr. Hyde who once visited the victim that the maid is referring to, so along with the


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Inspector of Scotland Yard, they went to Mr. Hydes house and found nothing for he was away

from home according to the maid at work. They searched for the house looking for possible

evidences as well as they asked the servant maid but as expected, the man appears to be a

stranger to them being a man with irregular schedule.

He visited Dr. Jekylls house had a solemn conversation with him. Inevitably, the topic

raised was all about Uttersons dislike of Hyde and besides the news about the murder of one of

his clients, Danver even added to that disgust. To no effect, Dr. Jekyll constantly showed his

confidence, trust and loyalty with Hyde to whom he regarded to as safe. It closed the

argument.

Consequently, Jekyll asked Utterson about a letter he received anonymously. The letter

was then kept by the lawyer and consulted once his good friend who is a student and critic of

handwriting. The clerk then revealed that the handwriting of Jekyll and the anonymous sender of

the letter were identical. He inferred Henry Jekyll forged for a murderer.

The death of Danver seems to have produced good effect towards the working and

ordinary environment. Dr. Jekyll has returned to his ordinary life, mainly happy and productive.

But to his surprise, Jekyll got ill. The lawyer was consistently denied for his visit but when

finally admitted, he goes shocked to see the sudden change in the Dr.s appearance. Dr. Lanyon

was ill, too. The trio was good friends so when Utterson visited Lanyon, he shared the news

about Jekyll being sick. It shocked him to learn Dr. Lanyons dislike of talking about the latter.

The varying changes in everyones personality puzzled him even more.


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Mr. Enfield and Jekyll went for a walk. They were talking of Mr. Hyde for once when

both of them express the same disgust for the man. Eventually, they saw Dr. Jekyll found him on

a dreadful situation. They saw something strange by the window.

One night, Poole went to Uttersons house seeking for his help about Dr, Jekyll acting so

strange that past few days. So he went through. The lawyer looked for himself the condition and

was later convinced that theres amiss going on. Poole expounded that Dr. Jekyll had not been

showing himself and communicating only through notes sent by the stairs. Together they

discovered that it was not Jekyll who was inside the laboratory theater when they tried to speak

to him and other voice answered instead Hyde. So, they ended up intruding the place. When

they successfully went in, they found the lifeless body of Hyde and read the documents on the

table nearby. There, Utterson read the letter meant to be sent for him and inferred that Jekyll

must be still alive and must have been to be found somewhere.

Based on Dr. Lanyons narrative sent to the lawyer, he received a letter from Jekyll

asking for a favor that he gave in. Upon reading it, he thought that Jekyll must be in sane but to

his favor, he did respond as requested. The letter clearly includes how will the favor go and goes

smoothly as requested in it.

Dr. Lanyon went home with the thing and examined it. By midnight, a small man went in

saying that he was from Dr. Jekyll. Calmly, he accepted the man who is laughably dressed

wearing bigger as it may fit him. The small man then asked if he had already the thing with him.

Dr. Lanyon though in state of horror acted patiently as ordinary to establish an image of easiness.

The dwarfish man then asked for the thing and demanded a glass for which he used to make the

mixture out of the thing that Dr. Lanyon got from Jekylls.


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Subsequently, the small man drank the mixture and a cry followed. He reeled, staggered,

clutched at the table and hold on. then at the next moment Henry Jekyll is now standing right

before him.

Edward Hyde and Dr. Jekyll are one entity, the latter being good and the other as evil. A

result of Dr. Jekylls theory and experiment that man has two natures and could actually be

separated.

-THE END-

Theme

The story teaches us many valuable lessons and realities of life. We cannot negate the fact that a

person is subject for the duality of naturethe evil and the good side and that the good instincts

constantly fighting the evil ones. The novel effectively portrays the two sides. Also, it showed

how society reacts upon them. Here, I wanted to reiterate those in four main points.

1. A person possesses two natures.

We are humans, and so they say. We tend to be vulnerable, thus commits mistake out of

our own knowledge. Dr. Jekylls belief in duality proposed that the evil and the good side could

be separated. As a result, the evil side commits something he doesnt want to happen. I strongly

believe that with our two natures, we can actually fight for the best through the balance that it

creates. The two natures compose our personality and that it will somehow open our eyes to

reality, thus, learning life better.

2. Friendship


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The novel portrayed friendship among the characters by showing the character of a true

friend. For instance, Mr. Utterson has never stopped in disclosing the strange case for he

sincerely believes that theres something wrong with his friend.

3. Loyalty

The virtue of loyalty is one the greatest keys to good friendship. The characters showed

loyalty to one another by resolving uncertainties to which everybody may get affected.

4. Evil pays

The story resolves the idea that evil pays at its best. When someone does so, it will haunt

him constantly; thus, will serve a burden for himself. Like Edward Hyde, he had murdered two

innocent lives resulting to him committing suicide.

Questions:

1. What was the author's purpose in writing the book?

The purpose for me is clear and it is to give lesson about the realities and nature of man.

We cannot accurately determine his personal purpose in writing the story but we can infer based

on how he wrote the story. He is very critical thinker for he strategized a twist that is

unpredictable. He might want to emphasize the value of friendship, the nature of man and how

people treats an individual based on his appearance, property and social status.

2. What will be your lasting impression of the author?

Robert Louis Stevenson is such a good writer. He wrote in profound way thus needs

deeper understanding for non-English people like me. I really need silence for me to concentrate


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and understand better every single detail that I read. When I was reading his story, it was like I

am with Mr. Utterson when he was up to resolve the strange case. It really caught my interest

since I want to be one someday how lawyer thinks, observes and draw conclusion. I was truly

inspired and now I am looking forward to read more of his works. Well done Mr. Stevenson!

3. Share a quote or two from the book.

Men have before hired bravos to transact their crimes, while their own person and

reputation sat under shelter, page 75, Henry Jekylls full statement and confession.

*It caught my attention when reading the last part of the story. It is for me a living truth

since today, there was a lot who hides their identity to acquire their selfish interest. They use

power, knowledge and social status to gain more though they actually deceiving others. It is sad

but true.

I inclineto Cains heresy; I let my brother go to the devil in his own way. page 9, Mr.

Uttersons description.

*It implies his strong principle over his profession though he actually incorporates

personal views about situations that require emotion. His profession, as complex as it is requires

strong personality and courage.

4. What does the title has to do with the book?

The title was entitled based on the two characters where the story revolved as a whole. A

typical type of making story titles where instantly elicits question on who is/are day? What about


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them? How are they related to each other? etc which arouses the interest of the reader to discover

for themselves the elements of a story so they can fully understand it better.

5. How did the setting of the story made it more interesting?

The setting, which was in London, gave an impression of stability and order. This

English state is known for that and so the characters are perfectly fit for their role. The

extravagant houses, lifestyles and professions are not beyond expectations. Robert Stevenson

was such a good storyteller and illustrator of the imagination. He describes every detail of the

setting that makes it more interesting because of the clarity of image and purpose.

6. How did the main character change in the novel?

The main character who was Dr. Jekyll is relatively dynamic for he is so good in hiding

the true identity of his other personality. It was like he was in a big dilemma which no one can

ever resolve but himself alone. Dr. Jekyll, as noticed by Utterson constantly shows behavioral

changes in which the lawyer dealt with. Yet, up to the end of the story, his decision making

shows courage and proved that he is truly a reputable man.

7. Identify one problem in the book and give an alternative solution, one not given by the

author.

The revelation of Dr. Jekylls identity to Dr. Lanyon


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I suggest that instead of having it revealed to Dr. Lanyon which Dr. Jekyll not in goodterms, it could have been better if he disclosed it to Mr. Utterson whom according to

him, he has a great trust upon. I understand that Dr. Jekyll must have thought that a

doctor will also understand the situation but unfortunately it happened the other way.

Consequently, it caused death to Dr. Lanyon who got shocked of he saw.

8. What lessons did you learn from the story?

I have learned that life could be sometimes strange. We have secrets that we are afraid to

disclose but for some instance needs to be revealed. I realized that we are like one of the

characters in the story. Some are like Jekylls who strongly believes that we need to distinguish

good from evil. There are some who are like Utterson who are very curious about something and

are all off to discover the truth.

Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde Book Report

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