Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an intriguing interpretation of 19th-century life, culture, and society. Despite the evolution of social and cultural norms since its publication in 1886, students can identify with many of the themes, specifically the influence of societal expectations on a person’s individuality. Students should consider the way they alter their expression (language, actions, dress, formality, etc.) according to where they are (school, home, friend’s house, parties) and who they are with (parents, friends, boss, siblings). How do societal expectations help to shape individuals? How do they inhibit them?
The interactions among characters (for example, in chapter one, Stevenson observes two friends—Mr. Enfield and Mr. Utterson—whose conversations are described as formal and impersonal; they are not even on a first-name basis) may seem strange to students who are unfamiliar with the formality of 19th-century society. Teachers can incorporate historical context within classroom discussions to help students better understand the novella. Students should envision Victorian ideals as mask-like. Dr. Jekyll personifies the mask; his status and reputation coincide with nineteenth century ideals, while the underlying manifestation of his true self, Mr. Hyde, remains concealed.
Teachers can also use the novella as an example of allegory, a story that has a deeper, hidden meaning (usually moral or political). Dr. Jekyll symbolizes the ideal Victorian man; his alter-ego, Mr. Hyde, represents the man who is free of all social and political constraints. Once Dr. Jekyll has experienced freedom from societal limitations, he is consumed and transformed by it and, eventually, is unable to return to his former self.
Summary
After developing a serum that will separate the two identities that exist within him—the one that is expressed and the one that is repressed—Dr. Jekyll has the ability to appear as two different men: Dr. Jekyll, his professional personality; and Mr. Hyde, his evil alter-ego. The novella follows the investigation of a curious lawyer, Mr. Utterson, who struggles to identify the connection between Jekyll and Hyde.
Content Warning
This novel contains instances of violence/aggression, death, and murder.
Movies
Stevenson’s novel has been reinterpreted in countless productions, most recently in the 2008 film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring Dougray Scott. The 1931 version, which is also titled Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, stars Fredric March, who won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance. This film received a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, where it is acclaimed as "[a] classic. The definitive version of the Robert Louis Stevenson novella, with innovative special effects, atmospheric cinematography, and deranged overacting."