Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Information by: Nisha
“Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” is a classic novel that tells the story of a man with a dark and sinister alter ego.
There are many movies based on this concept – the story of this book as well inspired by this story – one of the latest I can remember is The Nutty Professor played by Eddie Murphy.
The story begins in London, where a wealthy and respected scientist, Dr Henry Jekyll, becomes increasingly fascinated with the concept of dual identity.
He creates a solution that unleashes his darker half, Mr Edward Hyde, a monstrous and evil being who embodies all of Jekyll’s dark desires and impulses.
As Hyde, Jekyll is free to indulge and live in his darkest fantasies and commit atrocities without fear of consequences or identification.
However, as time passes, Jekyll finds it increasingly difficult to control his transformations into Hyde, and the two personalities within, begin to struggle for dominance.
Meanwhile, Jekyll’s friends and people who know him, including his lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, become suspicious of Dr Jekyll’s association with the mysterious and sinister Hyde. As the story unfolds, Utterson and others begin to uncover the dark secrets of Jekyll’s double life.
The only place the scene is the darkest is when Mr Hyde tramples a child with no remorse and raises some horror in the minds of the readers. That part is well written and creates an impact.
Through a series of tragic events, Jekyll’s struggle to maintain control over his darker half ultimately leads to devastating consequences.
The book finally ends with a shocking revelation about the true nature of Jekyll and Hyde, leaving the reader to ponder the complexities of human nature and the blurred lines between good and evil.
The book’s atmospheric setting, with its dark, fog-shrouded streets and eerie, abandoned buildings, adds to the sense of something fearful and dreaded.
The theme of the book remains, remarkably relevant today, exploring the tensions between reason and passion, civilization and savagery, and the dangers of unchecked ambition and desire.
We would suggest that it is a good read when you want to explore some different kind of a story with some horror embedded into it…