Set in 19th-century London (in real-life locations such as Cavendish Square, Soho, and Regents Park), it represents violence, murder, and mirrored, fluid protagonists. Jekyll and Hyde adheres to many conventions of the genre. These sensational novels – often called railway novels, because cheap editions were sold at stations to be read on long train journeys – typically took place in recognisable, contemporary settings, with plots often revolving around shocking crimes, doubles, and mistaken identities. Sensationalism was a popular genre that emerged in Britain in the 1860s. According to Urban Dictionary, “Jekyll-Hyde” is a colloquialism for someone whose erratic behaviour makes them seem like two different people.Ī production to satisfy Sydney's darkest imaginings: Sydney Theatre Company's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Even those unfamiliar with the book (and its many adaptations and riffs) know that “Jekyll-Hyde” means twinned good and evil, or the split personality. The names Jekyll and Hyde have been integrated into our everyday language. In The Simpsons, Bart exhibits ‘some monsterism’ after drinking an experimental cola – a reference to Jekyll and Hyde. Based on his belief that “man is not truly one, but truly two”, Jekyll seeks to cordon off his dark side and let it run amok. Or, more specifically, he is the embodiment of Jekyll’s evil aspects: a demonic double brought to life by a transformative potion, conjured to allow Jekyll to act out his vices in disguise. But why? The connection, we eventually learn, is that Hyde is Jekyll. The criminal Hyde uses a cheque signed by Jekyll, and Jekyll’s will is changed to make Hyde the sole beneficiary.

The novella’s mystery plot centres on the puzzle of an unlikely connection between two opposing characters – the benevolent and respectable doctor, Jekyll, and the murderous, animalistic Hyde. Inspired by a feverish nightmare, the story is about competing desires, and what might happen if we could split the good and evil parts of the self into separate identities.

It’s bound up in notions of self-estrangement, and the uncanny, which Freud describes as the familiar made strange. However, this insightful and fantastic tale is perhaps his most unique and enduring.Īs its title suggests, the story is indeed strange. The Scottish author was already known for his travel writing and children’s literature – including Treasure Island – when Jekyll and Hyde appeared. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella, Strange Case of Dr. In our Guide to the Classics series, experts explain key works of literature.

Robert louis stevenson jekyll and hyde