Jekyll and Hyde refers to the dual personality of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde, the central characters of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The phrase has become a cultural shorthand for a person who alternates between a respectable self and a monstrous one, but the original story is more complex than the popular phrase suggests.
Who Was Robert Louis Stevenson?
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish writer born in Edinburgh in 1850. Before Jekyll and Hyde, he was known for travel writing and adventure fiction such as Treasure Island (1883). The novella was published in January 1886, and it sold well immediately, though critics initially treated it as a Gothic horror story rather than a serious moral allegory. Stevenson wrote the first draft in a burst of creative energy, reportedly completing it in about three days, then revised it after his wife, Fanny, suggested he rework the allegory into a proper story. The final version was published as a “shilling shocker,” a cheap paperback aimed at a mass audience.
The Plot of the Novella
The story is told mostly from the perspective of Gabriel John Utterson, a London lawyer who investigates the strange relationship between his friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and a violent, deformed man named Edward Hyde. Hyde tramples a child, kills a Member of Parliament, and seems to have a hold over Jekyll. Utterson suspects blackmail, but the truth is that Jekyll has created a potion that transforms him into Hyde, his darker half. As the transformations become involuntary, Jekyll loses control and finally commits suicide to stop Hyde from taking over permanently.
Key elements of the plot include:
- The door in Jekyll’s house, which Hyde uses as a private entrance and which becomes a symbol of hidden evil.
- Jekyll’s will, which leaves everything to Hyde, alarming Utterson.
- The murder of Sir Danvers Carew, which triggers the investigation.
- The final confession, written by Jekyll, which explains the transformation.
Origins of the Story and Its Sources
Stevenson drew on several influences. The most cited is the real-life case of Deacon William Brodie, an 18th-century Edinburgh craftsman and town councillor who led a double life as a burglar. Stevenson, who was born in Edinburgh and knew the city’s history, had written a play about Brodie years earlier. Another influence was the contemporary scientific debate about the “dual brain” and the idea of a second self, popularized by psychologists and physiologists in the 1880s. Stevenson also used the Gothic tradition of the doppelgänger, but he gave it a modern, urban, and scientific setting.
The name “Hyde” may have come from a real-life figure, but no reliable source confirms this. The name “Jekyll” was likely borrowed from a friend, but again, this is speculation. What is certain is that the story was written during a period of intense interest in criminal psychology and the nature of evil, and it reflects Victorian anxieties about respectability, repression, and the hidden self.
Themes and Interpretations
The novella is not simply a tale of good versus evil. It explores the idea that every person contains both a civilized and a primitive side, and that repressing the latter can make it stronger. Jekyll’s experiment is an attempt to separate these two natures, but he fails because Hyde is not just evil—he is Jekyll’s own repressed desires, free of conscience. The story also critiques Victorian society, which demanded strict outward morality while ignoring inner corruption. The setting is a foggy, gaslit London, where respectable men hide their vices behind closed doors.
Later interpretations have read the story as an allegory for addiction, mental illness, or the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition. Some critics have noted that Hyde is described as “deformed” and “pale,” which has led to readings about class and disability, but these are modern interpretations, not explicit in the text.
Adaptations and Cultural Legacy
Within a year of publication, stage adaptations appeared, and the story has been adapted countless times for film, television, radio, and theater. The most famous film versions include the 1931 Oscar-winning movie starring Fredric March, the 1941 version with Spencer Tracy, and the 1996 version with John Malkovich. The phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” has entered the English language as a term for a dual personality, and it is often used in psychology and popular culture to describe someone who seems to have two distinct personalities.
Notable adaptations include:
- 1920 silent film starring John Barrymore
- 1931 film starring Fredric March, which won an Academy Award for Best Actor
- 1941 film starring Spencer Tracy
- 1950s and 1960s television versions, including The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968) with Jack Palance
- 1996 film Mary Reilly, told from the perspective of a maid
- Musicals, including a 1990 Broadway production with music by Frank Wildhorn
Common Misconceptions
One common misconception is that Jekyll and Hyde are two separate people. In the story, they are the same person, but Hyde is smaller and younger because he represents Jekyll’s unrepressed self. Another misconception is that the potion is a simple “evil” drug; in the text, it is a scientific experiment that goes wrong, and Jekyll himself is not purely good—he is a man with hidden vices. Also, the famous phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” is often used to describe a person with a split personality, but the story is not about dissociative identity disorder; it is a supernatural allegory. Finally, the novella’s full title is Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, not “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” though the latter is common.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Jekyll and Hyde” mean today?
It means a person who has two distinct personalities, one good and one evil, or who behaves very differently in different situations. The phrase is used in everyday speech, psychology, and popular culture to describe sudden, drastic changes in behavior.
Is Jekyll and Hyde based on a true story?
No, it is a work of fiction. However, Stevenson was inspired by real-life figures like Deacon Brodie, a respected Edinburgh citizen who was secretly a criminal. The story also reflects Victorian scientific and psychological ideas about the dual nature of the self.
Why is Hyde described as smaller than Jekyll?
In the novella, Hyde is smaller and younger because he represents the unrepressed, evil side of Jekyll that has never been exercised. Jekyll explains that his “evil” side was less developed, so Hyde appeared physically smaller and more animalistic.
What is the moral of Jekyll and Hyde?
The story warns against the dangers of repressing one’s darker instincts and the hubris of trying to separate good from evil. It suggests that human nature is inherently dual and that attempting to eliminate one side can lead to destruction.
Did Jekyll kill himself?
Yes, in the final chapter, Jekyll writes that he chooses to die by suicide to stop Hyde from taking over permanently. He takes a poison that kills both of them, and Utterson finds Hyde’s body in the laboratory.
How many film adaptations are there?
There are dozens, ranging from silent films to modern retellings. The story has been adapted more than 100 times, making it one of the most filmed horror stories in history. The 1931 version is considered a classic, but there is no official count that is universally accepted.
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