Jekyll and Hyde
Essay title: Jekyll and Hyde
“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is an interesting novel. It was written by Robert Louis Stevenson. “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” was first published in 1886. It is by far Robert Louis Stevenson’s most famous work. In fact it is one of the most famous story’s written by anyone. Jekyll and Hyde is also one of the best selling books of all time. It takes place during the Victorian era in England. Jekyll and Hyde is a story about good and evil. It centers around various characters and their interactions with “Jekyll and Hyde”. Jekyll is a doctor who has a split personality that is named Mr. Hyde. Hyde is supposed to be the evil side of Dr Jekyll. Events such as a murder, and other strange instances involving the aforementioned Jekyll and Hyde are told through the eyes of various people. First there is Dr. Jekyll who the story is about. He is a well respected man who also has a dark side. (Hyde). Gabriel John Utterson who is Dr Jekyll’s lawyer and also a well respected man. Mr. Utterson is the protagonist of the story. He has interaction with Jekyll and Hyde in the story. The story is told mainly through his eyes. Next there is Richard Enfield. Enfield is a friend of Mr. Utterson. Enfield and Utterson go on walks together on Sunday’s. Dr. Lanyon is a colleague of Dr. Jekyll and also tries to help Utterson figure out the mystery’s. Mr Poole is Dr. Jekyll’s longtime butler. He is really close to Jekyll and seems to be concerned for him. Through the eyes of these characters we see the events that lead up to climatic conclusion.
The story opens with Utterson and Enfield walking through a neighborhood which Enfield remembers from the past. Enfield informs Utterson that he witnessed a man trampling a child in front of the building. Enfield described the man as being very strange looking. “He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.” (page 5). Enfield just had a funny feeling about this man. The man was giving off a weird vibe and looked weird as well. The man is indeed Hyde who has trampled the girl and retreated to the building. After learning this Utterson returned to his home. While their he revealed the will that he made for Dr. Jekyll. The will stated that all of Jekyll’s things would go to Hyde when he passed away. “ I thought it was madness, and know I begin to fear it is disgrace”. Mr. Utterson knew that something fishy was going on and that the will seemed a little strange. This made Utterson very curious and he wanted to know more. Utterson wanted to get to the bottom of the situation. He wanted to know why Hyde was the beneficiary to Jekyll’s will. Utterson would take on the role of a detective.
Utterson went off to see Dr. Lanyon. Lanyon was a close friend and colleague of Dr. Jekyll. Lanyon was also good friends with Utterson. Utterson thought maybe Lanyon could give him some insight to this Hyde fellow and answer other questions. Lanyon began to reveal that he and Jekyll had fallen out of favor with one another. He stated to Utterson that Jekyll had changed somewhat for the worse. “He began to go wrong, wrong in mind”. Dr. Lanyon thought that something about Dr. Jekyll was not the same. Almost as if to say something or someone had come over him. Utterson also asked Lanyon if he had ever herd of Mr. Hyde. However, Lanyon knew nothing of the Mr. Hyde that Utterson was referring to. After their talk Utterson returned to his home.
During the night Utterson had a dream similar to the story that Enfield had told him during the beginning of the story. He saw the same figure that Enfield saw harming a little girl. This figure was with Utterson the entire night. This only increased Utterson’s desire to figure this thing out. “If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek.” Utterson’s dreams made him more curious and