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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) [NOOK Book]
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Jenny Davidson is Assistant Professor of eighteenth-century literature and culture in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. Her novel Heredity appeared from Soft Skull Press in 2003.
Illness put an end to his legal career before it had even started, and Stevenson spent the next few years traveling in Europe and writing travel essays and literary criticism. In 1876, Stevenson fell in love with Fanny Vandergrift Osbourne, a married American woman more than ten years his senior, and returned with her to London, where he published his first fiction, "The Suicide Club." In 1879, Stevenson set sail for America, apparently in response to a telegram from Fanny, who had returned to California in an attempt to reconcile with her husband. Fanny obtained a divorce and the couple married in 1880, eventually returning to Europe, where they lived for the next several years. Stevenson was by this time beset by terrifying lung hemorrhages that would appear without warning and required months of convalescence in a healthy climate. Despite his periodic illnesses and his peripatetic life, Stevenson completed some of his most enduring works during this period: Treasure Island (1883), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885), Kidnapped (1886), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886).
After his father's death and a trip to Edinburgh which he knew would be his last, Stevenson set sail once more for America in 1887 with his wife, mother, and stepson. In 1888, after spending a frigid winter in the Adirondack Mountains, Stevenson chartered a yacht and set sail from California bound for the South Pacific. The Stevensons spent time in Tahiti, Hawaii, Micronesia, and Australia, before settling in Samoa, where Stevenson bought a plantation called Vailima. Though he kept up a vigorous publishing schedule, Stevenson never returned to Europe. He died of a sudden brain hemorrhage on December 3, 1894.
Author biography from the Barnes & Noble Classics edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Long John Silver, the one-legged pirate cook in Stevenson's classic Treasure Island, is said to be based on the author's friend William Ernest Henley, whom he met when Henley was in Edinburgh for surgery to save his one good leg from tuberculosis.
Stevenson died in 1894 at Vailima,, his home on the South Pacific island of Upolu, Samoa. He was helping his wife make mayonnaise for dinner when he suffered a fatal stroke.
From Jenny Davidson’s Introduction to The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories
Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is at once a sharply conceived allegory about the psychological costs of living the respectable life and a thrilling page-turner as compelling as anything written by such modern masters of horror as Clive Barker and Stephen King. Published in January 1886, Stevenson’s story quickly became a best-seller on both sides of the Atlantic.
The American actor-manager Richard Mansfield purchased the copyright to Stevenson’s novella with the goal of maintaining exclusive rights for theatrical adaptation, but the copyright laws failed to prevent a host of other impresarios from mounting competing productions; one producer touring in New England advertised that his Mr. Hyde was so terrifying that he had to be kept chained in a boxcar on the way to the theater. Though the text of the adaptation, by playwright Thomas Russell Sullivan, would seem dated and melodramatic to modern readers—as does the trick photograph in which Mansfield’s Hyde crouches behind his Jekyll, ready to spring—the actor’s performance brought to life for his contemporaries all the most terrifying aspects of Stevenson’s story. First acted at the Boston Museum on May 9, 1887, as Mansfield’s biographer Paul Wilstach recounts, Jekyll and Hyde had immensely powerful effects on its audience: Strong men shuddered and women fainted and were carried out of the theatre. . . . People went away from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ afraid to enter their houses alone. They feared to sleep in darkened rooms. They were awakened by nightmare. Yet it had the fascination of crime and mystery, and they came again and again” (Richard Mansfield, the Man and the Actor, pp. 146147; see For Further Reading”).
Spectators found it difficult to believe that Mansfield transformed himself without chemical assistance, and he was charged with using acids, phosphorus, or even an inflatable rubber suit to facilitate the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde. The truth of the matter, Wilstach goes on to say, was that his only change was in the muscles of his face, the tones of his yielding voice, and the posture of his body” (pp. 147148). The account of Mansfield’s friend and fellow actor De Wolf Hopper confirms the effectiveness of the performance. As the two men sat one evening in a darkened room at the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia, Hopper asked Mansfield what he did and how he did it: And then and there, only four feet away, under the green light, as that booming clock struck the hour—he did it—changed to Hyde before my very eyes—and I remember that I, startled to pieces, jumped up and cried that I’d ring the bell if he didn’t stop!’” (Wilstach, p. 155).
The great Victorian actor Henry Irving soon invited Mansfield to bring his production to the Lyceum Theatre in London, and Jekyll and Hyde opened there on August 4, 1888. On the last day of August, however, an event took place that would transform the significance of Mansfield’s production and, indeed, of Stevenson’s story as well. The mutilated corpse of a prostitute was discovered in the East End of London, the first in a series of five or more murders attributed to the terrifying figure who would come to be known as Jack the Ripper. The Ripper cut his victims’ throats, sliced open their torsos, and removed their organs; he was suspected of having trained as either a butcher or a medical man.
As subsequent bodies were discovered, London went wild with fear. Reporters drew public attention to the extraordinary poverty and squalor of Whitechapel in the East End, where most of the murders took place, and pointed to the hypocrisy of a society that allowed such neighborhoods to exist in the face of the nation’s great prosperity, thereby encouraging the emergence of a monster like the Ripper. Amid riots and public frenzies, many citizens wrote letters to the newspapers and the police suggesting precautions that might be taken to prevent more murders. These suggestions ranged from providing better street lighting and giving policemen whistles as a rapid warning system, to arming prostitutes with revolvers, or even dressing up police officers as prostitutes and protecting their throats and torsos with metal corsets, perhaps attached to batteries that would electrocute the unwary attacker. Many of these letters singled out prominent members of society as suspects in the Ripper murders. At the peak of the frenzy the police received more than a thousand letters a week, and the actor Richard Mansfield was among those charged with being responsible for the Whitechapel murders. As Donald Rumbelow relates in his history of the crimes, The writer accusing Mansfield had not been able to rest for a day and a night after seeing the performance, claiming that no man could disguise himself so well and that, since Mansfield worked himself up to such a frenzy on stage, he probably did the real life murders too” (The Complete Jack the Ripper, p. 124).
Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' is both a brilliant thriller and a psychological novel that explores the darkest aspects of the human psyche.
The B&N edition is particulary great for students due to its low cost and the excellent introduction and text notes. Like 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula', 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' was written during the Victorian Age in England. As the introduction notes, many discoveries in science and modern medicine occured during this time period. Jekyll and Hyde reflect both the excitement of new discoveries and the dangers of intellectual pride.
Although Jekyll and Hyde has been portrayed many times in film, the original story is just as exciting, and ultimately tragic.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ayushi30
Posted July 22, 2010
Again, a classic. I do love my classics, and I'll post this review just in case someone wants to know my opinion.
As the title indicates, this book is a collection of Stevenson's short stories, the main one being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The story begins with the protagonist, Mr. Utterson, discovering a creature known as Mr. Hyde committing certain atrocities. He further investigates and links the man to his good friend, Dr. Jekyll. He soon discovers that Dr. Jekyll has succeeded in creating an alter ego in Mr. Hyde that allows him to seperate his good and evil inclinations and house them in seperate bodies. What happens next is truly horrifying, but you must read the book to find out; I'm afraid I may give too much away if I keep explaining. I must admit that I have not read Stevenson before, and I was pleasantly surprised by his ability to depict horror without boring or disgusting me, as modern horror literature often seems to do. For those who enjoy mild horror, not quite Poe-level, Stevenson would be a good fit.
The other stories are quite good, although none as good as Dr. Jekyll, in my opinion. One story in particular that I did enjoy was The Misadventures of John Nicholson. I was quite amused by the many misfortunes that the poor protagonist had to suffer through; it would be perfect for those looking for a quick and light read. A Lodging for the Night was also funny, but in a more satirical way. My only complaint would be the dialect used in Thrawn Janet, it was difficult to decipher at times, especially with the additional slang terms. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this collection of short stories and would recomment them to everyone.
If you would like to read more of my reviews, please visit my blog at ayushi30.blogspot.com
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.A classic book, that should be part of anyone's permanent library. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is an excellent short story. Perfect for summer reading, in-between homework (when you just need a break), or during breaks at work. Perfect for anyone, including stay-at-home moms!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.A must-read title; not only a classic, but also an opportunity to enhance your literature and personal library. Due to its size, I found it quite comfortable for almost any occasion.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 10, 2006
I found this book, which I read for a book report, to be very suspensful and a good read overall. I usually like to read books with a lot of details given, so I thought, when I first started reading the novel at least, that I would not like the book.However Stevenson uses a lack of details, such as peoples' inability to physically describe Hyde, to create an aura of evilness around Hyde, and to build suspense in the novel. I also like the fact that Robert Stevenson includes the narratives of both Lanyon and Jekyll, to give the story more than one point of view.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 26, 2011
Sexy& HOT
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Posted December 25, 2011
Hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihih b my friend hahah jk no friends needed i lovw gir hbu u like gir
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 3, 2011
I have read this book before in my Literature class. And I do not recommend it. In fact, I cannot say I recommend any books by Robert Louis Stevenson. I have also read another book of his, Treasure Island. I honestly hated them both.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sam_Benade
Posted September 18, 2011
I Also Recommend:
When reviewing a classic such as "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", there really isn't much need in actually reviewing the book, because you know it will be an amazing story. With that, this story is very fascinating. I adore the relationship between Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyll, within the story you can see the true concern that Mr. Utterson has for Dr. Jekyl, It is personified in this part of the book, "'Jekyll,' said Utterson, "You know me: I am a man to be trusted. Make a clean breast out of this in confidence, and I make no doubt that I can get you out of it.", This really shows that Utterson would do anything to get Dr. Jekyll away from Mr. Hyde, and this can easily be translated into modern times. It can remind me of a scenario when a close friend of yours gets involved with drugs, You can do anything to get them away from it, your scared it will consume them, and in many cases it will. This truly is an excellent book. As a bonus, this book also contains "The Body Snatcher", "A lodging for the night", "The Suicide Club", "Thrawn Janet" and "Markheim", all excellent classics by R.L Stevenson.
With that, I am really loving these Barnes and Noble Classics! They have commentary and a wealth of information about the author, impact of the story and many other things. Not to mention the overall print is very nice, for the price, these are certainly some of the best editions of classics that are available.
Angry_Mom
Posted August 10, 2011
I purchased this book at a retail store so that my son could read it over the summer break. Well, when he actually got around to reading it, we realized the book was bound wrong! The pages jump from 18 to 116, and then back down to the 80's. I tried returning it, but because it was more than 14 days since the purchase, they refused! What a waste of money! I will never buy a Barnes and Noble Classics again! They took my money and refused to replace the book, even though it is unreadable! Shame on BARNES AND NOBLE!!!!!!!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 5, 2011
Good book but creepy for young kids
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Posted July 31, 2011
I didn't love it, but compared to all the other books on my summer reading, this one was by far the best. A quick, fairly simple read
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MrsG-EnglishTeacher
Posted February 14, 2011
I am not sure how I thought the story would be, having heard and seen so many variations of the theme. It ended up being one that was a surprisingly human story. This Strange Case is worth your time!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.this book will stay a classic for a reason.if you like happy stories, though, you are being forwarned. otherwise, i loved it. (look for my other reviews of classics and other stories in the SHOP)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.We all know the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide - it's one of those books we know through cultural osmosis. But if you haven't read the book, you don't really know that story. The book is a wonder of sleekly stylish writing - not an extra word or phrase is used. It's a horror novel distilled down to it's essence. The book is a scant 75 pages and tells a complete story that still retains it's punch so many years after it's original writing. I also have to commend this edition in the inclusion of other pieces of writings by Stevenson and the chapter about the things inspired by the story that puts it in it's historical place.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 13, 2010
After reading this book I am very torn. I can not tell if I like it or if I thought that it was awful. Do you like happy stories, stories that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? If you do, don't read this one! Going into the book I knew that it was not going to be a book that was happy and joyful, but I was in for a very big surprise. The story takes place in the 1900. The main character is Henry Jekyll, but he is not only Henry Jekyll, but Edward Hyde as well. The main conflict is that Henry is trying to live a normal life with out the secret of him also being Edward reviling to the world. I myself thought that it was a good story yes, but not one that kept my interest. I found that this book was very predictable, and knew what was coming next. This made me loose interest and I became board. I also found this book more of a difficult book to read because it was wrote a very long time ago. The slang made it difficult for me to understand what was going on and who was talking when. On the positive side I believe that it is a classic, and yes the story had good themes. What I got out of the book was that the author was trying to say that every man has two sides to him if they show them or not. It made me think in such a way that I wouldn't when I read a typical book. The quotes were moving and the characters had strong opinions that were fought very heavily. Also I liked the way the plot was reviled. All and all I am torn on if I like it, or if I don't. I do believe that it is a classic that is very well wrote, but at the same time I thought that it sometimes lost my interest. Now it is your turn to read it. Will you think that it is boring, or will you appreciate the classiness of it? Read it and see!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is truely magnificant! Very original in its plot and characters. Mr. Utterson, who is a lawyer, finds it very strange that a respectable and friendly doctor (Dr. Jekyll) has recently been keeping his distance with the community and has written a will to an unknown and strange new fellow named Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is actually very mysterious and has an evil aura about him. He is rarely seen if at all at night. There seems to be something 'strange' happening between the two and Mr. Utterson starts his own investigation on how all this came about. We also have about six other unique and entertaining stories written by Mr. Stevenson in this neat collection! One of the stories in particular (Lodging for the Night) is very tought provoking and sucks you in a quarrel of morals between two different people! It's 1800 writing style could be difficult to understand but shouldn't be a problem! Plus it's a B&N classic so it has the handy 'introduction' pages that help you better understand the author and stories! At a bargain price do NOT skip this story!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TheQuillPen
Posted June 14, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Often ranked with Treasure Island as Stevenson's best work, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde didn't actually impress me. Granted, the concept is solid, but the author's manner of telling the story gets in the way of the plot at times, and Stevenson, though he creates an aura of intrigue, does not allow the story to live up to its full potential.
Conversely, the other stories that round out this collection demonstrate Stevenson's comedic abilities and penchant for penning thrilling and subtly psychological tales. Standouts include "The Suicide Club," "The Body-Snatcher," and "Markheim."
In short, Stevenson's lesser-known psychological tales and satires are excellent, but stories of greater fame, such as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provide readers with only a poor sampling of their author's considerable abilities.
Anonymous
Posted March 23, 2009
I was excited to find this in the $1 Barnes and Noble bin! I couldn't wait to read it; I started with the "other stories" that Stevenson wrote of. I was on the edge of my seat while reading the Suicide Club. All the stories were surprisingly awesome. I only say surprised, not because I didn't think they would be good, but that I would enjoy their dark themes as much as I did. I was so enthralled with the stories that I told them to two of my co-workers and they joined me in my horror and disbelief.
Before reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I read the introduction, which I suggest for anyone wanting to read it. Not only does it give you more depth of the characters but of the author himself--what [may have] led him to write what he wrote--and such. It was a little long, almost longer that the book itself, but worth it. After each chapter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I couldn't believe Stevenson's genius! He had created such a character, one I thought I knew so much about, and revealed him in such a clever way. The Jekyll and Hyde I came to know was one adapted on screen through "Van Helsing" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," which did not do him ANY justice. Dr. Jekyll is a large, soft, middle-aged man who does [and seems to want to do] what it good. Mr. Hyde is a hard, twisted young villan who only thinks of his pleasures and is self-satisfying.
You must read this if you love classics and especially if you love dark stories.
Can't say this was one of the best i've read but it was good to mark it off of my list of classics to read. I do recommend the book but i was thinking it would be this amazing Thriller and Shocker of a classic but it really wasn't.
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Overview
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics: