This is my reflection on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mr. Utterson, a middle-aged lawyer in London, witnesses a curious relationship unfold between Dr. Jekyll, a prominent doctor, and Mr. Hyde, a short devilish man of mysterious origin. Dr. Jekyll’s will, which relinquished all of his belongings to Mr. Hyde upon notice of his death, was what originally caught the curiosity of Utterson on this queer relationship. As the novel continues, we witness the development of the evil and brutish nature of Mr. Hyde and the erratic behavior of the doctor. Hyde continues his evils, maiming a child and murdering a man in cold blood until the final plot twist of the novel is revealed, arguably the most famous one in literary history: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one and the same. Dr. Jekyll, through his chemical experiments, was able to extract his evil nature into a physical form of a completely different appearance and stature. This was one of the most monumental revelations for readers of the time, but of course, everyone from our time already knew that revelation before picking up the book. Is the book still worth it if the ending’s spoiled?
I was hesitant about adding this to the list since I already had the ending spoiled. I figured it would ruin the book for me.
Thankfully, I was wrong.
Although I didn’t experience the momentary shock and awe that many of the first readers of this novel must have felt, I experienced a much deeper appreciation for the novel. This book is a piece of art, carefully crafted to explore themes like morality and the duality of humans. Since I knew the ending, I was able to witness how Robert Louis Stevenson crafted the story with that knowledge and how he left sensory descriptions and character development as clues. I was able to witness his artistry and although it was not as superficially exciting as a massive plot twist, the journey itself was a far deeper and richer experience. If the goal of literature is in the journey through an impactful story, knowing the ending could make you appreciate that journey even more.
The journey through the mind of Jekyll and Hyde was a terrifying one, but one I’m glad I took.
The book for next week is The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.