Keyword Guide · book-summary
This guide gives a clear, quick summary of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for literature study. It highlights the plot, key ideas, and what teachers often test.
The novella follows London lawyer Mr. Utterson as he investigates the connection between his friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and the violent Edward Hyde. Hyde commits disturbing acts, while Jekyll grows increasingly isolated. As the story unfolds through letters and testimonies, readers learn that Jekyll created a chemical potion to separate his moral self from his darker impulses. The experiment spirals out of control, leading to irreversible consequences.
Dr. Henry Jekyll is a respected scientist who struggles with his hidden desires. Mr. Edward Hyde represents Jekyll’s uncontrolled, immoral side. Mr. Utterson serves as the rational observer who pieces together the mystery. Dr. Lanyon highlights the tension between traditional science and dangerous experimentation.
A central theme is duality: the idea that people have both good and evil sides. The story also explores repression, showing how denying darker impulses can make them stronger. Science versus morality is another major theme, questioning whether knowledge without limits leads to destruction.
Hyde symbolizes unchecked evil, while Jekyll’s laboratory represents secrecy and isolation. For exams, focus on how the mystery structure builds suspense and how point of view delays the truth. In essays, connect the theme of duality to Victorian social expectations.
It is about the conflict between good and evil within one person and the dangers of trying to separate those sides through science.
Hyde is a physical manifestation of Jekyll’s darker nature, created through a scientific experiment rather than being a completely separate individual.
It introduces lasting ideas about duality, identity, and morality and is often used to discuss character psychology and narrative structure.
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