Health: Born with weak lungs, suffered from illness (including tuberculosis)
Education: Limited due to health, influenced by religious stories and ghost tales from his nurse
Travel: Visited the U.S., Europe, South Pacific; adventures inspired works like Treasure Island.
Death: December 3, 1894, in Samoa.
Publication of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Inspiration for story came from a dream in 1885
Written in a few days; sold 40,000 copies in the first six months
Became a literary classic.
Gothic Movement
Focus on death, the irrational; contrast to Romantic literature that emphasized natural beauty
Works often feature dark, mysterious tones
Emphasis on the reader interpreting and piecing together information.
Victorian Morality
Contradictions in Victorian society regarding poverty, crime, sex, and class conduct
Influence of evolutionary theory, especially Darwin's ideas of primitive traits
Mr. Hyde characterized as "troglodytic" or ape-like, driven by primal desires.
Themes and Characteristics
Duality of Human Nature
Public persona vs. dark urges
Jekyll embodies the struggle between good (Jekyll) and evil (Hyde).
Identity and Social Conduct
Class expectations and how characters navigate their identities
Utterson and Enfield represent self-control as gentlemen.
Seeking the Truth
Inquiry into the nature of truth and understanding among characters.
Plot Summary
Setting: Victorian England
Main Characters: Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Utterson, Dr. Lanyon
Key Events:
Utterson learns of Hyde's connection to Jekyll
Hyde murders a man, leading to further investigation
Jekyll's transformations and eventual confession of his duality
Lanyon's shock upon witnessing Hyde's transformation.
Symbolism
Houses: Reflect the psyche of their owners
Doors: Symbolize passageways into the mind
Walking Stick: Represents identity as a gentleman
Clothing: Jekyll's clothing symbolizes his social status, while Hyde's represents his underdevelopment.
Cultural Influence
Entered common vernacular; "Jekyll and Hyde" used to describe mood swings
Continual impact on popular culture.
Conclusion
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde serves as both an engrossing tale and a profound study of the human condition, highlighting the conflict between public and private personas.