Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an appropriate addition to a high school or college class in British
Literature or a general literature class. It is a brief work, often referred to as a novella, that offers an interesting plot, vivid
characters, elegant writing, and a provocative treatment of themes that continue to be relevant today. We encounter the
mystery of Jekyll and Hyde through the eyes of the mild-mannered lawyer Mr. Utterson and experience increasing
suspense with him as he tries to understand how his friend Dr. Jekyll is connected to the repulsive Mr. Hyde. The suspense
is relieved somewhat but the mystery still remains when Utterson breaks down the door to Jekyll’s laboratory and finds
Hyde dead on the floor with a crushed vial in his hand and “the strong smell of kernels that hung upon the air” (89).
Utterson finally solves the mystery when he discovers the facts of Jekyll’s horrible experiment upon himself in the letters
left to him by Dr. Lanyon and by Jekyll himself before he disappeared for the last time into the body and mind of Hyde.
Although the modern reader may have known all along the answer to the mystery, its gradual unfolding gives a sense of
closure and satisfaction.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde satisfies in other ways as well. Stevenson’s skillful characterizations of the separate personae of
Jekyll and Hyde, and of the ultimate Victorian, Mr. Utterson, contribute to the rich texture of the novel. Also, the
descriptions of Victorian London with contrasting districts of stately homes and deteriorating buildings and deserted, fogshrouded
streets reflect the degeneration of Jekyll and create an air of mystery and impending horror. And Dr. Jekyll and
Mr.Hyde is more than a well-crafted mystery novel. Its themes include consideration of human nature, the effects of
addiction, and the struggle of science over the supernatural—all themes to which modern readers will respond.
This guide provides activities which will involve students in analyzing the plot, appreciating the richness of the novel, and
reflecting on its themes. Although Stevenson employs a clear style of writing, his vocabulary includes many words
infrequently encountered today. For this reason there are suggestions to help students handle the vocabulary as they read
for meaning and also profit from their exposure to these words. Teachers can choose from a wide variety of teaching
activities in order to meet their goals and the needs of their students.