I Read Books: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Books read in 2018, though this was first published in 1886; The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R L Stevenson.
Well this is disappointing. Usually reading the original reveals some interesting parts of a story that have been smoothed away by time and popular taste. In this case going back to the source material has added little to my thoughts on this classic story of dual-personality. There’s a touch of religion that has subsequently been excised for our more heathen times. Hyde is a small man, rather than the giant that modern versions tend to prefer. The exact nature of his sins, which are Jekyll’s hidden desires*, is sort of concealed, though every time it is actually seen it expresses itself as violence, leading to the conclusion that he goes out at night to watch and take part in East End boxing matches.
Knowing the ending as we do, the pacing feels very languid. Stephenson’s 19th century prolixity is part of this. Nevertheless there’s a few good bits about the logistics of a double life, and Jekyll’s increasing desperation and, perhaps, addiction comes through. The survival of the documents that make up the final section is guaranteed by the fact that Hyde, being Jekyll’s dark side, does not have enough of the virtue of patience to find and destroy them, which is a nice touch.
Read This: For an authentically seminal piece of Victorian fiction.
Don’t Read This: If authentic Victorian Fiction is too slow and wordy for you.
Available Copyright Free: At various places; here is the Project Gutenberg link.
* Jekyll is a "large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty with something of a slyish cast," rather than the young nerdy scientist we more often see on the screen.
Well this is disappointing. Usually reading the original reveals some interesting parts of a story that have been smoothed away by time and popular taste. In this case going back to the source material has added little to my thoughts on this classic story of dual-personality. There’s a touch of religion that has subsequently been excised for our more heathen times. Hyde is a small man, rather than the giant that modern versions tend to prefer. The exact nature of his sins, which are Jekyll’s hidden desires*, is sort of concealed, though every time it is actually seen it expresses itself as violence, leading to the conclusion that he goes out at night to watch and take part in East End boxing matches.
Knowing the ending as we do, the pacing feels very languid. Stephenson’s 19th century prolixity is part of this. Nevertheless there’s a few good bits about the logistics of a double life, and Jekyll’s increasing desperation and, perhaps, addiction comes through. The survival of the documents that make up the final section is guaranteed by the fact that Hyde, being Jekyll’s dark side, does not have enough of the virtue of patience to find and destroy them, which is a nice touch.
Read This: For an authentically seminal piece of Victorian fiction.
Don’t Read This: If authentic Victorian Fiction is too slow and wordy for you.
Available Copyright Free: At various places; here is the Project Gutenberg link.
* Jekyll is a "large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty with something of a slyish cast," rather than the young nerdy scientist we more often see on the screen.
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