The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a captivating tale of good and evil, as represented by the two characters of the story, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a respected gentleman scientist who discovers, through experimentation, a way to separate his good and evil sides. Unfortunately, the evil side, Mr. Hyde, is far stronger than the good, and he soon finds himself slowly losing control of his own life as Hyde takes over more and more.

The novel begins with our main character, Dr. Jekyll, in a very respectable position in society. He is well educated, wealthy, and respected by everyone. He also serves on the board of a local hospital and is a respected member of his community. Despite this, Jekyll is troubled by inner conflicts and a sense of duality in himself. He feels he is both good and evil and is desperate to find a way to separate them.

In his experiments with drugs and potions, Jekyll discovers a transformation fluid that turns him into Mr. Edward Hyde, a far cruder and more animalistic version of himself. Although this transformation seems to unleash a power that Jekyll enjoys, the power of Hyde soon begins to take control. He starts to become abusive and violent, even murdering a local politician, Mr. Carew. As his life spirals out of control, Jekyll attempts to protect his persona by sending Mr. Hyde away, but it is ultimately disastrous for Jekyll.

As Jekyll's health and social life deteriorates, he consults an old friend, Mr. Utterson, for help. Utterson, along with Jekyll's butler, Poole, discover that the transformation fluid has been hidden in Jekyll's laboratory. With the help of Utterson, Poole, and Jekyll's maid, they begin to unravel the truth behind the strange case of Jekyll and Hyde. This investigation puts them in danger, though, as they come to suspect that Jekyll is actually Hyde and Hyde is Jekyll.

After a number of attempts to free himself of the terrible influence of Hyde, Jekyll finds that he can no longer control the transformation. He realizes that Hyde is actually killing him and that the end of Jekyll's life is near. Jekyll writes a final letter confessing all of his wrongdoings as Hyde, and how he attempted to rid himself of Hyde's influence. In the letter, Jekyll expresses his regret, while also asking Utterson to ensure that Hyde is punished for the crimes he has committed.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic example of a duality between good and evil. It is a story of the battle between Jekyll's good and evil sides, and Jekyll's futile attempt to be rid of Hyde. Despite the horrific acts Hyde commits, there is also an element of pity stirred up in the readers as they learn that both sides of his personality are controlled by the same individual. In the end, the powerful narrative of Robert Louis Stevenson leaves the reader contemplating their own duality between their own good and evil sides.