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

This classic tale of the divided self was inspired by Stevenson's own recurring dreams, in which he led a respectable life by day and a completely different existence by night. Written in only three days and published in 1886, the story was instantly popular. This tale of the good side of humankind versus the evil side chronicles the experiments that transform the good Dr. Jekyll into the evil Mr. Hyde.

Related Readings

"Dr. Heidegger's Experiment"—short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne

"Richard Cory"—poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson

"The Strange Case of Dr. T. and Mrs. H."—parody from Punch

"Markheim"—short story by Robert Louis Stevenson

"William Wilson"—short story by Edgar Allan Poe

Study Guide (PDF)