The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old friend Dr Henry Jekyll and a murderous criminal named Edward Hyde.
Summary of novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Chapter 1 – Story of the Door
– Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield are out for a walk when they pass a strange-looking door.
– Enfield tells Utterson about an incident where he saw a man trample over a young girl late at night. Enfield confronted the man, who agreed to pay £100 to avoid a scandal.
– The man went through the strange door and returned with 10 pounds in gold and a cheque signed by respected gentleman Dr. Henry Jekyll.
– Utterson is troubled because Jekyll’s name is on the strange man’s cheque.
Chapter 2 – Search for Mr. Hyde
– Utterson is bothered by Enfield’s story and believes the man must have been blackmailing Jekyll.
– Utterson visits Dr. Lanyon, an old friend of Jekyll’s, but Lanyon has had a falling out with Jekyll over scientific matters.
– Utterson finds Jekyll’s will that leaves everything to this Mr. Hyde in case of Jekyll’s disappearance or death.
– Utterson starts watching the strange door to catch Mr. Hyde.
Chapter 3 – Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease
– Utterson joins Jekyll for dinner and asks about his will.
– Jekyll refuses to discuss Hyde and insists he is done with him.
– Jekyll seems deeply distressed about something but insists nothing can be done.
Chapter 4 – The Carew Murder Case
– Sir Danvers Carew is brutally murdered. A maid witnesses the murder by a man she identifies as Edward Hyde.
– Police find half of a broken cane near the body, the other half being left at the crime scene.
– Utterson suspects Hyde and goes with police to Hyde’s apartment.
– They find evidence that someone left in a hurry, plus the other half of the cane.
Chapter 5 – Incident of the Letter
– Jekyll gives Utterson a letter addressed to him from Hyde, apologizing for the trouble and assuring that Jekyll will be bothered no more.
– Utterson suspects Hyde may have committed suicide to escape the murder.
Chapter 6 – Remarkable Incident of Dr. Lanyon
– Dr. Lanyon suddenly falls ill and dies after receiving a letter from Jekyll.
– Before dying, Lanyon gives Utterson a letter and packet which are not to be opened until after Jekyll’s disappearance or death.
– Utterson fears Jekyll may be involved in something terrible with Hyde.
Chapter 7 – Incident at the Window
– Enfield sees Jekyll looking out his window with a tortured expression. When Jekyll sees them, he slams the window shut.
– Utterson and Enfield believe Hyde may still hold power over Jekyll.
Chapter 8 – The Last Night
– Jekyll’s butler Poole comes to Utterson, saying he is afraid of something terrible happening with his master and Mr. Hyde.
– Utterson and Poole break into Jekyll’s lab and find Hyde wearing Jekyll’s oversized clothes, dead from apparent suicide.
– They find a letter from Jekyll to Utterson indicating he has disappeared and to read Lanyon’s letter.
Chapter 9 – Dr. Lanyon’s Narrative
– Letter describes how Jekyll asked Lanyon to retrieve chemicals and documents from his cabinet for an anonymous man to pick up at midnight.
– A deformed man arrives, mixes the chemicals into a serum, and horrifyingly transforms into Jekyll before Lanyon’s eyes.
Chapter 10 – Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement
– Jekyll recounts how he sought to separate the good and evil parts of himself to escape remorse.
– He created a potion to turn himself into the evil Hyde persona, which gradually grew stronger.
– Now unable to recreate the serum exactly, Hyde will take over completely after the last dose wears off. Jekyll says goodbye as he knows Hyde will soon take over for good.
From the book:-
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde By Robert Louis Stevenson