The Canadian Encyclopedia — neutral, cited, updated
July 26, 2026Sources cited
Canadianwire.
Canada’s encyclopedia & explainer
Home›Entertainment›Literature›Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Entertainment • Literature

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is an 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is an 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Dr Henry Jekyll, who uses a potion to separate his good and evil impulses, creating the violent alter ego Edward Hyde. The title has become a common phrase for contradictory or dual behaviour.

Plot

The story is presented through mystery and documents, largely following lawyer Gabriel Utterson as he investigates the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The ending reveals that Hyde is Jekyll’s transformed alter ego and that Jekyll loses control over the separation.

Themes

The novella explores duality in human nature, moral repression, and the gap between public respectability and private vice. It is also associated with Victorian anxieties about science, identity, and self-control.

Publication and reception

Published in 1886, the novella quickly became one of Stevenson’s best-known works. Its central metaphor entered common usage, and the title characters became cultural shorthand for split or contradictory behaviour.

Legacy

The story has had lasting influence in literature, film, theatre, and popular culture. The terms Jekyll and Hyde are widely used to describe a person with markedly different public and private selves.

Key facts

  • The novella was published in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson.
  • It centres on Dr Jekyll’s attempt to separate his moral nature from his darker impulses using a potion.
  • Edward Hyde becomes the violent and increasingly dominant alter ego created by Jekyll’s experiments.
  • The story is commonly read as a study of duality, repression, and Victorian respectability.
  • The names Jekyll and Hyde are now used in English to describe sharply contrasting personalities or behaviours.
🍁
Canadian context

The novella is studied in Canadian schools and appears in English-language literature curricula and surveys of Gothic fiction.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
It was written by Robert Louis Stevenson.
When was it published?
It was published in 1886.
Who are the main characters?
The central figures are Dr Henry Jekyll, Edward Hyde, and lawyer Gabriel John Utterson.
What is the story about?
It follows a doctor who creates a potion that separates his good and evil sides, producing the alter ego Mr Hyde.
Why is it culturally important?
The title has become a shorthand expression for sharply contradictory behaviour or personality.
Is it a novel or a novella?
It is generally classified as a novella.

References

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Strange-Case-of-Dr-Jekyll-and-Mr-Hyde
    Supports: Author, publication date, genre, plot premise, and the phrase 'Jekyll and Hyde' as shorthand for contradictory behaviour.
  2. BBC Bitesize — https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zg2trdm/revision/1
    Supports: Plot summary, characters, and the novel’s themes of duality and science.
  3. SparkNotes — https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/summary/
    Supports: Detailed plot summary, Jekyll’s potion, Hyde’s growth, and the ending.
  4. StudySmarter — https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english-literature/novelists/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/
    Supports: Character descriptions and the idea of Hyde becoming increasingly dominant.
  5. getAbstract — https://www.getabstract.com/en/summary/strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/31325
    Supports: Interpretation of Victorian hypocrisy and social repression as themes.