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Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and other stories
Stevenson’s chilling tale of the respectable Dr Jekyll and his infernal alter ego, Mr Hyde, was first published in 1886 and became an immediate popular success. The story gives intense and disturbing expression to Stevenson’s lifelong fascination with evil, and it is a measure of his achievement that he successfully demonstrates the seductiveness as well as the horror of an existence freed of all moral restraint.
Two later stories The Beach of Falesá and The Ebb Tide, both set in the South Seas, explore the same moral terrain as Jekyll and Hyde. Both, however, reveal an increasingly sophisticated apprehension and representation of human behaviour. The Beach of Falesá is printed here in its unexpurgated form.
Two later stories The Beach of Falesá and The Ebb Tide, both set in the South Seas, explore the same moral terrain as Jekyll and Hyde. Both, however, reveal an increasingly sophisticated apprehension and representation of human behaviour. The Beach of Falesá is printed here in its unexpurgated form.
306 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1982
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352 people want to read
About the author
Robert Louis Stevenson
6,815 books6,937 followersRobert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of English literature. He was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling and Vladimir Nabokov.
Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.
Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
November 17, 2008
I can’t really tell you what I was expecting when I started this story – except, of course, that I wasn’t quite expecting what I got.
This is another of those ‘classic tales’ that I’ve long assumed I’ve known, but never have really known at all. I had images in my head of foaming test tubes or beakers and of hair spouting from the backs of hands. To be honest, I also had visions of lots of sex too. Unlike Frankenstein, this story mostly lives up to what I guess could be called its image in the popular imagination. It is surprising how few ‘classics’ seem to. I mean, how strange it is that Mary’s Frankenstein’s monster gets by without bolts in his neck!
This story is particularly strange. I’ve read the Penguin Classics edition, but have skipped all the essays and introductions. I read the notes, but found them not terribly useful. The ones of interest were the notes comparing Jekyll’s illness to syphilis. Given this was the AIDS of the day (and if anything possibly an even crueller disease causing madness, symptoms like leprosy and hideous deformities) it is hardly surprising that it might be vaguely referenced in a horror story.
Now, that is the other thing I wanted to say. This is a horror story, but don’t expect the sort of blood chilling effect that a modern horror story might give. In fact, Stevenson seems to go out of his way to telegraph his punches. The story is told in a very odd way. But more on that in a minute – what is very interesting about this is that it is almost as if Stevenson isn’t as interested in the cheap thrills that might come from a long slow build up of suspense, but rather the horror of this story is something that lingers about you for a while after you have finished it.
How is this for an opening sentence? “Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment, lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow loveable.” Not exactly the life of the party, then. Although this story is told in omniscient narration it is always through the perspective of this Mr Utterson – the dull as dishwater lawyer.
I think that if I was writing this story I wouldn’t have written it in this way. I think this story would have had much more oomph if it was either told entirely from the perspective of Utterson or entirely from the perspective of Jekyll. The last bits of the story, where we learn of Jekyll’s secret, is all told through a letter read after Jekyll’s death. This seemed less than satisfactory to me as a device for telling the story.
Alternatively, if the whole thing had been told through the eyes of Utterson then there could have been much to make of questioning the man’s motives. He is someone who ends up in the story making lots of money of the misfortunes of many of his ‘friends’. And he is a lawyer, for god’s sake, if you don’t know to not trust lawyers then you don’t know much.
This could very easily have become quite a psychologically twisted and interesting piece if the voice telling the story had been Utterson’s – in much the same way that Wuthering Heights is interesting at least partly because it is told by Lockwood.
Calvino plays with a similar idea to this one – the idea of the good and bad in a man being torn asunder – in his novella The Cloven Knight. There are times when we look back on our lives and do think of ourselves as separate people – people with good sides and bad sides. I’ve never been able to quite buy the Socratic idea that people only do bad because they don’t know the truth and that once people understand the truth they will always act in accordance with it. For years I smoked cigarettes whilst despising myself for my weakness in giving into them time and again. My problem wasn’t that I didn’t know enough about the ‘truth’ about smoking – my problem was one of desire, pure and irrational desire.
And Hyde is the realisation of Jekyll’s unmediated desire.
I had expected more of this story, but all the same, I can see why it has troubled the minds of generations of readers. This is printed with two other stories – designated as ‘tales of terror’ – which, really, is going a little too far. I only read one of these - The Body Snatcher which is a cautionary tale concerning not taking the first step down the path of evil. All the same, the end was particularly weak, I though.
The best bit of Jekyll and Hyde, I think, was the reason at the end why Jekyll is unable to continue making his formulation. Very clever.
This is another of those ‘classic tales’ that I’ve long assumed I’ve known, but never have really known at all. I had images in my head of foaming test tubes or beakers and of hair spouting from the backs of hands. To be honest, I also had visions of lots of sex too. Unlike Frankenstein, this story mostly lives up to what I guess could be called its image in the popular imagination. It is surprising how few ‘classics’ seem to. I mean, how strange it is that Mary’s Frankenstein’s monster gets by without bolts in his neck!
This story is particularly strange. I’ve read the Penguin Classics edition, but have skipped all the essays and introductions. I read the notes, but found them not terribly useful. The ones of interest were the notes comparing Jekyll’s illness to syphilis. Given this was the AIDS of the day (and if anything possibly an even crueller disease causing madness, symptoms like leprosy and hideous deformities) it is hardly surprising that it might be vaguely referenced in a horror story.
Now, that is the other thing I wanted to say. This is a horror story, but don’t expect the sort of blood chilling effect that a modern horror story might give. In fact, Stevenson seems to go out of his way to telegraph his punches. The story is told in a very odd way. But more on that in a minute – what is very interesting about this is that it is almost as if Stevenson isn’t as interested in the cheap thrills that might come from a long slow build up of suspense, but rather the horror of this story is something that lingers about you for a while after you have finished it.
How is this for an opening sentence? “Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment, lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow loveable.” Not exactly the life of the party, then. Although this story is told in omniscient narration it is always through the perspective of this Mr Utterson – the dull as dishwater lawyer.
I think that if I was writing this story I wouldn’t have written it in this way. I think this story would have had much more oomph if it was either told entirely from the perspective of Utterson or entirely from the perspective of Jekyll. The last bits of the story, where we learn of Jekyll’s secret, is all told through a letter read after Jekyll’s death. This seemed less than satisfactory to me as a device for telling the story.
Alternatively, if the whole thing had been told through the eyes of Utterson then there could have been much to make of questioning the man’s motives. He is someone who ends up in the story making lots of money of the misfortunes of many of his ‘friends’. And he is a lawyer, for god’s sake, if you don’t know to not trust lawyers then you don’t know much.
This could very easily have become quite a psychologically twisted and interesting piece if the voice telling the story had been Utterson’s – in much the same way that Wuthering Heights is interesting at least partly because it is told by Lockwood.
Calvino plays with a similar idea to this one – the idea of the good and bad in a man being torn asunder – in his novella The Cloven Knight. There are times when we look back on our lives and do think of ourselves as separate people – people with good sides and bad sides. I’ve never been able to quite buy the Socratic idea that people only do bad because they don’t know the truth and that once people understand the truth they will always act in accordance with it. For years I smoked cigarettes whilst despising myself for my weakness in giving into them time and again. My problem wasn’t that I didn’t know enough about the ‘truth’ about smoking – my problem was one of desire, pure and irrational desire.
And Hyde is the realisation of Jekyll’s unmediated desire.
I had expected more of this story, but all the same, I can see why it has troubled the minds of generations of readers. This is printed with two other stories – designated as ‘tales of terror’ – which, really, is going a little too far. I only read one of these - The Body Snatcher which is a cautionary tale concerning not taking the first step down the path of evil. All the same, the end was particularly weak, I though.
The best bit of Jekyll and Hyde, I think, was the reason at the end why Jekyll is unable to continue making his formulation. Very clever.
August 27, 2016
Somewhere in the second trimester of fetal development of first world babies, knowledge of the story of Jekyll and Hyde is passed down the umbilical cord from mother to child, and thus are we all born with a basic understanding of this tale of duality. It is nearly impossible to live in a developed country and not understand a Jekyll and Hyde reference. Since I felt I already knew the story, and that the surprise ending is forever ruined for everyone alive today, I put off reading it until I was 32 years old, but I'm glad that I've now checked it out.
It's my understanding that of all the film adaptations of this book (of which there are well over 100), not a single one of them gets it just right. The main character isn't Jekyll/Hyde, but John Utterson, a friend of Dr. Jekyll. This poor chap isn't even in most of the movies, I don't think. Anyway, the story is told from his point of view, not J/H's. And while Utterson is missing in most film versions, you know who is missing from the book? The woman! She doesn't exist. There is no tragic romance and eventual damsel in distress in the book at all. It's not even mentioned. It's a never-was.
So, what really happens? We learn from a friend of Utterson's that a Mr. Hyde was seen trampling a little girl, and was forced to pay her family. Hyde presented a check written by Dr. Jekyll, a well respected physician and friend of Utterson's. This baffles Utterson, but Jekyll assures him it's legit, and that Hyde is Jekyll's beneficiary. Utterson can't understand it, but is told to wash his hands of the matter, and he does. Jekyll had been flying low under the radar during all this. Hyde kind of disappears for a bit, but reemerges and kills a man. He's hunted down, but escapes. In his house is found the murder weapon, a cane that Utterson himself had given to Jekyll as a gift a while back. Jekyll is confronted with this bit of intel, and he assures Utterson and the cops that he has permanently ended his association with Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll reemerges into society, and is his old bubbly social-butterfly self for a few months, then suddenly he locks himself up in his house and refuses to see people. He sends his staff on errands for various drugs so he can make his crystal meth, but nobody ever sees Dr. J; they just receive his instructions from behind a closed door. The staff is now living in terror because they believe Mr. Hyde has come back and taken Jekyll prisoner, or something like that. The butler decides enough is enough, and tells Utterson what's going on. Utterson and the butler hit up Dr. J's lab, bust down the door and find Mr. Hyde dead on the floor wearing Dr. Jekyll's clothes, but there's no sign of Dr. J. They find a diary from Dr. Jekyll which explains everything, and he had somehow kept it hidden from Mr. Hyde.
The long and short of it is this (as if you need to be told since you gained this information during prenatal development): Jekyll had made a potion which allowed him to entertain his more immoral desires with impunity which also altered his physical appearance to the point that he didn't even resemble his real self in the slightest. At first all was fine, and he had fun with sin, but then the sins started getting a bit serious. He tried to curtail, but it was difficult. After Hyde murdered the one dude, Jekyll cut it off cold turkey, and all was well for a while. But then Hyde started coming out while Jekyll was asleep, and Jekyll, while looking like Hyde, had to take the potion to turn back into his original self. Eventually Hyde just started showing up whenever he felt like it, so Jekyll locked himself away in his lab. He sent his staff all over the city for one ingredient he needed to make the potion, and the ingredient needed to be 100% pure and unsullied. He got this ingredient from several apothecaries, but with the same disastrous results: the potion didn't work. It turns out that it was an impurity in the ingredient in the original potion that made the magic happen, oh woe is Jekyll. As Jekyll wrote this in his journal, he felt Hyde coming again, and knew he would never be Dr. Jekyll again since he was a) out of the original potion and b) not strong enough to put Hyde away anymore. It's around this point that Utterson breaks in, and that's the end of the tale. (Insert dramatic music stab here).
I understand better now why this is deemed a classic. The way it unfolds on the pages sets it apart from the movie adaptations, and makes it a much better story than I thought it would be. Reading it with a fresh and open mind was difficult since it's ingrained in my head from birth, but I can see why it was such a huge hit when it came out.
A bit of background about how this novella came to be because it's one of those amazing stories: Stevenson was not a well man. He was on bed rest, not allowed to talk or move, and doped up on the leading opiate of the day when he started screaming in his sleep one afternoon. His wife was alarmed, and woke him up. Instead of thanking her, he admonished her saying something like "What'd you do that for? I was having an awesome nightmare!" That "fine bogey tale" (Stevenson's exact words) was the basis of "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." (The "The" was left off intentionally by Stevenson, but publishers added it after he died). For the next three days Louis wrote like a madman (probably because he was one), and presented the first draft to his wife. She had literary aspirations of her own, and was a harsh critic. She said it was a fine horror tale, but really it sucked monkey balls. While her back was turned, Louis burned the manuscript for fear that he might be tempted to use it. Also, he was really fricking pissed off and it was his way of saying "Well fine! Take a load off, Fanny!" (Fanny was Mrs. S's name, and nobody in the Stevenson household enjoyed their afternoon tea for a while after the page burning incident). So, he wrote it again, this time taking six days instead of three. He added allegorical elements (one of Fanny's suggestions), and shat out the classic that is now the frame of our concept of duality in modern society. Three days later after Fanny had finished editing it, it was sent off. A little over two months later it was published, and sold forty thousand copies within a year. It was discussed and written about all over the English speaking world, and used in church sermons. Soon it would be made into stage plays. When radio and film entertainment got fired up, it would invade those mediums, and 125 years after its initial publication, it is still relevant.
How many stories can make that claim?
It's my understanding that of all the film adaptations of this book (of which there are well over 100), not a single one of them gets it just right. The main character isn't Jekyll/Hyde, but John Utterson, a friend of Dr. Jekyll. This poor chap isn't even in most of the movies, I don't think. Anyway, the story is told from his point of view, not J/H's. And while Utterson is missing in most film versions, you know who is missing from the book? The woman! She doesn't exist. There is no tragic romance and eventual damsel in distress in the book at all. It's not even mentioned. It's a never-was.
So, what really happens? We learn from a friend of Utterson's that a Mr. Hyde was seen trampling a little girl, and was forced to pay her family. Hyde presented a check written by Dr. Jekyll, a well respected physician and friend of Utterson's. This baffles Utterson, but Jekyll assures him it's legit, and that Hyde is Jekyll's beneficiary. Utterson can't understand it, but is told to wash his hands of the matter, and he does. Jekyll had been flying low under the radar during all this. Hyde kind of disappears for a bit, but reemerges and kills a man. He's hunted down, but escapes. In his house is found the murder weapon, a cane that Utterson himself had given to Jekyll as a gift a while back. Jekyll is confronted with this bit of intel, and he assures Utterson and the cops that he has permanently ended his association with Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll reemerges into society, and is his old bubbly social-butterfly self for a few months, then suddenly he locks himself up in his house and refuses to see people. He sends his staff on errands for various drugs so he can make his crystal meth, but nobody ever sees Dr. J; they just receive his instructions from behind a closed door. The staff is now living in terror because they believe Mr. Hyde has come back and taken Jekyll prisoner, or something like that. The butler decides enough is enough, and tells Utterson what's going on. Utterson and the butler hit up Dr. J's lab, bust down the door and find Mr. Hyde dead on the floor wearing Dr. Jekyll's clothes, but there's no sign of Dr. J. They find a diary from Dr. Jekyll which explains everything, and he had somehow kept it hidden from Mr. Hyde.
The long and short of it is this (as if you need to be told since you gained this information during prenatal development): Jekyll had made a potion which allowed him to entertain his more immoral desires with impunity which also altered his physical appearance to the point that he didn't even resemble his real self in the slightest. At first all was fine, and he had fun with sin, but then the sins started getting a bit serious. He tried to curtail, but it was difficult. After Hyde murdered the one dude, Jekyll cut it off cold turkey, and all was well for a while. But then Hyde started coming out while Jekyll was asleep, and Jekyll, while looking like Hyde, had to take the potion to turn back into his original self. Eventually Hyde just started showing up whenever he felt like it, so Jekyll locked himself away in his lab. He sent his staff all over the city for one ingredient he needed to make the potion, and the ingredient needed to be 100% pure and unsullied. He got this ingredient from several apothecaries, but with the same disastrous results: the potion didn't work. It turns out that it was an impurity in the ingredient in the original potion that made the magic happen, oh woe is Jekyll. As Jekyll wrote this in his journal, he felt Hyde coming again, and knew he would never be Dr. Jekyll again since he was a) out of the original potion and b) not strong enough to put Hyde away anymore. It's around this point that Utterson breaks in, and that's the end of the tale. (Insert dramatic music stab here).
I understand better now why this is deemed a classic. The way it unfolds on the pages sets it apart from the movie adaptations, and makes it a much better story than I thought it would be. Reading it with a fresh and open mind was difficult since it's ingrained in my head from birth, but I can see why it was such a huge hit when it came out.
A bit of background about how this novella came to be because it's one of those amazing stories: Stevenson was not a well man. He was on bed rest, not allowed to talk or move, and doped up on the leading opiate of the day when he started screaming in his sleep one afternoon. His wife was alarmed, and woke him up. Instead of thanking her, he admonished her saying something like "What'd you do that for? I was having an awesome nightmare!" That "fine bogey tale" (Stevenson's exact words) was the basis of "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." (The "The" was left off intentionally by Stevenson, but publishers added it after he died). For the next three days Louis wrote like a madman (probably because he was one), and presented the first draft to his wife. She had literary aspirations of her own, and was a harsh critic. She said it was a fine horror tale, but really it sucked monkey balls. While her back was turned, Louis burned the manuscript for fear that he might be tempted to use it. Also, he was really fricking pissed off and it was his way of saying "Well fine! Take a load off, Fanny!" (Fanny was Mrs. S's name, and nobody in the Stevenson household enjoyed their afternoon tea for a while after the page burning incident). So, he wrote it again, this time taking six days instead of three. He added allegorical elements (one of Fanny's suggestions), and shat out the classic that is now the frame of our concept of duality in modern society. Three days later after Fanny had finished editing it, it was sent off. A little over two months later it was published, and sold forty thousand copies within a year. It was discussed and written about all over the English speaking world, and used in church sermons. Soon it would be made into stage plays. When radio and film entertainment got fired up, it would invade those mediums, and 125 years after its initial publication, it is still relevant.
How many stories can make that claim?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2025
How one of the greatest literary tropes gained traction in one of the most boring stories ever written is the real mystery of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
The other two short stories were classic RLS sea adventures. Both quite colonial and racist and not a pleasant reading experience. The character of Attwater was superb though- the highlight of this otherwise disappointing collection from one of my favourite authors.
The other two short stories were classic RLS sea adventures. Both quite colonial and racist and not a pleasant reading experience. The character of Attwater was superb though- the highlight of this otherwise disappointing collection from one of my favourite authors.
January 19, 2012
A brilliantly written collection of stories that reflect the complexities and desires of the human conditions. The classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde reflects how people yearn to be someone else or lead a double life. I found Jekyll's character more interesting than Hyde's. Hyde was clear in his wants and desires and did what he wanted, how he wanted and when he wanted while Jekyll was clearly far more restrained and controlled. The comparison between the two characters reflects on the dual and competing characters of people, the dilemma between conforming to society and doind what you want is still prevalent today especially with the advent of the internet and global fashions and trends. A chilling warning to keep control of both sides of you're personality and not to let one win out over the other.
October 10, 2023
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: 3.5/5
The Beach of Falesá: 1.5/5
The Ebb-Tide : DNF
The Beach of Falesá: 1.5/5
The Ebb-Tide : DNF
December 10, 2025
I’d forgotten just how good this story is; a perfectly crafted tale of suspense, good and evil, and the potential monster inside us all. So good!
November 11, 2019
Let's start with the introduction at the beginning of this book. Overly long, tedious and mind numbingly boring. I hated every second of reading it.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde was a good one (the only good writing in this book). I liked the surreal show of the duality of good and evil within a single person. It was well written, entertaining and interesting. I would read it again.
The Beach of Falesá was mediocre at best. The writing was chaotic and somewhat all over the place. In the end the story did manage to make sense and was relatively okay, but nothing to write home about.
The Ebb-Tide was as nonsensical a story as they come. Again, very chaotic and jumbled writing. The story itself held no interest to me, was tedious beyond belief and just a complete waste of time to read.
The only reason I gave this a very generous 2 stars is thanks to the Jekyll and Hyde story, which I would give at least 3.5 or maybe even 4 stars on its own.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde was a good one (the only good writing in this book). I liked the surreal show of the duality of good and evil within a single person. It was well written, entertaining and interesting. I would read it again.
The Beach of Falesá was mediocre at best. The writing was chaotic and somewhat all over the place. In the end the story did manage to make sense and was relatively okay, but nothing to write home about.
The Ebb-Tide was as nonsensical a story as they come. Again, very chaotic and jumbled writing. The story itself held no interest to me, was tedious beyond belief and just a complete waste of time to read.
The only reason I gave this a very generous 2 stars is thanks to the Jekyll and Hyde story, which I would give at least 3.5 or maybe even 4 stars on its own.
November 17, 2020
I liked the last of the three stories, the Ebb Tide, most of all. The character Herrick is incredibly dear to me, his growth from destitute and forlorn to determined and full of fire to standing with his principles no matter what - it moved me more than I expected it to, and Herrick defending the natives and black people to the other white men and calling them horribly cruel for their treatment of them was, though the bare necessities of respect, a nice surprise given the other books I read by Stevenson. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to read more about pirates and castaways, and for anyone who adores the lyrical prose hiding between excellent dialogues. 5/5 stars for the last story.
October 7, 2015
The title story is a famous but far from run of the mill horror story. It is in fact a really well written and atmospheric tale of man's inner demons. The other 2 stories were worth a read; the ebb tide especially felt like a cross between Heart of Darkness and Treasure Island, detailing the desperate nature of down on their luck colonial ex pats and their desire to improve their lot by any means necessary. A great read.
August 23, 2011
A great piece, especially for its time. I read it as part of course material, but enjoyed it more than some of the other works of the same era. Some of the descriptions were surprisingly grotesque; I assumed they might be a bit watered down due to the era in which this was written - but this is definitely something everyone should read.
July 26, 2011
I read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the family in only a few sittings, and thoroughly creeped the children out. We all found it interesting. It's a fun story, but it's an extended meditation on the last half of Romans 7. I think Robert Louis Stevenson is an excellent writer.
June 3, 2022
i didn't finish the third story because the last two stories were boring and racist and not my thing but the first story is really really good. one hit wonder i guess.
February 4, 2024
3.5
Dr jekyll was fuuuucking brilliant but the other two stories were a personal bore
Dr jekyll was fuuuucking brilliant but the other two stories were a personal bore
November 18, 2025
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories remains one of literature’s most enduring examinations of duality—the eternal struggle between the civilised and the monstrous, the persona and the shadow.
Yet what often goes unnoticed is how modern the book feels, even more than a century later. The anxieties Stevenson explores—about identity, repression, moral fragmentation, and the masks people wear—could just as easily belong to a contemporary psychological thriller as to Victorian London.
The title novella functions as a precise machine of suspense. Stevenson’s economy of storytelling is remarkable: he wastes no motion, no sentence. London becomes a fog-filled subconscious, full of locked doors and suppressed secrets.
Dr. Jekyll, the upright gentleman-scientist, is tormented not by simple temptation but by something more insidious—a desire to escape the moral expectations carved into him by society. Hyde is not merely evil; he is freedom without conscience, impulse without restraint. Stevenson understood something profoundly psychological long before Freud articulated it: repression breeds monstrosities.
The strength of the novella lies not in plot twists but in its construction of atmosphere. The streets and rooms feel suffocating, claustrophobic, as if the whole city has conspired to hide Jekyll’s secret. Utterson, the lawyer-narrator, serves as the reader’s anchor—rational, observant, troubled by inconsistencies he cannot fully interpret.
Through him, Stevenson builds dread out of the ordinary: a strange will, an unsettling encounter, a door that opens onto nothing good.
What elevates the collection, however, are the other stories surrounding the famous one. “The Body Snatcher” is a chilling descent into the ethics of scientific ambition, echoing the guilt and dread of the Burke and Hare murders. “Markheim,” a philosophical ghost story, interrogates guilt and self-recognition with surprising tenderness.
In these pieces, Stevenson probes humanity’s darker corners with an almost surgical delicacy. He is less interested in horror as spectacle and more in horror as revelation—what the dark teaches us about who we are.
Another striking element in this anthology is the sheer range of Stevenson’s style. He moves effortlessly from psychological horror to adventure to moral fable, yet a common thread unites the stories: a deep suspicion of appearances.
Whether through the literal double of Jekyll and Hyde or the metaphorical doubles that haunt the other tales—guilt, memory, conscience—Stevenson suggests that human identity is never a stable thing. We are all, in some manner, negotiations between selves.
Reading the collection today, one feels how prescient Stevenson was about the modern condition.
The fear of losing oneself, or worse, discovering that one’s hidden self is stronger than the public one—that fear has only grown sharper with time.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories remains unsettling not because it is old, but because it is timeless.
Yet what often goes unnoticed is how modern the book feels, even more than a century later. The anxieties Stevenson explores—about identity, repression, moral fragmentation, and the masks people wear—could just as easily belong to a contemporary psychological thriller as to Victorian London.
The title novella functions as a precise machine of suspense. Stevenson’s economy of storytelling is remarkable: he wastes no motion, no sentence. London becomes a fog-filled subconscious, full of locked doors and suppressed secrets.
Dr. Jekyll, the upright gentleman-scientist, is tormented not by simple temptation but by something more insidious—a desire to escape the moral expectations carved into him by society. Hyde is not merely evil; he is freedom without conscience, impulse without restraint. Stevenson understood something profoundly psychological long before Freud articulated it: repression breeds monstrosities.
The strength of the novella lies not in plot twists but in its construction of atmosphere. The streets and rooms feel suffocating, claustrophobic, as if the whole city has conspired to hide Jekyll’s secret. Utterson, the lawyer-narrator, serves as the reader’s anchor—rational, observant, troubled by inconsistencies he cannot fully interpret.
Through him, Stevenson builds dread out of the ordinary: a strange will, an unsettling encounter, a door that opens onto nothing good.
What elevates the collection, however, are the other stories surrounding the famous one. “The Body Snatcher” is a chilling descent into the ethics of scientific ambition, echoing the guilt and dread of the Burke and Hare murders. “Markheim,” a philosophical ghost story, interrogates guilt and self-recognition with surprising tenderness.
In these pieces, Stevenson probes humanity’s darker corners with an almost surgical delicacy. He is less interested in horror as spectacle and more in horror as revelation—what the dark teaches us about who we are.
Another striking element in this anthology is the sheer range of Stevenson’s style. He moves effortlessly from psychological horror to adventure to moral fable, yet a common thread unites the stories: a deep suspicion of appearances.
Whether through the literal double of Jekyll and Hyde or the metaphorical doubles that haunt the other tales—guilt, memory, conscience—Stevenson suggests that human identity is never a stable thing. We are all, in some manner, negotiations between selves.
Reading the collection today, one feels how prescient Stevenson was about the modern condition.
The fear of losing oneself, or worse, discovering that one’s hidden self is stronger than the public one—that fear has only grown sharper with time.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories remains unsettling not because it is old, but because it is timeless.
February 12, 2025
(i read djmh; i'm not committing to finishing the rest of the stories, they weren't as fun)
I began reading with a bit of resentment toward my already existing awareness of the plot twist. There are levels to the reading experience, and this time I unwillingly skipped the first. Some firsts are hard to come by. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is almost as practically impossible as Romeo and Juliet.
Turns out it didn't really matter. Like Crime and Punishment wasn't really about the murder itself, this one wasn't really about the plot twist. I don't think there's a lot to add to the discussion here on my part - I think the simplicity of it is beautiful even if I don't think human traits can all be subjected to a strict duality.
All in all, with that foglike fragrance of the evening air of mystery, this story kept me on the periphery of my seat and hydrated my mind like no nivea cream could.
I began reading with a bit of resentment toward my already existing awareness of the plot twist. There are levels to the reading experience, and this time I unwillingly skipped the first. Some firsts are hard to come by. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is almost as practically impossible as Romeo and Juliet.
Turns out it didn't really matter. Like Crime and Punishment wasn't really about the murder itself, this one wasn't really about the plot twist. I don't think there's a lot to add to the discussion here on my part - I think the simplicity of it is beautiful even if I don't think human traits can all be subjected to a strict duality.
All in all, with that foglike fragrance of the evening air of mystery, this story kept me on the periphery of my seat and hydrated my mind like no nivea cream could.
October 27, 2024
I only read "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and not the other two stories. The narrative is typical of the 1800s British literary style - somewhat longwinded with outdated vocabulary - but the story itself is fascinating and offers fodder for self-reflection.
"I thus drew steadily nearer to that truth by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two.”
"Strange as my circumstances were, the terms of this debate are as old and commonplace as man; much the same inducements and alarms cast the die for any tempted and trembling sinner; and it fell out with me, as it falls with so vast a majority of my fellows, that I chose the better part and was found wanting in the strength to keep to it.”
"I thus drew steadily nearer to that truth by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two.”
"Strange as my circumstances were, the terms of this debate are as old and commonplace as man; much the same inducements and alarms cast the die for any tempted and trembling sinner; and it fell out with me, as it falls with so vast a majority of my fellows, that I chose the better part and was found wanting in the strength to keep to it.”
December 17, 2025
So I did not read the other story's but I read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde here is my review
God this is absolutely amazing It started of slow but the last chapter was absolutely brilliant and shocked me a couple of the times. This tale is an absolute amazing time and a classic for all the ages
God this is absolutely amazing It started of slow but the last chapter was absolutely brilliant and shocked me a couple of the times. This tale is an absolute amazing time and a classic for all the ages
May 12, 2025
only gave it 2 for Jekyll and Hyde, the other two stories were so incredibly boring and I honestly can barely recall anything that happened in either of them
August 12, 2025
i enjoyed jekyll and hyde, but the other two stories were VERY boring to me
Read
October 9, 2025The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 3, 2015
Like Frankenstein and Dracula this story has only a vague relationship to the popular perception. Jekyll and Hyde is a short story, mostly told from an outsider's point of view. Dr. Jekyll is an upstanding gentleman and Hyde is a hateful villain. The story plays as a mystery as the connection between Jekyll and Hyde is unknown to anyone and it is at first thought that Hyde has killed Jekyll. Would have been quite a surprise ending if it wasn't already so well known.
Very well written, full of Victorian atmosphere. Hyde is not a hulking monster nor even deformed. He is in fact small and shifty, easily frightened, like a wild animal lost in a city. And his vile deeds are often hinted at but never explained, except for one minor act of cruelty and one major one. I suppose in 1880 it was enough to just say that he did some really bad things and leave it at that. It is a time when women get the vapors and grown men can die of shock.
Also included in this edition are two other stories, The Beach of Falesa and The Ebb-Tide, both based in the South Pacific. Both deal with unscrupulous men and their path to redemption. In The Beach of Falesa Mr. Wiltshire, pronounced Welcher, is a company agent sent to take over a store on a remote island. He will sell the natives junk for cocoanuts. He finds that a Mr. Case already has a store on the island and all the business. Mr. Case tricks Welcher into marrying a native girl and in the process becomes taboo to all other villagers so none will do business with him. This sets up a showdown between the two. Interesting descriptions of island life and atmosphere, exceptionally racist views of the natives, which is intentional on R.L.S.'s part, as he intends to show how the white men are really the lesser in this situation.
In The Ebb-Tide, 3 unlucky men are living on the beach in Tahiti. An opportunity comes in the form of a plague ship to escape. They take the ship intending to swindle the owner and find they have been swindled themselves. They end up on an uncharted island run by another white man. They intend to rob him, and this sets up a showdown between the three unscrupulous men and a man who is possibly even more evil than they. This also is an exploration of how low a man can go and what depravities he is capable of. One man is basically good and would rather kill himself than continue. Another is a drunkard who only wants to do right by his family. The third man is just no good. How they react to their situation is the real object of the story.
All very entertaining and completely unlike R.L.S.'s other action adventure works like Treasure Island and Kidnapped. Much more adult faire.
Very well written, full of Victorian atmosphere. Hyde is not a hulking monster nor even deformed. He is in fact small and shifty, easily frightened, like a wild animal lost in a city. And his vile deeds are often hinted at but never explained, except for one minor act of cruelty and one major one. I suppose in 1880 it was enough to just say that he did some really bad things and leave it at that. It is a time when women get the vapors and grown men can die of shock.
Also included in this edition are two other stories, The Beach of Falesa and The Ebb-Tide, both based in the South Pacific. Both deal with unscrupulous men and their path to redemption. In The Beach of Falesa Mr. Wiltshire, pronounced Welcher, is a company agent sent to take over a store on a remote island. He will sell the natives junk for cocoanuts. He finds that a Mr. Case already has a store on the island and all the business. Mr. Case tricks Welcher into marrying a native girl and in the process becomes taboo to all other villagers so none will do business with him. This sets up a showdown between the two. Interesting descriptions of island life and atmosphere, exceptionally racist views of the natives, which is intentional on R.L.S.'s part, as he intends to show how the white men are really the lesser in this situation.
In The Ebb-Tide, 3 unlucky men are living on the beach in Tahiti. An opportunity comes in the form of a plague ship to escape. They take the ship intending to swindle the owner and find they have been swindled themselves. They end up on an uncharted island run by another white man. They intend to rob him, and this sets up a showdown between the three unscrupulous men and a man who is possibly even more evil than they. This also is an exploration of how low a man can go and what depravities he is capable of. One man is basically good and would rather kill himself than continue. Another is a drunkard who only wants to do right by his family. The third man is just no good. How they react to their situation is the real object of the story.
All very entertaining and completely unlike R.L.S.'s other action adventure works like Treasure Island and Kidnapped. Much more adult faire.
August 20, 2012
This is my third time reading Stevenson's famous story, and there is much here for those who are only familiar with it from its many references in popular culture. Stevenson's critiques of class divisions (even represented by the way certain characters enter a new geographic location) and the use of writing as a form of identity are just two of the themes developed in this engaging novella.
This particular edition contains two other long stories, both situated in and around the islands of the South Pacific, and both picking up on the theme of "Dr. Jekyll" regarding the anxieties "of a life freed from all moral restraint." The second of these stories, "The Ebb-Tide," is the real prize of this collection, and I can't believe someone hasn't made a film adaptation of it. The story follows three fringe dwellers on a Pacific island who are nearing the end of their respective ropes. An opportunity arises to take command of a cargo ship whose crew has been decimated by smallpox. The three men, who have varying degrees of experience at sea, encounter another lost soul on an even more remote island, who tests each man's personal convictions and sense of morality. "The Ebb-Tide" is very reminiscent of Conrad and Melville (as pointed out in the introduction to this volume), and is as engaging an adventure story as it is a tale of moral weakness. It is, apparently, not the most well-known of Stevenson's work, but I found it just as, if not more, enjoyable than "Dr. Jekyll." The story's not-so-subtle critique of blind faith and Christianity is surprisingly blunt for its time and adds greatly to the modern relevance of the novella.
Those who only know cartoon or movie versions of "Dr. Jekyll" should find out how much depth the novella has, and those only familiar with Stevenson's "Treasure Island" sea stories will find a more thoughtful and disturbing representation of British colonialism in the other two stories in this excellent volume.
This particular edition contains two other long stories, both situated in and around the islands of the South Pacific, and both picking up on the theme of "Dr. Jekyll" regarding the anxieties "of a life freed from all moral restraint." The second of these stories, "The Ebb-Tide," is the real prize of this collection, and I can't believe someone hasn't made a film adaptation of it. The story follows three fringe dwellers on a Pacific island who are nearing the end of their respective ropes. An opportunity arises to take command of a cargo ship whose crew has been decimated by smallpox. The three men, who have varying degrees of experience at sea, encounter another lost soul on an even more remote island, who tests each man's personal convictions and sense of morality. "The Ebb-Tide" is very reminiscent of Conrad and Melville (as pointed out in the introduction to this volume), and is as engaging an adventure story as it is a tale of moral weakness. It is, apparently, not the most well-known of Stevenson's work, but I found it just as, if not more, enjoyable than "Dr. Jekyll." The story's not-so-subtle critique of blind faith and Christianity is surprisingly blunt for its time and adds greatly to the modern relevance of the novella.
Those who only know cartoon or movie versions of "Dr. Jekyll" should find out how much depth the novella has, and those only familiar with Stevenson's "Treasure Island" sea stories will find a more thoughtful and disturbing representation of British colonialism in the other two stories in this excellent volume.
October 9, 2009
I read Dr Jekyll back in 2008 for RG. But I finished the rest of the stories now (2009): The Body Snatchers, Olalla, A Chapter on Dreams (abridged), and Diagnosing Jekyll.
Jekyll I gave 3 stars. It is in an interesting tale of the duality of the human psyche. Can we really split our inner demon--and if so, is it a good idea? But overall, I am just not a fan of gothic horror and found it a bit dull.
The Body Snatchers I enjoyed and would give it 4 stars. It doesn't deserve an extra star due to the writing, but the story itself, as it is set in historical times and deals with issues relevant to that period (people really did dig up graves and steal bodies to sell to schools for students to dissect and there really was a Dr. K. who was involved in a scandal whereas his bought bodies turned out to be murder victims and now robbed from the grave).
Olalla is a 3 star. I thought it was far to romantic for my taste. But I found it fascinating that several parts of this story is thought to have influence Stoker's Dracula.
A Chapter on Dreams just explained Stevenson's writing (it was written by Stevenson).
And Diagnosing Jekyll was an interesting paper on the science behind Jekyll. At times it was a bit too scholary and I didn't really understand all the psychological points made (nor did I really care). But it made some interesting points about how Jack the Ripper (which is someone I thought of when reading both Jekyll and Body Snatchers) occurred shortly after this story was published and how true life mimicked art. It also pointed out that when Jack first appeared many thought him to be part of lower society. But Jekyll influenced the thinking and it later was to believe that Jack would be a dual personality, one who could live and survive among the "morally sane".
Jekyll I gave 3 stars. It is in an interesting tale of the duality of the human psyche. Can we really split our inner demon--and if so, is it a good idea? But overall, I am just not a fan of gothic horror and found it a bit dull.
The Body Snatchers I enjoyed and would give it 4 stars. It doesn't deserve an extra star due to the writing, but the story itself, as it is set in historical times and deals with issues relevant to that period (people really did dig up graves and steal bodies to sell to schools for students to dissect and there really was a Dr. K. who was involved in a scandal whereas his bought bodies turned out to be murder victims and now robbed from the grave).
Olalla is a 3 star. I thought it was far to romantic for my taste. But I found it fascinating that several parts of this story is thought to have influence Stoker's Dracula.
A Chapter on Dreams just explained Stevenson's writing (it was written by Stevenson).
And Diagnosing Jekyll was an interesting paper on the science behind Jekyll. At times it was a bit too scholary and I didn't really understand all the psychological points made (nor did I really care). But it made some interesting points about how Jack the Ripper (which is someone I thought of when reading both Jekyll and Body Snatchers) occurred shortly after this story was published and how true life mimicked art. It also pointed out that when Jack first appeared many thought him to be part of lower society. But Jekyll influenced the thinking and it later was to believe that Jack would be a dual personality, one who could live and survive among the "morally sane".
July 1, 2024
Real creepy and atmospheric. I listened to the audiobook read by Richard Armitage who did a stupendous job bringing it to life. Only thing that dragged it down is the language used to describe Hyde was a bit one note that was probably more effective at the time of release. Also wild to me that the plot twist of the novel is the one thing most people know about this book not even realising it’s a plot twist!
November 8, 2012
First of all, I expected this classic to be Great Expectations length, or at least Treasure Island length, but was pleasantly surprised to discover it a very quick read at less than 100 pages. The essay at the beginning of the edition I read took nearly as long to read as the story itself!
I also half-expected its goriness to be described in great and vivid detail, one of the reasons I didn't pick it up for so long. I was wrong there, too. The description of Mr. Hyde is very much along the lines of: he was short, grouchy, and just seemed evil in a way I can't put my finger on. His sins are primarily described in a general way, leaving them up to the imagination of the reader, with one somewhat detailed depiction of a murder.
Strangely, I found the Jekyll & Hyde inspirational. It's about a man who doesn't have any great weakness for out of the ordinary sins, but he allows his ambitions and vanity to lead him to attempt to cover up his weaknesses in public. His double life is amplified when he discovers a chemical way to split out the dark side of his nature from his combined self, and indulging his evil side eventually strengthens it to the point that he can't change back when he wants to. It felt like a warning to do your best and not pretend you're better than you are.
I also half-expected its goriness to be described in great and vivid detail, one of the reasons I didn't pick it up for so long. I was wrong there, too. The description of Mr. Hyde is very much along the lines of: he was short, grouchy, and just seemed evil in a way I can't put my finger on. His sins are primarily described in a general way, leaving them up to the imagination of the reader, with one somewhat detailed depiction of a murder.
Strangely, I found the Jekyll & Hyde inspirational. It's about a man who doesn't have any great weakness for out of the ordinary sins, but he allows his ambitions and vanity to lead him to attempt to cover up his weaknesses in public. His double life is amplified when he discovers a chemical way to split out the dark side of his nature from his combined self, and indulging his evil side eventually strengthens it to the point that he can't change back when he wants to. It felt like a warning to do your best and not pretend you're better than you are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2014
I first read The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde many years ago and it was a joy to reread it recently and still enjoy it (though I didn't expect not to - I think RLS is a great writer). But of this collection of three stories (the others are The Beach of Falesa and The Ebb-Tide) which all concern individuals who are devoid of morals, my favourite was The Ebb-Tide. The efforts of Herrick, Davis and Huish to escape their sordid pasts and lift themselves from destitution in the South Seas to wealth by criminal means are ultimately doomed. It's a powerful exploration of how strong personalities act on weaker ones, especially when the three down-and-outs come into the power of Attwater, who rules his private island with violence and terror backed by a chilling interpretation of Christian morality. The settings are claustrophobic - on board a schooner, on a tiny island depopulated by plague - and Stevenson brilliantly depicts the way people interact with one another and disintegrate morally when they are isolated from the wider community. Stevenson called it an ugly and pessimistic tale, which it is - though it is beautifully written of course, the descriptions of the South Seas in particular are lovely - but it left me with much to ponder.
July 1, 2023
Apparently, I never read Robert Louis Stevenson's original book about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and only saw movies of it. This is essentially a short story, so the movie versions included things that were not in the story, such Mr. Hyde’s interactions with women. The story is focused on good vs evil and Mr. Hyde is a fundamentally evil character. Stevenson’s writing is often somewhat understated, so when reading it today, the evil does not have the same kind of horror that may have been felt when reading the story in the late 1800’s. It is interesting how the latter part of the story is presented as a printing of letters of two of the characters in the story. It seems a little detached that way, but it is very reminiscent of some of the Wilkie Collins books from this same era.
The other two stories are The Beach of Falessa, and The Ebb Tide. I had never heard of either story before. Both are set in the South Pacific, and deal with some of the evils of the colonial era. Some of the writing is not easy to follow, but even if it was, the stories would not be highly engaging.
It is not surprising that writing styles have evolved enormously in the last 150 years. Reading these stories provided some perspective on 19th century fiction, but they weren’t particularly compelling.
The other two stories are The Beach of Falessa, and The Ebb Tide. I had never heard of either story before. Both are set in the South Pacific, and deal with some of the evils of the colonial era. Some of the writing is not easy to follow, but even if it was, the stories would not be highly engaging.
It is not surprising that writing styles have evolved enormously in the last 150 years. Reading these stories provided some perspective on 19th century fiction, but they weren’t particularly compelling.
June 2, 2023
Each of the three stories in this collection shared some similarities in my perspective. For starters they all dealt rather heavily with the author's grappling of matters of faith and sinfulness. Perhaps I was more tuned into this because it's mentioned in the introduction, but it still bears saying that Stevenson is obviously trying to reckon with the challenge of battling sin. I mean, what person of faith hasn't related to a sense of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at times in their struggle to do as they want to do and not as they shouldn't.
The second thing that each of the three stories shared in my opinion was that they were surprisingly hard to get into. I struggled intensely to motivate myself to keep going until there would often come a point well into the story where I found I actually had begun to care. Prior to that the characters and plot line simply weren't inviting enough.
And yet the moments where I found myself interested in the stories weren't enough to keep me. I'm glad I can say I read this classic, but the summary understanding of the story that I entered with just wasn't given a whole lot of new depth in actually reading the full work.
The second thing that each of the three stories shared in my opinion was that they were surprisingly hard to get into. I struggled intensely to motivate myself to keep going until there would often come a point well into the story where I found I actually had begun to care. Prior to that the characters and plot line simply weren't inviting enough.
And yet the moments where I found myself interested in the stories weren't enough to keep me. I'm glad I can say I read this classic, but the summary understanding of the story that I entered with just wasn't given a whole lot of new depth in actually reading the full work.
December 29, 2017
Drie verhalen van Robert Louis Stevenson zijn verzameld in dit boek.
Het bekendste is natuurlijk 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', een terechte klassieker die thuishoort in het rijtje boeken dat de oprukkende wetenschap een toekomst voorspelde waarin morele keuzes zouden moeten afgewogen worden tegenover de technische mogelijkheden (o.a. 'Frankenstein'). Ook hier weet de schrijver het dilemma treffend te vatten: is het wel goéd dat we doen wat mogelijk is, of zullen we niet zelf overweldigd worden door de gevolgen van ons gedrag en de controle over de "technologie" verliezen?
In 'The beach of Falesá' worden we meegevoerd naar Tahiti, waar een pas gearriveerde handelaar een harde les leert en in 'The ebb-tide' vergaat het drie sukkelaars (alweer op Tahiti) niet zo veel beter als blijkt dat ze hun leven wel in handen kunnen nemen maar het ongeluk dat hen achtervolgt, maar moeilijk van zich kunnen afschudden.
De drie verhalen getuigen van de grote vertelkracht van Stevenson, die ik natuurlijk al kende van 'Schateiland'. Het was weer volop genieten...
Het bekendste is natuurlijk 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', een terechte klassieker die thuishoort in het rijtje boeken dat de oprukkende wetenschap een toekomst voorspelde waarin morele keuzes zouden moeten afgewogen worden tegenover de technische mogelijkheden (o.a. 'Frankenstein'). Ook hier weet de schrijver het dilemma treffend te vatten: is het wel goéd dat we doen wat mogelijk is, of zullen we niet zelf overweldigd worden door de gevolgen van ons gedrag en de controle over de "technologie" verliezen?
In 'The beach of Falesá' worden we meegevoerd naar Tahiti, waar een pas gearriveerde handelaar een harde les leert en in 'The ebb-tide' vergaat het drie sukkelaars (alweer op Tahiti) niet zo veel beter als blijkt dat ze hun leven wel in handen kunnen nemen maar het ongeluk dat hen achtervolgt, maar moeilijk van zich kunnen afschudden.
De drie verhalen getuigen van de grote vertelkracht van Stevenson, die ik natuurlijk al kende van 'Schateiland'. Het was weer volop genieten...
May 18, 2020
2.5 The "other stories" included in this edition are The Beach at Falesa and The Ebb-Tide. I gave it a low rating because I just had so much trouble slogging through the stories. Between the archaic vocabulary, the dialects and the vocabulary relating to ships, I struggled to keep it all together. I know this is me, not the stories. (It's similar to my reaction to Heart of Darkness, with which I've tortured myself twice. Just. can't. get. it.) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was the least problematic for me because I was familiar with the story, and did really enjoy it. The other two stories, set in the South Pacific, had good story lines, but the telling was a trial for me. I very much appreciated the introduction by Jenni Calder, which gave a good background on RLS's life, and talked about the duality of man that plays a role in each story.
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