The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Ch 7

[Silver]

Please post your thoughts and questions here and be aware if you have not finished this chapter spoilers may be posted here.

[Silver]

I liked the way in which this chapter seemed to come full circle from the start of the book. We have the same scene set up of Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield on their walk together when instead of a strange encounter before the previously mysterious door they now have a very strange experience at the window of Dr. Jekyll.

A random note. I had noticed that it seems many of the chapters seem to end on a sort of cliffhanger, or otherwise rather suspenseful note. Though this work is rather short it made me wonder if it was originally published as a serialization. I can see after each episode the readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

I looked it up and based upon one article I read it stated that Stevenson originally submitted the story for serialization in Longman's Magazine but the publisher decided to publish it as a separate book.

[Deborah, Moderator]

I enjoyed the cliffhanger aspect here too. The last few sentences really make you wonder about Jekyll's appearance. What did he look like? It certainly has a punch due to the simple description followed by the horrified exclamations.

[Frances, Moderator]

I also expected some clarification of what they had seen-it implies something other and worse than Jekyll suddenly becoming agitated and slamming the window on them, and yet I don't think the incident is ever referred to again.

[Everyman]

Silver wrote: "I looked it up and based upon one article I read it stated that Stevenson originally submitted the story for serialization in Longman's Magazine but the publisher decided to publish it as a separate book. "

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for finding it.

I assume from the shortness of the chapters that he would have intended it for weekly serialization, or maybe even for a daily paper.