The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Published as a 'shilling shocker' in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the popular idea of the split personality.

Set in a hellish, fog-bound London, the story of outwardly respectable Dr Jekyll, who unleashes his deepest cruelties and most murderous instincts when he is transformed into sinister Edward Hyde, is a Gothic masterpiece and a chilling exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil.

About the Author

Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh on the 13 November 1850. He studied at Edinburgh University and also qualified as a lawyer. He travelled extensively in Europe and began his writing career during these years. He also met his future wife, Fanny, in France in 1876.They were married in 1880. In 1883 he published Treasure Island to great acclaim. Kidnapped and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde were both published in 1886. Problems with his health meant that Stevenson frequently travelled in the warmer climates of the South Seas. He died in Samoa on 3 December 1894.