Dr Henry Jekyll is a respected doctor. He believes that man has both good and evil sides. He creates a serum of a special drug. It is supposed to separate the two different sides. He tests it on himself. The experiment succeeds all too well. Dr Jekyll changes into his evil self, Edward Hyde. Hyde commits horrible crimes in London, and changes back into Dr Jekyll. Eventually, Jekyll turns into Hyde without wishing to, resulting in Jekyll committing suicide.
Themes
The novel is based on the Victorian English idea of pretending to be someone else, and acting a different way around other people to look more respectable. This is shown by Jekyll changing into Hyde. It is also a variation on the theme of "scientist meddling with nature comes to grief".
References
↑Saposnik, Irving S. "The Anatomy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 11.4, Nineteenth Century (1971): pp. 715-731.
