STAGE
4
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
R. L. Stevenson
Introduction
This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only
and should not be given to students.
The story
Mr Utterson, a London lawyer, hears a tale about a
cruel and evil man called Mr Hyde, who is a friend of
his client Dr Jekyll. Puzzled by this unlikely friendship,
Utterson questions Jekyll, who says that evil as Hyde
is, he wants him to inherit his fortune. Hyde also has a
key to a laboratory behind Jekyll’s house.
turned to writing, and his work includes essays,
A year later, Hyde attacks Sir Danvers Carew in
travel writing, poems, short stories and novels. In
the street with a stick and kills him. Police find the
1883 the publication of his adventure story Treasure
stick in Hyde’s rooms, but he has vanished. Jekyll tells
Island made him famous, and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Utterson that he has finished with Hyde, and gives him
followed in 1886. The novels Kidnapped and The
a letter that Hyde sent him. Later Utterson realises
Master of Ballantrae were also popular. Stevenson
that Hyde’s writing is the same as Jekyll’s.
travelled widely and settled in Samoa in the South
For two months Utterson sees Jekyll frequently,
Pacific in 1888, where he died suddenly in 1894.
until suddenly Jekyll refuses visitors. A mutual friend,
In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson leaves the
Dr Lanyon, becomes ill and dies after learning a
action and adventure typical of both Treasure Island
shocking truth about Jekyll. He leaves Utterson an
and Kidnapped to explore something closer to the
envelope to be opened after Jekyll’s death.
modern genres of horror and the psychological thriller.
Some time later, Jekyll’s servant Poole asks
The theme of the struggle between the good and
Utterson to come to Jekyll’s house: someone is locked
evil aspects of one man’s character has continued to
in Jekyll’s study, but his voice is not Jekyll’s. Utterson
capture the popular imagination since the book first
believes this to be Jekyll’s murderer, and he and Poole
appeared, and the term ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ has passed
break in. They find Hyde’s body on the floor. A letter
into the language, meaning a person in whom two
from Jekyll asks Utterson to read Dr Lanyon’s letter
different personalities alternate. Dr Jekyll and Mr
and then Jekyll’s confession.
Hyde has appeared in many different versions on film
Dr Lanyon’s letter describes his horror when he
and on television; Fredric March won an Oscar for his
saw the evil Hyde drink a mixture of chemicals and
portrayal of the two characters in 1932.
turn into Jekyll. Jekyll’s confession explains that when
younger, he was a serious, hardworking doctor, but
Before reading
he also had a wild, fun-loving side. He discovered a
Here are some ways to help your students approach
drug which allowed him to separate these two sides
the story:
of himself, each side having its own face, body and
1
character. But the evil character, Hyde, got out of
Give students the title of the book and show them
the picture on the cover. Ask them to try and guess
control, and Jekyll found it increasingly difficult to
what kind of story it is.
change back from Hyde to his real self. Eventually
2
Jekyll became ill, weakened by the battle between
Give students a copy of the text on the back
cover of the book, and of the story introduction
his two selves. His last good act, as Jekyll, was to
on the first page. When they have read the texts,
take poison, and so destroy the evil Hyde as well
ask them a few questions about the story, or use
as himself.
the Before Reading Activities in the back of each
Bookworm.
Background to the story
3
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh,
4
where he studied engineering and then law. He then
Use the pre-reading activity in this worksheet.
If there is a recording of this title, play the first few
pages and stop at an interesting point.
39
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
STAGE
4
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Pre-reading activity
Split personalities
My secret self
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fold here
Myself
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To the teacher
Aim: To anticipate and explore a major theme
university student
Time: 20–30 minutes
live in luxury apartment
Organization: Hand out the worksheet. Divide the
drive a Porsche
students into small groups of four or five. Ask each
enjoy scuba diving
student to write a short outline of themselves in six
enjoy motor racing
to ten words or phrases in the space provided, e.g.
Collect the papers from each group and give them to
Myself
a different group. If the members of the class know
serious
one other well, do not tell them which group they
hard-working
have now got; if they don’t know one another well,
third year secondary school
tell them which group they are dealing with, as this
live at home
will make it a little easier for them to guess. Ask the
drive a motorbike
students in their groups to take one paper at a time
enjoy fishing
and read out the ‘Secret Self’. They then try to guess
enjoy music – rock and jazz
who it is. If they want (or need) to, they can then
Next, ask them to fold the paper. Ask them to repeat
read the second (authentic) side to get further clues.
the exercise, this time outlining someone who is
When they have finished, check between the groups
as different from themselves as they can possibly
to see if their guesses were correct, and to find the
imagine in the space provided. This secret self
answers to any descriptions that stumped them.
may have real elements to it – that is, it may have
Ask the students which ‘secret self’ sounded most
characteristics which they feel are concealed within
appealing to them, and ask them whether they would
themselves – and/or completely imaginary ones.
like to try being their secret self. If so, for how long?
A secret self for the above example could be:
What drawbacks would there be?
fun-loving
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40
STAGE
4
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
While reading activity
Listening exercise
Listening activity sheet.
1 Which man was attacked?
a
2 At what time did the servant girl wake
up again? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 Tick the things that were in the dead
man’s pockets.
b
c
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
d
4 The stick belonged to:
a Mr Utterson
b Sir Danvers Carew
c Henry Jekyll
To the teacher
Where: At the end of Chapter 3
the students, asking them to recap the significant
Aim: To focus attention on specific details, to
events of the chapter with such detail as they can
highlight them through listening activities, and to
remember. Give them the listening activity sheet and
revise what has been read
let them look at the questions.
Time: 15–20 minutes
Then play or read the extract to them for the first
Organization: For this activity students will need to
time. While they listen they should not attempt to
be able to listen to the section of the text that begins
answer the questions, but should concentrate on
with ‘One night in London . . .’ on page 14, and ends
listening. Read or play the extract a second time;
with ‘I gave it to him long ago.’ on page 15. If you
during this reading students should try to answer
have the cassette, it could be played to them; if not,
the questions.
it could be recorded on cassette by the teacher (or
Check the answers together, or allow students to
someone else) and then played to the students, or
check their own answers by looking at the text.
read aloud by the teacher to the class.
Key: 1 a, 2 2 a.m., 3 b, d, g, 4 c.
Begin by briefly reviewing Chapter 3 orally with
41
© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE
STAGE
4
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
After reading activity
Summing up the characters
Which adjectives would you choose to describe Jekyll and Hyde? Complete the table with
the adjectives below.
JEKYLL
HYDE
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short, evil, kind, cool, generous, imaginative, hard, tall, cruel, well-made, strong, ugly, silent,
unhappy, violent, hard-working, irresponsible, carefree, successful, wild, serious, inhuman
To the teacher
Aim: To revise, assess and discuss characters
6 adjectives from the list that best sum up the
Time: 20–30 minutes
character they are concerned with. If they wish, they
Organization: Give a copy of the worksheet to
can rank these qualities in order of importance as
each student. Divide the students into small groups
well. When they have finished, check the assignment
and ask each group to begin by looking at the list
of adjectives using the key below, then ask groups
of adjectives, all of which are used in the book to
to report their chosen adjectives orally or list them
describe Jekyll or Hyde. Ask them to assign the
on the board. Groups may be asked to explain their
adjectives to one character or the other; they may
choices, or they may wish to comment on the
wish to list them under the respective names, or they
similarities and differences between the lists.
might for instance circle the adjectives that apply to
Key: Jekyll – kind, generous, imaginative, tall,
Jekyll and underline those that apply to Hyde.
well-made, silent, unhappy, hard-working,
Next each group should choose one of the two
successful, serious. Hyde – short, evil, cool, hard,
characters and go back to the list of adjectives that
cruel, strong, ugly, violent, irresponsible, carefree,
applies to that character. Ask each group to choose
wild, inhuman.
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
42