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Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

Decent Essays

Dr. Jekyll and Mary Reilly Robert Louis Stevenson established himself as one of the masters of adventure novels in English literature. His skills as a suspenseful storyteller can be seen in his 1886 novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson tells the story of the Dr. Jekyll and his murderous alter ego Mr. Hyde, through the eyes of Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer Mr. Utterson. Valerie Martin’s Mary Reilly tells the story of Jekyll and Hyde, but through a very different set of eyes. Martin’s version tells the same story, only through the point of view of Dr. Jekyll’s housemaid, Mary Reilly. Mary Reilly does not appear in the original Stevenson novel, but her addition in Martin’s version is pivotal to the exploration into further details into the life of Dr. Jekyll. While, Martin’s version stays true to the original storyline of uncovering the dark instinctual part of Jekyll, it adds an emotional aspect to the story that is excluded from the original version. Stevenson’s version tells the story of Jekyll and Hyde through nightmarish imagery. Leaving the reader in suspense and questioning what the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde truly is. Stevenson’s primary character, Mr. Utterson is a representation of an English gentleman. He is of upper-class means and holds loyalty and reputation in high regard. Utterson also refuses to gossip or express himself candidly. This conservative attribute of Utterson is expressed through his dialogue with Enfieled after

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