The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde — A Study Guide

Can you answer these questions about Stevenson’s famous horror story?

• How was Stevenson influenced by a dream to write the story?
• What famous murderers and grave-robbers inspired the most gruesome aspects of the novella?
• Is this novel about sexual deviancy?

If you’d like to know the answers to these questions and much more, then you should read this study guide. It discusses the background to the book and provides a great deal of analysis of the actual text itself, with a focus on the kinds of questions that are asked at GCSE and A Level.

The guide contains:

• Detailed discussion of the contexts of the novella;
• An analysis of the book’s structure and themes, and the ways in which the structure is influenced by the themes of the story;
• In-depth analysis of key passages in the book;
• Links to YouTube videos the author has made which explain the background, structure and key quotes in the novel.

Crucially, the study guide focuses upon the text of the book, providing generous quotations from the text itself, followed by detailed analysis written in the formal academic style expected in coursework and examinations. An excellent way of revising the book would be to read through the second half of this study guide, absorbing the key quotes, reading the analysis, and answering the discussion point questions either in your head or on paper. This would provide a very firm grounding for taking an exam or completing coursework on the novella. It is written by an experienced teacher who has taught the book for many years in the classroom.