Welcome to this introduction to Robert Louis Stevenson's 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'. This deck will provide the foundation you need for your GCSE analysis. We'll explore the key themes of duality and repression, the Victorian context that shaped the story, and how Stevenson's clever narrative structure creates mystery and suspense.

To understand Jekyll and Hyde, we first need to understand the world it was written in: Victorian London. On the surface, it was a society of strict rules and high morals, especially for wealthy gentlemen. Maintaining a flawless public reputation was everything. However, beneath this respectable surface, there was a hidden world of crime and vice. This contrast between public appearance and private reality is central to the novella.

The Victorians were also haunted by new scientific ideas, particularly Darwin's theory of evolution. This led to a widespread fear of 'degeneration' – the idea that humanity could regress and become more primitive or animal-like. Stevenson taps directly into this fear with the character of Hyde, who is often described in animalistic terms. In an exam, you can use this context to explain why Hyde was so terrifying to a Victorian audience.

The most important theme in the novella is duality. This is the idea that every human being has two sides: a good, moral side and a dark, evil side, locked in a constant struggle. Dr Jekyll's experiment is a desperate attempt to separate these two natures completely. He believes that if he can isolate his evil side, his good side can be free. As we see, this goes horribly wrong.