The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Hand and Eye Editions
- Posted on:
- Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
- Author:
- Tony Geer
- Posted in:
- Hand and Eye Editions, Illustrated, Robert Louis Stevenson
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde needs little introduction. It’s one of Robert Louis Stevenson’s (1850—1894) most popular works, alongside other classics like Treasure Island and Kidnapped. It was first published in 1886, with the original title omitting the definite article, and quickly became one of Stevenson’s best-selling works.
The story of how Stevenson came to write The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde is almost as famous as the novella itself: during a cocaine-induced sleep to help Stevenson recover from a haemorrhage, he had a nightmare that included some scenes that would eventually appear in the story. He complained upon being awoken by his wife, saying “Why did you wake me? I was dreaming a fine bogey tale.”