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Dr Jeckyl And Mr Hyde - R.L.Stevenson

              I have not read much scientific fiction, but the one I read was enough to attract you towards scientific fiction. Because it was very famous novel or novella. I had read it as part of study in my first year of B.A. You may also heard about it. "strange case of Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde" written by R.L. Stevenson. You have read about it. Haven't you? If not, Then let me talk about it then surely you also will attract towards science fiction.

              Story opens when lawyer Mr Utterson, and his cousin Mr Enfield was on their usual Sunday night walk. Mr Enfield tells a incident which he had seen earlier. He had seen an ugly looking man trample a small girl under his feet and walk away. Mr Enfield and other people caught him but not deliver him to police but forced to pay money to the girl's family. That ugly man immediately went and came with cheque signed by Dr Jeckyl. Mr Utterson was confused by this. Because Dr Jeckyl was his friend and he had given will to Mr Utterson to prepare it. In this will Dr Jeckyl had clarified that in case of his death or disappearance, his entire property should go to Mr Edward Hyde. Mr Utterson was unknown by this Mr Hyde and assumes as that ugly man. He also thought that Hyde should have been blackmailing Dr Jeckyl.

            After one year Edward Hyde killed Sir Danvers Carew, one of the client of Mr Utterson. Now Utterson feels that the mystery of this Hyde should be solved. He asked Dr Jeckyl about Mr Hyde but Dr Jeckyl replied that now he have no relationship with Mr Hyde and also gives a letter written by Mr Hyde as a proof of ending of their relationship. Mr Utterson and his clerk, Mr Guest examines the letter and discovers  that handwriting matches with Dr Jeckyl's handwriting. He thought that Jeckyl is hiding something and he want to protect Mr Hyde.

              Some days passes. Now Mr Hyde was not appear and Dr Jeckyl also behaves better than earlier. But suddenly begins to refuge visitors. Meanwhile Dr Lanyon dies because of some kind of shock related with Dr Jeckyl. Before dying he gives a letter to Utterson and says that he should not open it until Jeckyl's death. Utterson was very much puzzled.

             Now Mr. Poole meets Utterson with a news that Jeckyl has closed himself in his laboratory for several weeks. Utterson and Poole went to Jeckyl's house, where they decided to break the door and enter into laboratory. And they did it. Inside they find the body of Hyde, not Jeckyl's. He had committed suicide and they find a letter also which was written by Jeckyl to Mr Utterson.

            Mr Utterson comes home and decides to read Lanyon's letter first. After reading he comes to know all the truth. Lanyon was died because he was shocked of sight that Mr Hyde after taking some light kind of potion turned into Dr Jeckyl. Then Utterson reads Jeckyl's letter. It tells what was actually happened? Dr Jeckyl was not able to perform his bad side of character in society, so he makes the potion. After drinking it he can turn in Mr Hyde, his bad side. He fulfills his wishes of doing bad things by turned in to Hyde. But as time passes, he used to become Hyde without taking the potion. Now He do not want to turn into Hyde but he couldn't control and potion which was made him Hyde to Jeckyl, also ends. Dr Jeckyl had no courage to face the problems. Hyde had committed many crimes and police was searching him so he commits suicide. Here this novella ends.

             This novel gives clear message that don't let your bad qualities make victory over good qualities. Every person has some good qualities and some bad qualities as Dr Jeckyl had. But he was ashamed to perform his bad side. When he becomes Hyde, he enjoys doing bad things. Now problems starts with this. Man should not promote his evils. If you do, it will make you fully evil like Mr Hyde.

            So this was one interesting story, full of suspense and thrill. It is not just a scientific fiction, there is deep psychology of human nature. We all knows that usually people pretends. They are not they, which they are looking, there is other side of their nature which almost every people want to hide. 'Hide' and 'Hyde' can you understand by this? Stevenson has used Mr Hyde name very carefully. It means hidden self which every person has and they don't show it. So at one side it is suspense story and other side satire on human nature.


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