The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean.

5b Robert Louis Stevenson. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1886. First Edition. Published with The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean. Edited by Henry Norman. Two volumes in one.

Notes

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886, is a Gothic novella exploring the duality of human nature and the conflict between good and evil within a single person. The story follows the respectable Dr. Henry Jekyll, a London scientist who creates a potion that transforms him into Edward Hyde—his cruel, violent alter ego who indulges in immoral acts without remorse. As Hyde’s influence grows stronger, Jekyll loses control, revealing the terrifying truth that darkness and virtue coexist within every human soul.

Written during the Victorian era, when morality and reputation were paramount, Stevenson’s tale reflects anxieties about scientific progress, psychological repression, and the hidden aspects of identity. Its enduring impact on literature and culture—introducing “Jekyll and Hyde” as shorthand for split personality—cements it as a cornerstone of both Gothic horror and psychological fiction.

The Broken Shaft: Tales in Mid-Ocean is a collaborative Victorian short story collection framed around a group of shipwreck survivors who, stranded together in mid-ocean, pass the time by telling stories. Each tale—written by a different prominent author of the time, including Robert Louis Stevenson, Walter Besant, Henry James, and W. Clark Russell—reflects its teller’s personality and explores themes of fate, adventure, morality, and human endurance. The framing narrative ties the individual stories together with an atmosphere of suspense and camaraderie, offering readers a mix of sea adventure, psychological insight, and gothic undertones. The book is a fascinating example of late 19th-century literary collaboration and showcases the imaginative breadth of its contributors, all united by the motif of survival and storytelling amid the vast, perilous sea.

Description

Dark green three-quarter leather with marbled boards. Two red labels to spine with gilt lettering, and floral decals along spine. Marbled edges and end papers. Two volumes in one. No advertisements. Very fine condition.