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    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde
    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde
    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde
    Ebook99 pages1 hour

    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde

    By Robert Louis Stevenson

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Conte l'histoire d'un avoué, Charles Utterson, qui enquête sur le lien étrange entre Edward Hyde et le médecin Henry Jekyll.
    Le Docteur Jekyll, un philanthrope obsédé par sa double personnalité, met au point une drogue pour séparer son bon côté de son mauvais, mais c'est ce côté-là qui, nuit après nuit, finalement prendra le dessus et le transformera en monstrueux Mister Hyde.

    LanguageFrançais
    PublisherBooklassic
    Release dateJun 17, 2015
    ISBN9789635239313
    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde
    Author

    Robert Louis Stevenson

    Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson was born on 13 November 1850, changing his second name to ‘Louis’ at the age of eighteen. He has always been loved and admired by countless readers and critics for ‘the excitement, the fierce joy, the delight in strangeness, the pleasure in deep and dark adventures’ found in his classic stories and, without doubt, he created some of the most horribly unforgettable characters in literature and, above all, Mr. Edward Hyde.

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    Reviews for L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde

    3.5/5

    3,639 ratings128 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I am watching the new season of Penny Dreadful and they are featuring Dr. Jekyll this year. I realized I have never read this book, so I decided to pick it up in preparation for the show.

      The writing feels very dense, and the pacing is slow. The reader slowly gets a feeling of dread, rather than outright scares. This is common with many of the horror stories of the period that I have read.

      The story is interesting, with much musing on the nature of good and evil. It was a bit slower paced than I like, but this is a short book and easy to read in a day.
    • 5/5
      It's not called a classic without good reason. It's an almost perfectly plotted short novel, all the parts complementing each other, all serving to build tension and anticipation. The good doctor is suitably tragic, Hyde is suitably degenerate and, despite having seen the multitude of adaptations over the years, it still feels remarkably fresh and modern. All of Stevenson's stylistic flourishes are on show, as well as his rarely bettered storytelling ability. I'd give it six stars if I could.
    • 3/5
      Bet this was a blitz before everyone and their kid knew the secret twist. A fine gothic novella, proceeding on railroad towards the ending you already knew was coming.
    • 3/5
      Classic gothic horror story.
    • 3/5
      Each year I try to read a few CLASSICS just so that I can mark them off my list. I usually don't care for the stories or writing and have a hard time making it through the book, however, this one surprised me. The story was different than what I had imagined.Dr. Jekyll is the good guy and he has worked on a formula which will separate his baser nature from his kind and good attributes. Unfortunately, he loses control of Mr. Hyde (the bad guy) and must surrender his life to protect others.
    • 3/5
      It was time to read this classic as it seems to be culturally everywhere at the moment. I'm in no way a writer, but I would have formatted this book to tell this story entirely differently. It might be presumptuous of me, but I like how it exists in my head better. (Alternating points of view from both Jekyll and Hyde with vastly different writing styles... halfway through the book you find it is the same person. Hyde slowly taking over by the end.) Maybe that is the fault of books being culturally everywhere all of the time: vaguely making assumptions about how it is written if you know the story. I didn't like the perspective from outside people ie: the lawyer. It's the only complaint I would have of a book like Bronte's Wuthering Heights: the housekeeper is telling the story and no matter how much she might have known Catherine or Heathcliff, no one can REALLY know everything from one person's perspective. Imagine the book being from Catherine and Heathcliff's POVs! Oh the drama! I thoroughly enjoyed the section on Stevenson's crazy dreams in my Broadview edition. And I thought I had crazy dreams! If he had dreams like that this book really should be better...sorry, Stevenson.
    • 3/5
      Other reviews have dwelt on themes of duality etc and others still correctly state that the impact of this book is lessened by how much of its plot is already in the collective consciousness of readers. You know before reading it that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person, it has entered our language. Never having read the book before, the thing I was most struck with was its apparent concern with drug addiction. The negative effects of drugs and the associated shame and secrecy.

      “and at last, in an hour of moral weakness, I once again compounded and swallowed the transforming draught.”

      “It took on this occasion a double dose to recall me to myself; and alas! six hours after, as I sat looking sadly in the fire, the pangs returned, and the drug had to be re-administered.”

      “Many a man would have even blazoned such irregularities as I was guilty of; but from the high views that I had set before me, I regarded and hid them with an almost morbid sense of shame.”

      A quick google reveals that he wrote Jekyll and Hyde during a six day cocaine binge and spent much of his later, short life, hooked on opium, alcohol and morphine. This was possibly for well intentioned medicinal reasons as he was not a well man. Nevertheless, this leaves me thinking this is a much darker, personal book than perhaps is generally believed.





    • 4/5
      This was an amusing listening. What first began as completely harmless showed itself with time as a transformation comedy of the first kind. I like how Stevenson leads the reader very slowly to the two protagonists, in order then to give an extra tension with a fulminate turn of the story.
    • 4/5
      The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is a novella that was first published in 1886. This story has captured the attention of many generations and has a lasting quality that has kept it and, it’s many versions, in the forefront of the literary world.The author tells his chilling story with the use of both descriptive and powerful language. Two of it’s main themes are the classic “good versus evil” story line as we read of Dr. Jekyll’s struggles to keep his “bad side”, Mr. Hyde, under control. The other theme that comes immediately to mind is the familiar one of science going too far. Although this seems a rather mild story by today’s standards, it’s simplicity reveals a timeless classic of murder and monsters on the streets of Victorian London.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is very much a Victorian product showing man’s quest for keeping his animal nature suppressed and only showing the world the world a stiff, tightly controlled facade. Part of the significance of this story is that it can be interpreted in different ways. Is the author showing a split personality, the effect of mental illness, or is this a commentary on the rules of Victorian society? However one looks at it, this is a brilliant story about mind and body separation.
    • 4/5
      This is the first time I've ever read the original Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'll admit I had no idea it was written by the same author as Treasure Island, which I also have not read yet. I would not have put those two ideas to the same author, so it's been enlightening all around! It's also amazing to me what a short story this really was, only 94 pages, to have inspired so many adaptations and interpretations, movies, etc.

      It was an interesting dark fantasy tale with an important lesson about giving in to our baser natures. The more we indulge them, the more it becomes who we are until we're no longer able to hide or control those tendencies.
    • 3/5
      Een Victoriaanse klassieker, terecht. Beklemmend geschreven, met een mooie opbouw.
    • 4/5
      Glimrende koncept. Henry Jekyll eksperimenterer med et medikament som skal hjælpe ham til at skille sin gode fra sin onde side. Det lykkes kun alt for godt. Han bliver til en ond person, Mr. Hyde, og finder for sent ud af at de kemikalier han bruger i starten indeholder et eller andet stof, som ikke findes i senere leverancer. Til sidst kan han ikke længere blive til Dr. Jekyll.En klassiker
    • 3/5
      I thought this was an interesting short read. Its not the story i was expecting to read. Mr. Hyde was not a hulk type monster, but really a split personality containing the pure and sinful nature inside of each and every one of us. Two and a half stars.
    • 4/5
      As with many classics, this book is far more subtle and nuanced than the modern reader might expect based upon subsequent movie adaptations. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book as it is a wonderful combination of horror, suspense, humor and commentary on each of us.
    • 2/5
      I do like to read classic gothic terror and I was sadly disapointed on this one, for two reasons:1.- The fact that Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde are the same person is meant to be a surprise and the main attraction of the book. This surprise (through no fault of the author) has been absolutely lost. Still, you could get over that if it wasn't for fault number 2.2.- It just hasn't aged well. Evil = Ugliness, does anyone believe that anymore? You could argue the same thing for the portrait of Dorian Gray, but there, it is clear that it is the ugliness of the soul, not physical ugliness, that is being pointed out. It just seems like a childish concept.
    • 5/5
      The phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" has become an ingrained part of our language. I guess spoiler alerts weren't all that common in the 19th century. It is such a well-known trope that it has probably cost this classic some readers, which is unfortunate. It's a good book.After reading Treasure Island my expectations were not terribly high for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it turned out to be a much more thought provoking read. It is really about man's eternal struggle with him/herself, something we all witness whether it be in the context of a relatively harmless midlife crisis or a life-threatening addiction. Stevenson goes beyond the notion of a simplistic duality in us:"... I hazard the guess that man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous, and independent denizens."It gives the reader plenty to think about, and there are plenty of lessons to take away - that we should be judged by our actions rather than mere thoughts, chief among them for me.
    • 4/5
      I originally selected this book because I have it on my bookshelf and I have never had the time to read it. I pulled it off the shelf and placed it by my bed with hopes to finish it before my reading class was over. As it turned out I just never found the time to crack open the cover. Therefore, I searched for the audio version. To my surprised I found it right away at a reseaonable price and by a narrartor with which I was familiar. I have listen to Dick Hill narrate several novels I have read by Sanda Brown. I listened to the book in one night. I was was intrigued by the story but also confused. I had a hard time following the narration. A few times I glanced through the book while i was listening to Dick read the pages. I was surprised with how difficult this book is to read. I didn't think it would be so complicated. I had never thought of this as a text for children, and now I really don't think that it is. I think the text is too difficult for many students, and students in the classes I teach would need a lot of background information taught before a story like this could be even be looked at. I do not forsee reading this book to my class, or for my class. I am glad I read the story and I feel it was important, but I think the text would be better suited for a college level course where students were able to talk about the characters in greater detail and with greater insight. I do recommend this book for adults. The text is a classic and it should still be read because it did explain what I knew about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
    • 4/5
      A great example of the theme of the duality of man, which all of us carry in our hearts. Stevenson exploits these fears in a well-structured, yet somewhat difficult, novel.
    • 3/5
      I fantom I would have liked this book a lot more if I didn't already know from the start who was Hyde. Nevertheless, it was actually very interesting once the "action" picked up. Although I found Utterson somewhat boring at times, the ending of the book made it worth it to see it through. The most interesting part was definitely the explanation of Dr Jekyll himself at the end, which I read eagerly. Overall, it was a nice book.
    • 5/5
      Of course, everyone knows the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde, but if you haven’t read the novel, you probably are missing the intention of Stevenson’s story. Jekyll wanted to free mankind from his evil, baser nature, but in the end, was doomed by it. This novel is a brilliant study in the dual nature of man, and the conclusion must be that when it is tampered with, at least in this case, evil wins. If we assume that Hyde was pure evil, is it safe to assume that Jekyll was all good? But if he were, would he have concocted the formula that split him into two unique beings? Ultimately, Jekyll could only overcome Hyde’s tendencies when he was one whole being. The concept and story remain fascinating even now, more than a century after it was penned.
    • 3/5
      Wonderful story, although the verbose language made this one slightly harder to get through. Although Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators, I would have chosen a British narrator for this one. Thought provoking ideas - are we both good and evil in the same body?
    • 1/5
      This might be deemed as somewhat of a classic amongst some people, but i found it dull. Despite being surprised by just how short it was, it took me as much effort as a 300+ page book to get through. Hard going, slow, and not particularly enthralling i'm afraid.I read the Penguin English Library edition, and was reading the story, when all of a sudden all the characters changed along with the plot.. only to realise that i was now reading the short story 'The Bottle Imp' that was added to the back of the book - i hadn't even realised i'd finished Dr Jekyll & Mr Hide. That's just how enthralling it was.
    • 5/5
      Great piece of literature. Really interesting way of keeping the reader blind to very key pieces of information that would allow for easier identification of potential threats and climaxes. Really enjoy RLS and look forward to reading more of his work.
    • 3/5
      This books was surprisingly fun. It has a slow start for the first few pages, but after that it takes off.

      A quick fun little read, definitely worth the time.
    • 5/5
      A heck of a lot more philosophical than the Bugs Bunny rendition with which I was familiar.
    • 4/5
      Short and sweet and pretty interesting. Not a bad read.
    • 5/5
      I liked this book a lot. It's a short book but it still has lots of mystery and exciting parts within it. It's about a man named Mr. Utterson who tries to learn about the mysterious Mr. Hyde who is Dr. Jekyll's evil side.In the book, the setting is based in England. Dr. Jekyll finds a way to make a compound that allows him to transform into a separate personality, Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is a younger and pure evil being. I personally like Mr. Hyde's name a lot. His name sounds like the word "hide" and Mr. Hyde's personality reflects his name. He tries to be discreet and tries to not talk to anyone unless he has to. Throughout the book, Mr. Utterson tries to learn about this mysterious Mr. Hyde. Almost nobody knows about him. Finally, after many mysterious encounters with Dr. Jekyll and one murder, he learns who Mr. Hyde truly is when he reads a letter that was left for him. I also liked this book a lot because the story isn't just told from the point of view of one person. It's mainly told from the point of view from one person, but it's also told from the point of view of two other people.This book is very good! It makes you feel multiple emotions as you read it. It makes you excited, scared, surprised, and curious. I would recommend it to many people.
    • 5/5
      Rating: 5 of 5What can be said about a classic such as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? A story so well-known, one that has permeated our culture so completely (perhaps rivaled only by Frankenstein and Dracula), most everyone knows the gist without ever having read the novella or watched a film adaption. I daresay, little, if anything new, or at the very least, "fresh." Thus I will stick to my personal reaction in this review.From a writer's perspective, I applaud (and appreciate) the structure and narrative style. Stevenson built upon (and relied on) the reader's natural curiosity and desire to solve the mystery of Mr. Hyde, to know what was "really" happening, which probably made this quite the sensational page-turner during its initial publication in 1886. I read the story much slower than I do with most modern fiction; there's much to savor and digest for those patient enough to nibble. One of the story's less subtle themes - repression of one's curiosity and not asking questions that "shouldn't" be asked - was ingenious, wasn't it? Given the tools Stevenson utilized to engage readers. OH! And the descriptions throughout the story often knocked me for a loop they were so ... distinct; Stevenson knew exactly what images he wanted to conjure up in readers' minds.I will definitely give this one a re-read whenever I want a refresher in (1) allegory and (2) the characterization and theme of duality and hypocrisy.Disclaimer: If you are bored or confused by complex sentences, extended paragraphs, and/or Victorian Era prose, then The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde probably won't float your boat.
    • 4/5
      Slow in places (strange for such a short work), but exciting and suspenseful, this is a fun read. I got my nephew to read it by showing him that this was where The Incredible Hulk came from and he lapped it up. Now he doesn't have patience for funny books anymore!
    • 3/5
      The influence of Hogg's "Justified Sinner" is quite clear on this story, only Stevenson takes the idea one step further and internalises the dark side within his character of Dr Hyde, ready to be unleashed with the aid of chemical substances, rather than have it as a separate external influence on the character as Hogg does. I thought I knew the story well, but it was definitely worth reading the original. It's a much shorter book than I expected. I'm sure I read a novel once that told the story from the point of view of Dr Jekyll's maid that was far longer than Stevenson's story. I liked the non-linear way the story is told.

    Book preview

    L'Étrange Cas du Dr Jekyll et de Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

    978-963-523-931-3

    Chapitre 1

    À propos d’une porte

    M. Utterson le notaire était un homme d’une mine renfrognée, qui ne s’éclairait jamais d’un sourire ; il était d’une conversation froide, chiche et embarrassée ; peu porté au sentiment ; et pourtant cet homme grand, maigre, décrépit et triste, plaisait à sa façon. Dans les réunions amicales, et quand le vin était à son goût, quelque chose d’éminemment bienveillant jaillissait de son regard ; quelque chose qui à la vérité ne se faisait jamais jour en paroles, mais qui s’exprimait non seulement par ce muet symbole de la physionomie d’après-dîner, mais plus fréquemment et avec plus de force par les actes de sa vie. Austère envers lui-même, il buvait du gin quand il était seul pour réfréner son goût des bons crus ; et bien qu’il aimât le théâtre, il n’y avait pas mis les pieds depuis vingt ans. Mais il avait pour les autres une indulgence à toute épreuve ; et il s’émerveillait parfois, presque avec envie, de l’intensité de désir réclamée par leurs dérèglements ; et en dernier ressort, inclinait à les secourir plutôt qu’à les blâmer. « Je penche vers l’hérésie des caïnites, lui arrivait-il de dire pédamment. Je laisse mes frères aller au diable à leur propre façon. » En vertu de cette originalité, c’était fréquemment son lot d’être la dernière relation avouable et la dernière bonne influence dans la vie d’hommes en voie de perdition. Et à l’égard de ceux-là, aussi longtemps qu’ils fréquentaient son logis, il ne montrait jamais l’ombre d’une modification dans sa manière d’être.

    Sans doute que cet héroïsme ne coûtait guère à M. Utterson ; car il était aussi peu démonstratif que possible, et ses amitiés mêmes semblaient fondées pareillement sur une bienveillance universelle. C’est une preuve de modestie que de recevoir tout formé, des mains du hasard, le cercle de ses amitiés. Telle était la méthode du notaire, il avait pour amis les gens de sa parenté ou ceux qu’il connaissait depuis le plus longtemps ; ses liaisons, comme le lierre, devaient leur croissance au temps, et ne réclamaient de leur objet aucune qualité spéciale. De là, sans doute, le lien qui l’unissait à M. Richard Enfield son parent éloigné, un vrai Londonien honorablement connu. C’était pour la plupart des gens une énigme de se demander quel attrait ces deux-là pouvaient voir l’un en l’autre, ou quel intérêt commun ils avaient pu se découvrir. Au dire de ceux qui les rencontraient faisant leur promenade dominicale, ils n’échangeaient pas un mot, avaient l’air de s’ennuyer prodigieusement, et accueillaient avec un soulagement visible la rencontre d’un ami. Malgré cela, tous deux faisaient le plus grand cas de ces sorties, qu’ils estimaient le plus beau fleuron de chaque semaine, et pour en jouir avec régularité il leur arrivait, non seulement de renoncer à d’autres occasions de plaisir, mais même de rester sourds à l’appel des affaires.

    Ce fut au cours d’une de ces randonnées que le hasard les conduisit dans une petite rue détournée d’un quartier ouvrier de Londres. C’était ce qui s’appelle une petite rue tranquille, bien qu’elle charriât en semaine un trafic intense. Ses habitants, qui semblaient tous à leur aise, cultivaient à l’envi l’espoir de s’enrichir encore, et étalaient en embellissements le superflu de leurs gains ; de sorte que les devantures des boutiques, telles deux rangées d’accortes marchandes, offraient le long de cette artère un aspect engageant. Même le dimanche, alors qu’elle voilait ses plus florissants appas et demeurait comparativement vide de circulation, cette rue faisait avec son terne voisinage un contraste brillant, comme un feu dans une forêt ; et par ses volets repeints de frais, ses cuivres bien fourbis, sa propreté générale et son air de gaieté, elle attirait et charmait aussitôt le regard du passant.

    À deux portes d’un coin, sur la gauche en allant vers l’est, l’entrée d’une cour interrompait l’alignement, et à cet endroit même, la masse rébarbative d’un bâtiment projetait en saillie son pignon sur la rue. Haut d’un étage, sans fenêtres, il n’offrait rien qu’une porte au rez-de-chaussée, et à l’étage la façade aveugle d’un mur décrépit. Il présentait dans tous ses détails les symptômes d’une négligence sordide et prolongée. La porte, dépourvue de sonnette ou de heurtoir, était écaillée et décolorée. Les vagabonds gîtaient dans l’embrasure et frottaient des allumettes sur les panneaux ; les enfants tenaient boutique sur le seuil ; un écolier avait essayé son canif sur les moulures ; et depuis près d’une génération, personne n’était venu chasser ces indiscrets visiteurs ni réparer leurs déprédations.

    M. Enfield et le notaire passaient de l’autre côté de la petite rue ; mais quand ils arrivèrent à hauteur de l’entrée, le premier leva sa canne et la désigna :

    – Avez-vous déjà remarqué cette porte ? demanda-t-il ; et quand son compagnon lui eut répondu par l’affirmative : Elle se rattache dans mon souvenir, ajouta-t-il, à une très singulière histoire.

    – Vraiment ? fit M. Utterson, d’une voix légèrement altérée. Et quelle était-elle ?

    – Eh bien, voici la chose, répliqua M. Enfield. C’était vers trois heures du matin, par une sombre nuit d’hiver. Je m’en retournais chez moi, d’un endroit au bout du monde, et mon chemin traversait une partie de la ville où l’on ne rencontrait absolument que des réverbères. Les rues se succédaient, et tout le monde dormait… Les rues se succédaient, toutes illuminées comme pour une procession et toutes aussi désertes qu’une église… si bien que finalement j’en arrivai à cet état d’esprit du monsieur qui dresse l’oreille de plus en plus et commence d’aspirer à l’apparition d’un agent de police. Tout à coup je vis deux silhouettes, d’une part un petit homme qui d’un bon pas trottinait vers l’est, et de l’autre une fillette de peut-être huit ou dix ans qui s’en venait par une rue transversale en courant de toutes ses forces. Eh bien, monsieur, arrivés au coin, tous deux se jetèrent l’un contre l’autre, ce qui était assez naturel ; mais ensuite advint l’horrible de la chose, car l’homme foula froidement aux pieds le corps de la fillette et s’éloigna, la laissant sur le pavé, hurlante. Cela n’a l’air de rien à entendre raconter, mais c’était diabolique à voir. Ce n’était plus un homme que j’avais devant moi, c’était je ne sais quel monstre satanique et impitoyable. J’appelai à l’aide, me mis à courir, saisis au collet notre citoyen, et le ramenai auprès de la fillette hurlante qu’entourait déjà un petit rassemblement. Il garda un parfait sang-froid et ne tenta aucune résistance, mais me décocha un regard si atroce que je me sentis inondé d’une sueur froide. Les gens qui avaient surgi étaient les parents mêmes de la petite ; et presque aussitôt on vit paraître le docteur, chez qui elle avait été envoyée. En somme, la fillette, au dire du morticole, avait eu plus de peur que de mal ; et on eût pu croire que les choses en resteraient là. Mais il se produisit un phénomène singulier. J’avais pris en aversion à première vue notre citoyen. Les parents de la petite aussi, comme il était trop naturel. Mais ce qui me frappa ce fut la conduite du docteur. C’était le classique praticien routinier, d’âge et de caractère indéterminé, doué d’un fort accent d’Édimbourg, et sentimental à peu près autant qu’une cornemuse. Eh bien, monsieur, il en fut de lui comme de nous autres tous : à chaque fois qu’il jetait les yeux sur mon prisonnier, je voyais le morticole se crisper et pâlir d’une envie de le tuer. Je devinai sa pensée, de même qu’il devina la mienne, et comme on ne tue pas ainsi les gens, nous fîmes ce qui en approchait le plus. Nous déclarâmes à l’individu qu’il ne dépendait que de nous de provoquer avec cet accident un scandale tel que son nom serait abominé d’un bout à l’autre de Londres. S’il avait des amis ou de la réputation, nous nous chargions de les lui faire perdre. Et pendant tout le temps que nous fûmes à le retourner sur le gril, nous avions fort à faire

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