The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic tale by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. It tells the story of kindly Doctor Jekyll, and the horrific and violent Mr. Hyde, two completely different personalities inhabiting the same body. The story begins with a London lawyer, Mr. Utterson, who is concerned for his friend, the strange and secretive Doctor Henry Jekyll. Though Jekyll is widely respected and liked by most people, he has been withdrawn and reclusive as of late. Rumors have been circulating of a sinister figure prowling the streets of London and wreaking havoc - the despicable Mr. Hyde. Utterson is determined to help his friend and discovers the truth when he hears the story of an elderly woman who witnessed a suspiciously cruel attack by Hyde on a little girl. Investigating, Utterson finds a check signed by Jekyll, made payable to Hyde. As Utterson tries to uncover the mystery of why Jekyll would be protecting this violent man, he receives a desperate letter from Jekyll, begging Utterson to protect him from Hyde for fear of his own life. When Hyde is finally found, Utterson and a family friend, Dr. Lanyon, confront both him and Jekyll. Jekyll confesses the truth to the two men in a shocking revelation - he and Hyde are the same person. He explains that for years he had been fascinated by the concept of duality and tried to unlock the key to alter his personality. Sure enough, Jekyll had succeeded in using a potion to transform into the malevolent Hyde. Jekyll is sickened and horrified by the acts he has been committing while in the Hyde persona and unable to reverse the transformation. Disgusted with his actions and his inability to control the transformation, he resolves to end the identity of Hyde, even if it means sacrificing his own life in the process. In the end, Jekyll is able to use the potion to end the hazardous alter ego and begins a life of good works in repent of his tumultuous past. While the story may have ended with Jekyll triumphant, the nature of good versus evil was left unresolved, making the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a moralistic tale that continues to capture the minds of both children and adults alike.