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====The story behind the novel====
[[File: Jekyll and Hyde 2.jpg |200px|thumb|left|a 19TH Century poster for a drama based on Jekyll and Hyde]]
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) is one of the greatest of all Scottish writers and the author of many memorable works such as ‘Treasure Island’. Stevenson was born and educated in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. He came from a family of prominent engineers and suffered from ill-health all of his life. Despite suffering from bronchial problems all his life, he was a great traveler and wrote a great many works in a short span of years. While still a young man he began to write novels and short stories most of whom were well-received.<ref> Balfour, Graham, The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson (London, Signet, 1983), pp 17-18</ref>
Stevenson wrote ‘Treasure Island’ in 1883 and this made him famous. In 1886 he was working on his follow-up. Stevenson had long been obsessed with the conflict in people, between good and evil. For many years he had been seeking to find a story that would allow him to tackle this subject. One day while lying in bed, because of ill-health, he had the idea, after recollecting a dream. Stevenson wrote the ‘Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ in a number of weeks in 1886. Many commentators have claimed that Stevenson was on drugs at the time, such as opium, for his illness.<ref>Balfour, p. 121</ref> Later the Scottish author wrote ‘Kidnapped’, which was another great success. However, his health declined and he moved to Samoa in the South Pacific for the sake of his health, Stevenson died in 1894, in the South Sea island.<ref>Barbour, p. 2013</ref>
