O médico e o monstro

De Robert Louis Stevenson e Kerem Freitas

Na efervescente Londres do século XIX, qual seria a relação secreta entre Dr. Henry Jekyll, um médico bem-sucedido, generoso, elegante e educado, e Mr. Hyde, um homem repugnante e assustador? É isso que o advogado Mr. Utterson vai tentar descobrir nesta história repleta de mistério e terror, um dos grandes clássicos da literatura universal.

• Idioma: Português
• Editora: Editora Melhoramentos
• Data de lançamento: 31 de jan. de 2014
• ISBN: 9788506074039

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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Créditos

A história da porta

Mister Utterson, advogado, era um homem de semblante austero, que nunca se iluminava com um sorriso; frio, frugal e embaraçado ao falar; retraído no sentimento; magro, comprido, grisalho, melancólico e, mesmo assim, em certa medida, adorável. Nas reuniões com amigos, e quando o vinho o agradava, algo eminentemente humano brilhava em seu olhar; algo que por certo nunca encontrava caminho até sua fala, mas que falava não só nos símbolos silenciosos das faces depois do jantar, mas, com maior frequência e mais expressivamente, nos atos de sua vida. Ele era austero consigo mesmo; bebia gim quando estava só, para mortificar seu gosto por vinhos de boa safra; e mesmo que gostasse muito de teatro, não cruzava as portas de um havia vinte anos. Mas mantinha uma comprovada tolerância para com os demais; às vezes, maravilhado, quase sentindo inveja, em face da grande aflição dos espíritos envolvidos em delitos; e diante de qualquer ato extremo se sentia mais inclinado a ajudar que a censurar. Ele costumava, muito estranhamente, dizer:

– Tenho uma queda pela heresia de Caim; deixo que meu irmão se ferre pelo caminho que ele queira escolher.

Por esse motivo, era frequente ele ter a sorte de ser o último conhecido honrado e a última boa influência nas vidas dos homens em decadência. E a pessoas assim, que vinham visitá-lo em seu escritório de advocacia, nunca deu a perceber a mínima sombra de mudança em seu comportamento.

Essa proeza, sem dúvida, não era difícil para Mr. Utterson, porque ele era completamente retraído e até mesmo suas amizades pareciam fundadas em uma liberalidade universal. O traço característico de um homem modesto é aceitar o círculo de amizades posto à sua disposição pelas mãos da oportunidade; e era justamente essa a atitude do advogado. Seus amigos eram pessoas de seu próprio sangue, ou aqueles que conhecia havia muito tempo; seus afetos, como a hera, eram uma produção do tempo, não supunham nenhuma aptidão por parte do objeto. Era dali que vinha, sem dúvida, o vínculo que o unia a Mr. Richard Enfield, um parente distante, homem muito conhecido na cidade. Para muitos, era um enigma difícil de resolver: o que aqueles dois podiam ver um no outro? E que assunto em comum podiam encontrar? Aqueles que os encontravam em suas caminhadas dominicais contavam que nada diziam, que pareciam especialmente entediados e que saudavam com evidente alívio um amigo que aparecesse. E mesmo assim, os dois homens punham o maior empenho naquelas excursões e as consideravam a joia principal de toda a semana; não só deixavam de lado ocasiões de prazer, como resistiam até mesmo a assuntos de negócios para poder desfrutá-las sem ser interrompidos.

E aconteceu que, em uma dessas voltas, a direção que tomaram os conduziu a uma rua transversal de um movimentado bairro de Londres. A rua era curta e tranquila, mas levava a um comércio próspero durante os dias de semana. Todos os moradores davam a impressão de estar indo muito bem. Todos esperavam ir competitivamente melhor ainda e aplicavam os ganhos que obtinham em frivolidades; de modo que a frente das lojas se alinhava ao longo da via pública numa atmosfera de convite, como se fossem fileiras de vendedoras sorridentes. Até mesmo aos domingos, quando disfarçava seus encantos mais visíveis e estava comparativamente vazia de passantes, a rua brilhava em contraste com sua vizinhança esquálida, como uma fogueira na floresta; e com suas venezianas recém-pintadas, com seus caixilhos bem polidos, com a limpeza e a alegria generalizadas que a caracterizavam, chamava imediatamente a atenção e acariciava o olhar dos transeuntes.

A duas portas de uma esquina, na mão esquerda, na direção leste, a linha era quebrada pela entrada de um pátio, e justamente nesse ponto o bloco sinistro de uma construção projetava a empena de seu frontão sobre a rua. A construção tinha dois andares; não exibia nenhuma janela, nada além de uma porta no andar inferior e um frontão cego de parede descolorida no andar superior; ostentava em cada traço as marcas de um abandono prolongado e sórdido. A porta, que não tinha campainha nem aldrava, tinha a pintura descascada e cheia de bolhas. Mendigos acomodavam-se no portal e acendiam fósforos nos painéis; crianças mantinham negócios nos degraus; algum estudante havia experimentado seu canivete nas molduras, e por quase uma geração não aparecera quem desalojasse esses visitantes fortuitos ou consertasse seus estragos.

Mr. Enfield e o advogado estavam do outro lado da rua transversal; mas quando chegaram diante da porta, o primeiro levantou a bengala e apontou:

– Você, alguma vez, prestou atenção nessa porta? – perguntou.

E quando seu companheiro deu uma resposta afirmativa, ele acrescentou:

– Em minha cabeça, ela está relacionada com uma história muito estranha.

– Sério? – disse Mr. Utterson, com uma leve mudança na voz. – De que se trata?

– Bem! Aconteceu o seguinte: – replicou Mr. Enfield. – Eu estava voltando para casa, vindo de algum lugar no fim do mundo, por volta das três horas de uma escura manhã de inverno, e meu caminho seguia por uma parte da cidade onde literalmente não havia nada que se pudesse ver, além dos lampiões. Rua e mais rua, e todo mundo adormecido – rua e mais rua, tudo iluminado como se tivesse sido disposto para uma procissão e tudo tão vazio quanto uma igreja –, até que por fim entrei no estado mental em que um homem escuta, escuta e começa a ficar ansioso para ver ao menos um policial. De repente, vi duas figuras: a de um homenzinho que andava pesadamente no rumo leste com certa pressa e a outra, a de uma menina entre oito e dez anos, que vinha correndo o mais rápido que podia em direção ao cruzamento. Bem, senhor, os dois corriam um de encontro ao outro e naturalmente se chocaram na esquina; e então aconteceu a parte horrível dessa história, porque o homem pisoteou com toda a tranquilidade o corpo da menina e a deixou berrando no chão. Ouvir a história não é nada, ver é que foi horrível! Aquilo não parecia um homem, parecia algum maldito Juggernaut¹. Gritei por ele, corri, agarrei meu cavalheiro pelo colarinho e o levei de volta ao lugar, onde já se juntara um bom grupo de pessoas ao redor da menina que gritava. Ele estava perfeitamente calmo e não opôs resistência, mas me dirigiu um olhar tão hediondo que me fez suar muito, como se eu estivesse correndo. As pessoas que haviam aparecido eram de parentes da menina e logo depois chegou o médico de cujo consultório ela estava vindo. Bem, a menina não estava tão mal assim, mas muito assustada, de acordo com o médico, e você até poderia pensar que o assunto morreria ali. Mas aconteceu algo de muito estranho. Eu tinha sentido repugnância de meu cavalheiro e o mesmo ocorrera com a família da menina, o que é muito natural. Mas o que realmente me impressionou foi a figura do médico. Ele era o típico boticário normal, sem idade nem cor específicas, com um forte sotaque de Edimburgo e tão inclinado à emoção quanto uma gaita de foles. Bem, senhor, o médico era semelhante a todos nós; vi que toda vez que olhava para meu prisioneiro, parecia doente e ficava pálido de tanta vontade de matá-lo. Percebi o que ele tinha em sua mente, assim como ele sabia o que se passava pela minha; e como matar o homem estava fora de questão, fizemos o melhor que pudemos. Dissemos a ele que podíamos e faríamos daquilo um escândalo tão grande que o nome do cavalheiro empestearia Londres de ponta a ponta. E se lhe restassem algum amigo ou algum crédito, nós nos encarregaríamos de que os perdesse. E durante todo o tempo em que o mantivemos acuado, seguramos as mulheres longe dele o máximo que podíamos, porque elas pareciam harpias selvagens. Eu nunca vira um círculo de rostos tão inflamados de ódio, e o homem ali no meio, com uma espécie de frieza obscura, irônica – e também amedrontada, pelo que pude ver –,

Avaliações de O médico e o monstro

[sometimeunderwater · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[readingover50 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[williemeikle-1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[cyderry · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[booklove2 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[lord_boris-1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[ameise1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[deltaqueen50 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[shaunesay · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[bookomaniac-1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Een Victoriaanse klassieker, terecht. Beklemmend geschreven, met een mooie opbouw.

[bnielsen_30 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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

[librarylou · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Classic gothic horror story.

[jmoncton_1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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?

[andrewcambs · Nota: 1 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[boes0106 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[la2bkk · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[kinsey_m · Nota: 2 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[jeffjardine · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[dlow_54 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[rsplenda477 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[something_-1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[maydacat_1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[max3tyrone · Nota: 2 de 5 estrelas]

With a classic name in literature, one should read this story of duality sans the preconception of it; otherwise, this will kind of seem boring due to the myriad of other stories akin to the theme. While I am quick to admit that a general audience of today will have a hard time finishing this novel due to the lack of today's immediacy, I will too admit that I did not enjoy this novel as much as any other story of good versus evil. I appreciated that it came out in its time; however, I personally look for something more, something beyond good and evil, something beyond duality. The story overall didn't do me much service, neither: I felt that everything hung on Dr. Jekyll's account at the end of the novel, which gave a great insight on the struggle between two moral magnets. However, to read a story as something witnessed, then something explained, can either resonate well with me or not. The witnessing of madness in this novel left much to be desired, at least on my account.A great read if you're starting on the duality of man.

[clancy.coonradt · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[steadfastreader · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[aylin1-1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

A heck of a lot more philosophical than the Bugs Bunny rendition with which I was familiar.

[cyafer · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Short and sweet and pretty interesting. Not a bad read.

[dmu-1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[flying_monkeys_1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

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.

[srboone · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

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!