The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is gothic novella which was published in 1886. Stevenson's novella explores the duality of human nature and behavior, as well as acknowledges the social norms and attitudes towards moral decay in the Victorian era. This well-known literary masterpiece narrates the strange circumstances surrounding Dr. Henry Jekyll, as seen from the perspective of his friend, Mr. Gabriel John Utterson. By following Utterson’s point of view throughout the majority of the novel, Stevenson is able to administer a balanced, non-judgemental, and rational perception on what is occurring. Mr. Utterson is a respected and trustworthy lawyer who represents the ideal Victorian gentlemen. Victorian society believed the ideal gentlemen …show more content…
Certain desires were considered to be extremely unacceptable such as addiction, violence and sexual tendences, like homosexuality. As a result of society’s thoughts on morality, men and women were expected to repress their true psyche while conducting a reputable outward appearance and reputation. Consequently, individuals lived as they were expected to by society rather than how they would have wanted to. Similar to Utterson, Dr. Jekyll, a distinguished and respected figure of society, confesses to being involved in some sinful activities during his youth, which he enjoyed, but was careful to keep a secret. Due to the suppression of his dual nature, Jekyll becomes restless and full of guilt knowing that his thoughts and desires were considered to be wrong. Desperate to find an alternative, Jekyll creates an alter ego, Mr. Hyde, to isolate the evil portion of his self. Through Mr. Hyde, Jekyll indulges in his wicked impulses without having to feel the guilt and shame for doing so: “... he woke again to his good qualities seemingly unimpaired… And thus his conscience slumbered” (Stevenson
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll’s struggle between two personalities is the cause of tragedy and violence. Dr. Jekyll takes his friends loyalty and unknowingly abuses it. In this novella, Stevenson shows attributes of loyalty, how friendship contributes to loyalty, and how his own life affected his writing on loyalty.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic story published in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is about a man who transforms between two personae: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This novel focuses on Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll’s. The novel starts with John Utterson talking with his other friend who has just witnessed an odd situation. A man identified as Hyde run over a girl, only to pay off her family later with a check from Dr. Jekyll. This situation is made even stranger since Jekyll’s will has recently been changed. Mr. Hyde now stands to inherit everything. Mr. Utterson believing that the two men are separate people, thinks that the cruel Mr. Hyde is some how blackmailing Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson questions Dr. Jekyll about Hyde, but Jekyll tells him to mind his own business. Unfortunately, Mr. Utterson cannot do that. A year later, Mr. Hyde attacks someone else: he beats a man with a cane, causing the man’s death. The police involve Mr. Utterson because he knew the victim. Mr. Utterson takes them to Mr. Hyde’s apartment, where they find the murder weapon, which is a gift that Mr. Utterson himself gave to Dr. Jekyll. Mr.
...ve duality of man;… if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both” Thus, Stevenson creates in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, two coexistent, and eternally opposed components that make up a “normal” individual. However, here, good and evil are not related but are two independent entities, individuals even, different in mental and physical attributes and constantly at war with each other. Evil now does not require the existence of good to justify itself but it exists simply as itself, and is depicted as being the more powerful, the more enjoyable of the two, and in the end ultimately it is the one that leads to Dr. Jekyll's downfall and death. Stevenson creates the perfect metaphor for the never-ending battle between good and evil by using Jekyll and Hyde. However, this novella is perhaps one of the few that truly show the power of Evil.
Jekyll. Hyde commits acts of murder and assault yet can be seen as Dr. Jekyll’s id or deep desires. By trying to separate good and bad . Dr. Jekyll passed scientific and social borders to isolate his personality. In doing so, he lost control of who he wanted to be. As a last resort he created a poisonous potion that Hyde drank and died through act of suicide. Dr. Jekyll although not working with anyone took matters in his own hands which makes him seem like an outlaw hero. He did not turn himself into the police when he had control. However, Dr. Jekyll seems to have qualities of a official hero in his maturity in handling the situation. He knows how evil his alter ego is, so he isolates himself from others as a safety precaution. Jekyll tries to live a normal life, but is unable to. His status as a well distinguished doctor and sociability skills with his
Addiction is a behavior that leads to actions that not only hurt others but is ultimately a path to one’s own self-destruction. From the beginning of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, it is clear that Dr. Jekyll never had complete control over the drug or Mr. Hyde; however, once Hyde commits suicide in order to dodge punishment, we know how awful Jekyll’s addiction to Hyde had been. Jekyll was so far out of control of Hyde that Mr. Hyde had the ability to end both of their lives simply because Hyde did not wish to be punished.
Before science could dawn in the new era, curiosity had to infect the mindset and the culture and the professions of Victorian society; Stevenson bases the plot of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the curiosity of the Victorian Era society. Dr. Jekyll admitted on the subject of his inspiration, “It was thus rather the exacting nature of my aspirations than any particular degradation in my faults, that made me what I was, and … severed in me those provinces of good and ill which divide and compound man’s dual nature” (Stevenson 54). Dr. Jekyll was more driven by curiosity of the unknown rather than the specific desire to be split, and this deeply reflects the general sentiment of the Victorian Era. Scientists in the Victorian Era were pioneers; they did not have a guideline of the best
Within the text of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson portrays a complex power struggle between Dr. Jekyll, a respected individual within Victorian London society, and Mr. Hyde a villainous man tempted with criminal urges, fighting to take total control of their shared body. While Dr. Jekyll is shown to be well-liked by his colleagues, Mr. Hyde is openly disliked by the grand majority of those who encounter him, terrified of his frightful nature and cruel actions. Throughout Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson portrays the wealthy side of London, including Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyll, as respected and well-liked, while showing the impoverish side as either non-existent or cruel.
The Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson published the gothic novella ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ on 5th January 1886. The novella set in London follows the story of a lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates the strange events that occur with Dr. Jekyll, an old friend, and the evil Mr. Hyde. In chapter one we explore the London streets as Mr Enfield, a good friend of Utterson, and Utterson gossip about a run in Enfield had with Hyde. London is presented a dangerous place in the opening chapter.
In the Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be seen as an analogy of good and evil that is present in every individual. Dr. Jekyll (who is a well-respected and educated doctor) secretly creates a potion to express his vile urges without the sense of remorse. As a result of drinking the potion, he forms into a pale, deformed, and younger individual- Mr. Hyde. As Dr. Jekyll's journey of two identities continues, Dr. Jekyll isn't able to control his transformation of Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.
Is Dr. Jekyll really considered the monster? This very question comes from the book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a town Doctor who encounters some emotional break downs, one of his break downs leads to him becoming upset and creating a chemical. This chemical creates a split personality of Dr. Jekyll. Soon we find out that the split personality of Dr. Jekyll, is causing problems for the town, and his name is none other than Mr. Hyde.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Drug Abuse The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an interesting example of how drug abuse affects people’s judgement and actions. Drug addiction and abuse has been an issue for a long time. Some people don’t realize how long it really has been. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde speaks on the good and bad side of humans.
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll, in grave danger, writes a letter to his good friend Lanyon. With Jekyll’s fate in Lanyon’s hands, he requests the completion of a task, laying out specific directions for Lanyon to address the urgency of the matter. In desperation, Jekyll reveals the possible consequences of not completing this task through the use of emotional appeals, drawing from his longtime friendship with Lanyon, to the fear and guilt he might feel if he fails at succeeding at this task. Through Jekyll’s serious and urgent tone, it is revealed that his situation is a matter of life and death in which only Lanyon can determine the outcome.
Despite being published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson remains to be recognized and referred to as one of the initial studies of the duality of human nature and mans struggle between two natural forces – good and evil. The story takes place during the Victorian Era in which society is already somewhat constrained and cruel and explores the human struggle between being civilized and facing the more primitive aspects to our being. According to author Irving S Saposnik, “Henry Jekyll’s experiment to free himself from the burden of duality results in failure because of his moral myopia, because he is a victim of society’s standards even while he would be free of them.” Henry Jekyll, an English doctor faces duality when he comes into battle with his darker side. Creating a personification under the name of Edward Hyde in order to fulfill his desires, Dr. Jekyll feels as if he will be able to control the face that he wants seen to public vs. the one in which he wants to keep more private. “Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures; and that when I reached years of reflection, and began to look round me, and take stock of my progress and position in the world, I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life.” (10.1) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about how people are scared to acknowledge personal duality so they keep silent and in this case, create a personification in order to fulfill evil desires without thinking through the consequences of such actions.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be read in a number of ways through any number of different lenses, which makes for a versatile novella, and an interesting read for just about anyone. It also makes for a great novel with which to learn literary analysis. Using The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde one can see how Freudian psychoanalysis, though it had not been so developed at the time of the novel, can intersect with homosexual undertones, and how the manifestations of the repressed can come to light when the subject of homosexuality is not properly addressed. The novella was published in 1886, placing it in terms of history toward the end of the Victorian era. The Victorian era was well known for its repressive attitudes and high moral standards, and one was expected to live in such a certain way in the middle and upper classes.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a confusing and perplexing one. R.L. Stevenson uses the devices of foreshadow and irony to subtly cast hints to the reader as to who Mr. Hyde is and where the plot will move. Stevenson foreshadows the events of the book through his delicate hints with objects and words. Irony is demonstrated through the names of characters, the names display to the reader how the character will fit into the novel. These two literary devices engage the readers; they employ a sense of mystery while leading the readers to the answer without them realizing the depth of each indirect detail.