Similarities Between Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

In “Macbeth”, the supernatural is linked to the superstitious beliefs of the period. It is by receiving knowledge associated with what only God should know, not man. Macbeth learns the prophecy from the witches making him create his own assumptions in how to become king causing him to commit murder eventually. The Jacobean audience would believe that Macbeth will get punished as he committed regicide. After Macbeth committed regicide, he was in so much shock that he brought the daggers with him and refused to put them back because he regretted what he had done. Macbeth says “I’ll go no more:” Shakespeare is trying to show that committing regicide caused Macbeth to be affected negatively that he is unable to even cover his tracks. He is in so

In the Victoria era people used to believe an idea called physiognomy. If there is evil internal, it will be shown external. Stevenson uses this idea through contrasting appearances of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Hyde is seen as someone deformed while Jekyll is seen as someone well respected and handsome. The use of the supernatural allowed Jekyll to split his evil and good side, therefore creating My Hyde. When Lanyon had to bring the potion to Hyde, his world view was destroyed by Jekyll causing him to die. This is because when he watched the transformation, it caused his beliefs to be shattered, which caused his mental disintegration and then causing suicide. In the text Lanyon says “My mind submerged in terror”. The verb “submerged” suggests that Lanyon is in complete ‘terror’. Stevenson uses this quote to show how when people find out that the supernatural is true, they mentally disintegrate to a point where they die from the shock. In chapter 4 people described Hyde as “the haunting sense of unexpressed deformity”. The Victorian era could not assume that this was the work of a supernatural potion, so they assume that Hyde is human”. The use of the adjective “haunting” could make the reader feel that Hyde is dangerous as he is being associated with ghosts which links to the supernatural. This could mean the Victorian era is refusing to believe that this is the work of something beyond nature so they link it to science. Also Lanyon says “I ask myself if I believe it, and I cannot answer.” Stevenson is trying to show that the supernatural is so difficult to believe in and so people have views related to science. The word “ask” is rhetorical, suggesting the reader understand that Lanyon knows that there is something beyond nature, but he is so affected by it causing him to mentally disintegrate.