Gothic literature is didactic as it exposes the inner mechanisms of man’s mind and the resulting repression within society. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ explores the duality of man, the nature of mankind and the inner psychology of man’s mind through the protagonist, Dr Jekyll, a man who is hiding a darker side of him, Mr Hyde. Gothic literature, especially Stevenson's novella also examines the dichotomy of society and the social construct within it, through the context of Victorian London.
In his novella, Stevenson uses his protagonist, Dr Jekyll to explore and delve into the duality of man. He presents Dr Jekyll as a doctor, a respected man of science who is the embodiment of a Victorian
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While there are often figuratively two sides to man, Stevenson has created a literal good and evil side to Jekyll to emphasise man’s duality. Mr Hyde, while essentially is another version of Dr Jekyll, he is the complete opposite of him, in appearance and behaviour. While Dr Jekyll is the embodiment of a Victorian gentleman from the higher classes of society, Mr Hyde behaves very violently and primitively, which underlines the fact that he is from the lowest classes in society. His behaviour can be seen through the juxtaposition of when he “…trampled calmly, over the child’s body…” It emphasises Mr Hyde’s behaviour, and who he is as a person. Mr Hyde also differs significantly in appearance from Dr Jekyll, emphasised through repetition of how the doctor’s clothes were too big for him “He was dressed in clothes far too large for him, clothes of the doctor’s bigness…” This repetition draws attention to the appearance of Mr Hyde compared to Dr Jekyll. By comparing the two characters, who are actually one but differ significantly from each other, we can see how Stevenson has emphasised the duality within man, that there is often two sides, one good and one evil
Stevenson writes ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ with the intention of showing the reader the duality of man and explores this through the juxtaposition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this novella, Stevenson also uses the environment and setting of the story to represent the contrast between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Dr Henry Jekyll, the protagonist, is a reputable middle class gentleman born into wealth, with many male friends and a respectable profession. He is described as “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with…every mark of capacity and kindness.” Whereas, Mr Hyde, the antagonist, is first described, he is represented by Enfield as “a little man who was stumping along”. This is when the idea that
In the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson provides insight into the inner workings of the duality that exists within humans. Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected doctor in his community while his differing personality Mr. Hyde is hideous and considered by the public as evil based on appearance. As the novel progresses Dr. Lanyon begins to investigate Mr. Hyde, he begins to realize similarities between both Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll such as their handwriting which results in the discovery that they are the same person. Dr. Jekyll is able to transform himself into Mr. Hyde by drinking a serum he has created which was intended to purify his good. Stevenson stresses the duality of good and evil that exists
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson uses very rich diction so that his audience can visualize every detail of the setting and characters. In Dr. Lanyon’s letter to Mr. Utterson describing how he came to know of Dr. Jekyll’s deception and secrets, he also describes Mr. Hyde. This was the first time in the novel that Mr. Hyde was descriptively described. The diction Stevenson used influenced not only the visual aesthetics of the reader but several themes and gives the reader foreshadowing. Dr. Lanyon first describes Mr. Hyde’s clothing as “enormously too large”, and goes into further detail by observing that his pants were too long for him and were “rolled up to keep them from the ground” and “the collar sprawl wide upon his shoulders” (Stevenson). Dr. Lanyon’s description also foreshadows the truth behind Dr. Jekyll’s secret because Dr. Jekyll was described as a large man, “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty” (Stevenson). Mr. Hyde’s description also included Dr. Lanyon’s surmise that “there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature” (Stevenson). In the last chapter, the letter from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Utterson, the audience gets a sense of shame and understanding from Dr. Jekyll. Stevenson’s diction strongly influences the reader’s perception of Dr. Jekyll’s letter. His use of words like “morbid sense of shame,” “driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on that hard law of life,” and “shed a strong light on this consciousness of the perennial war among my members” (Stevenson), imply the emotional impact that Dr. Jekyll’s experiments had on
In the novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde” there is a theme of good vs evil. Good being Dr. Jekyll and evil Mr Hyde they have the inner fight between themselves, because they are the same person.Robert louis Stevenson uses Diction,imagery,and details to contrast the character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the themes and events going on during the late Victorian era. Most, if not all of the story is symbolic for a certain idea in London, England which was going through a time of depression and terror. Overall, many hypotheses have been formed about the historical context in relation to Jekyll and Hyde and some of these ideas are correct, but the most coherent and most logical contributes to the fact that Stevenson's writing is symbolic where each textual aspect of the book relates to the events or people in Victorian
During the story Hyde’s actions compounds our first impressions of him. Stevenson never says exactly what Hyde takes pleasure in on his nightly forays but it is thought to be of things that would ruin Jekyll’s reputation if they ever came out. There is thought to be strong ties to drugs, alcohol addiction and other dangerous dealings; ‘he had once visited her (the maid’s) master and for whom she had conceived a dislike’. In the very first chapter, Mr Enfield tells his friend, Mr Utterson, a story where he witnessed a strange looking man walking along a deserted street, who ‘trampled calmly over (a) child’s body and left her screaming on the ground’ when they collided.
In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson uses diction, imagery, and details to characterize both sides of his main character. The diction used in this novel really helps to characterize Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. “Now that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr. Jekyll” (Stevenson 33). The author uses these words to create a hopeful mood.
To begin with, Dr. Jekyll is a well-rounded, well-respected man descending from a highly intellectual and respected Christian family of doctors and lawyers. He is nothing short of the ideal Victorian gentleman: tall, polite, honorable and refined, physically portrayed as being “a large well-made man of fifty,” and as having a “large, handsome face” (Stevenson, 19). Opposed to this seemingly impeccable man is none other than Mr. Edward Hyde, a short, hairy, ‘troglodyte’ man with a horrific
In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is regarded that these identities are two different persons but this is not the case, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one in the same. There is much confusion when reading this literary work by Robert Louis Stevenson; this piece is regarded as horrific and disturbing in many ways. But the biggest twist is when it is reveled to the reader that these two people are the same and that below the surface of Dr.Jekyll is an evil man who enjoys committing evil acts. Mainly that Dr. Jekyll believes he has no choice but to commit these horrid acts because he has no control over is evil side. I don’t believe this is the case, Hyde isn’t a real person and doesn’t exist, nor is he someone who commits
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 the good and evil forces that are present in every individual. Dr. Jekyll (who is a well-respected and educated doctor) secretly creates a potion that enables him 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 becomes unable to control his transformation of Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.
He then proceeded to viciously beat Sir Crew to death with a cane with no apparent reason (Stevenson 17). Before this mindless act, there was an unsettling trampling of an eight year old girl (Stevenson 3). Mr. Hyde and said girl had a natural collision at a street corner, yet the following sequence of events are too hellish to relish. Hyde coolly trampled over the little girl’s body as if he was a juggernaut and his only form of sympathy was a check from Dr.Jekyll (Stevenson 3-4). One may muse upon the sensibility of allowing one’s animalistic nature to take over; however, this unwanted change of character is a brutal reality.
The dual character combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the most well-known in literature and is arguably the most blatant example of duality Stevenson uses to try and get the theme of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde across. The dual personalities Dr. Jekyll possesses are stark examples of the animalistic and civilized sides of man that inherently resides in all men. The virtuous Dr. Jekyll serves as a portrayal of the more rational, human side of man. When Mr. Utterson attends Dr. Jekyll’s dinner party he paints a picture of a quintessential Victorian man when describing Jekyll’s appearance, “well
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde influence each other, Stevenson focuses on individual’s perspective. By illuminating on individual’s conflict and perspective, it makes reader to sympathize Dr. Jekyll’s dilemma. Because of social status, he can’t be free, but when people recognize Mr. Hyde as Dr. Jekyll, it will influence to his social status. Additionally, Victorian era time period affects to author’s perspective in the book a lot. It is unique for everyone to overcome internal conflicts, and the author portrayed it in extreme method. Stevenson ultimately claims that in reality, everyone has
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written during the height of the Victorian era. In this period, there were huge debates concerning pursuing desire versus doing what was socially acceptable. There were also constant scientific discoveries being made. Stevenson 's piece, using a telescopic framework, is a product of romantic and Victorian traditions since it incorporates Victorian gentlemen, dark romantic subjects and duality within both Victorian and Romantic society. Being a gentleman and upholding your reputation in the Victorian era was the most important character trait, and seeing how a perfect gentleman like Dr. Jekyll could have such an evil side was a shock for society. The actions of Mr. Hyde went completely against social norms and expectations. Romantic topics like the subconscious, fears and nightmares/dreams are also depicted in this work. As well, there is something dark beneath the facade Victorian people wore. The contents of the story have an eerie vibe and demonstrate the potential dangers that people keep hidden. And finally, duality within Victorian and Romantic society is evident throughout the piece with self-control against desires and what’s on the surface against the subconscious. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde takes place during a time of large scale social