The Island of Dr. Moreau is a science fiction novel written by H.G. Wells. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, is also a science fiction novel. There are both similarities and differences in the themes shared by the two books. Some of the themes that share similarities and differences are science, morality, and good vs. evil. Science is a big theme in both The Island of Dr. Moreau and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In both novels, science is portrayed in the extreme. In The Island of Dr. Moreau, the titular character uses vivisection to make animals almost human. Dr. Jekyll creates a serum that transforms him into the nefarious Mr. Hyde in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Wells uses the theme of science to illustrate and warn of the dangers of science lacking ethics, such as in Nazi Germany. The theme of science in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is used to illustrate how …show more content…
Moreau and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In both books, characters struggle with what is actually moral. Montgomery seems to disagree with Dr. Moreau’s practices but accepts them and drinks to avoid dealing with them. Dr. Jekyll realizes that what he is doing is wrong, but the pull to be Mr. Hyde is too strong for him to do anything about it until it was too late. Also, morality is large cause of the events in both books. Society’s morals rejects Dr. Moreau and his experiments, so he is self-exiled to the island. Victorian morals were conservative and repressive, allowing for little expression of desires. Mr. Jekyll, as a prominent member of London society, his unable to pursue what he calls “undignified pleasures.” He transforms into Mr. Hyde to experience these pleasures and escape the repressiveness of Victorian society. The pull of Mr. Hyde and the “undignified pleasures” proves too great for Dr. Jekyll to resist until it was too
The sophisticatedly-constructed novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was devised in 1886, during the revolutionary Victorian era, by the author, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson developed a desire to write in his early life and ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ cemented his reputation. The novel is widely known for its shocking principles that terrified and alarmed the Victorian readers. ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ plays with the idea of the dual nature of man, his two identities. On the surface, Dr Jekyll is a conventional, Victorian gentleman, but below the surface lurks the primitive, satanic-like creature of Mr Edward Hyde. One of the elements that play a significant part in the novel is setting. Stevenson subtly uses the setting to
First published in 1885, Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about a distinguished Victorian doctor, Henry Jekyll, who discovers a way to transform himself into another persona, Edward Hyde, who unlocks or amplifies thoughts, feelings, and desires not normally expressed by Dr. Jekyll but are the norm for Mr. Hyde. A scene of the text will be analyzed. A comparison will be made as to the motives of Hyde’s actions between Darwin’s theory of evolution and an evil nature as described in the Holy Bible. Both of these were hot topics of culture in the Victorian era as Darwin’s views were starting to challenge the Bible as the
The story of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde is a prime example of good versus evil as a man struggles with an experience that goes bad. Dr. Henry Jekyll is a man of science and he develops a potions that causes him to have two separate and distinct personalities. As time passes, Dr. Jekyll discovers that he is losing his ability to control the sinister side of his personality, Mr. Hyde. The effects of this scientific experiments will dramatically change his life and the lives of his friends.
"The Strange Case of Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde" written by Robert Louis Stevenson and "Frankenstein" written by Mary Shelley, both deal with the scientists upsetting the laws of the universe. Both of the scientists, Dr. Jeykll and Frankenstein, are attempting to play God in both of the famous novels. Dr. Jeykll is trying to understand the dual nature of humans to be both good and bad, by wanting to separate the two. While Frankenstein rises to balance his intellectual and social interactions. The stories are both very similar in the fact that they both create a monster. The "monster" in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde" is presented by Dr. Jeykll. The "monster" in "Frankenstein" is presented by Frankenstein himself. In "The Strange
In the novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Robert Louis Stevenson explores humankinds conflicting forces of Good and Evil. Through the central characters and the key theme of the duplicity of mankind Robert Louis Stevenson successfully portrays the theme of Good and Evil in the novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Both Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein tell cautionary tales of scientists abusing their creative powers to exist in another sphere where they cannot be directly blamed for their actions. Though Frankenstein's creation is a "Creature" distinct from his creator while Dr. Jekyll metamorphoses into Mr. Hyde, the "double" of each protagonist progressively grows more violent throughout his story. By doing so he symbolizes his creator's repressed desires in a stifling society.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886. The novel is set in Victorian England and follows a man by the name Dr. Jekyll, a respected doctor. Dr. Jekyll is a revered man in society and has every intention of remaining that way. However, one day he goes too far with one of his experiments and he creates a draught that unleashes a split personality within him. This personality goes by the name of Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll does not seek a cure at first because he enjoys having an outlet for all of his desires that are deemed unacceptable by society. Hyde commits evil deeds, such as murdering an old man and trampling a young girl, which Dr. Jekyll could never normally let himself go through with. Dr. Jekyll believes that he can remain a good, reputable man even when a part of him is doing wrong. However, he soon learns that this is impossible. Soon after, Dr. Jekyll loses control over his ability to transform into Mr. Hyde. At first, he would only change during the night. Then, he started transforming during the day as well. Dr. Jekyll finally admits that the problem is starting to get out of control. However, he cannot create a remedy any longer. Dr. Jekyll is eventually completely overtaken by Mr. Hyde and the reader does not hear from him again. In this novel, Dr. Jekyll illustrates the duality of human nature through his struggle to choose between good versus evil, societal expectations versus unacceptable desires, and
In both novels, scientific experiments are practiced on the titular characters. Because of the experiments, the characters’ identities become fuzzy in the sense that they are the same person as before the experiment. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll uses the experiments to exercise his darkest instincts, but he has
Both Kong and Hyde owe their existence to this enduring belief that there existed a world beyond the rational, outside the certitudes Enlightenment provided us with. Both emerge from worlds unchecked by civilization and each embodies the certainty of such a world. Carl Denham’s firm belief that there still exists some mystery in the world accounts for his voyage to the prehistoric island, populated with giant primordial animals and Kong as the self-proclaimed King of that place. Denham’s fascination with the unknown is shared by Dr. Jekyll as his choice of study veered towards “the mystic and the transcendental” (Stevenson 64) which enabled him to create Hyde. While they both question the supremacy of reason over instinct, science is never
The introduction of Frankenstein’s laboratory connects with the theme of gothic literature as it is described as a slaughterhouse with other gory characteristics such as dismembered body parts like eyes. Unlike Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein’s laboratory is less mysterious and more focused on the characteristics of terror and the intense emotion of the graphic nature. The portrayal of the protagonists and antagonists differ slightly, yet are very similar. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is one of the main protagonists in which he is described as a well-respected and intelligent scientist. His alter ego, Mr. Hyde, is the main antagonist of the story in which he commits several unlawful and immoral acts.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two horrific tales of science gone terribly wrong. Shelley?s novel eloquently tells the story of a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who creates a living monster out of decomposed body parts, while Stevenson?s novel describes the account of one, Henry Jekyll, who creates a potion to bring out the pure evil side to himself. Although the two scientists differ in their initial response and action to their creations, there are strong similarities between their raging curiosity to surpass human limitation, as well as their lack of responsibility concerning their actions. These similarities raise an
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
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.
Furthermore, the role of science in the novella is significant. Dr. Jekyll conducts experiments in his laboratory because he wants to find a solution to release himself from society’s confinement. He would like to let his true nature out. He spends time in his lab working on the creation of a drug that will allow him to be free, but in the form of another. That other is introduced to readers as Edward
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