The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

British Modernism, which dates from 1890-1945, is one of the strongest and revolutionary movements of all time, affecting great change in art, music, and literature. Approaching the end of the Victorian Era, an overlap with early Modernism arises, as writers began resisting this sense of order and questioning accepted roles and beliefs. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published during the late Victorian era, but he clearly brings into question the acceptance of Victorian philosophies, especially the belief that one truth exists and that we can identify good and evil as separate entities. The names Jekyll and Hyde have become synonymous with multiple personality disorder. This novel can be

Frequently overlooked in favor of discourse on the duality of man or the dubiousness surrounding the characters’ interactions with Hyde, Jekyll’s portrayal of his transformations into Hyde in Robert Lewis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde has an indubitable parallel to symptoms of drug addiction. This allegory fits seamlessly into the narrative once the reader becomes aware of its presence. Not only does Henry Jekyll present symptoms paralleling drug addiction, his transformations into Hyde and how the other characters in the novel react to them are also typical of situation involving an addicted person. Finally, the ease with which a respectable member of the bourgeoisie lapses into such a degenerative state serves the

Utterson, Lanyon, Enfield, Jekyll... one of these does not belong. Clearly, within the context of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Henry Jekyll struggles to fit himself into the strict Victorian society. In the events leading to his demise, he longs to separate his firm, polished face from his true inner self; from here, Stevenson paints this juxtaposition with the use of several point-of-view techniques. When Utterson, the protagonist, “[stands] a while when Mr. Hyde had left him... putting his hand to his brow like a man in mental perplexity” (Stevenson 19), he clearly becomes the literal center of attention for the story’s opinions and perspectives. Rather than giving an omniscient style to the novel, Stevenson provides an external viewpoint in order to engage his audience. The use of point-of-view techniques in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reinforces the audience’s reaction to the story’s moral dilemma.

Reinterpretations have played a major role in all forms of entertainment. They provide another, unique perspective on something old, something you may have read or seen. They make it possible to relive, or re-experience something that you cherished, or they can enable you to love something you hated. Reinterpretations have a lot of artistic power, as can be seen in a review of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, compared to The Incredible Hulk, directed by Louis Leterrier. The value of reinterpretations can be explored through the use of these two texts by looking at the theme of duplicity in man, and analysing the characters Bruce Banner and Dr Jekyll.

During the latter portion of the nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The fin de siècle saw the rise of different thoughts and ideas surrounding science and society. These concepts and interpretations sparked the discourse surrounding the theory of degeneration; which was the concern that civilization would fall to a lower state of being. This chapter will be reading multiplex personality as a manifestation of this broader cultural fear. Stevenson’s story played upon the changes society was facing during this time and the interest in scientific explanations for mental illness. He creates the character of Dr Jekyll, a scientist who invents a potion to unlock his inner,

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

There is a battle of two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, lies, inferiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth. Which wolf wins? The one you feed. - Old Cherokee Proverb. This quote explains that within us all, there is the battle good and evil. It explains the duality of the human condition, and that we all have the potential to be very good, but also extremely evil, a concept that Robert Louis Stevenson dabbles in throughout the course of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This concept, also illustrates the theme of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde perfectly, as the theme is good vs evil, or more specifically the dual nature of humans, and how good and evil exists within ourselves. That good vs evil can be an internal struggle, as well as a physical battle. Some argue that the theme of Jekyll and Hyde could be Friendship, Lies and Deceit, or Sacrifice, however it is evident that the theme is good versus evil for several reasons.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a fiction novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde illustrates an investigation of what it is like living in the nineteenth century where appearances, and maintaining your standing of those who are around you is important.

It is taken for granted that monsters are scary. Everyone knows that vampires are blood thirsty creatures, and that zombies will stop at nearly nothing. But how do these fictional creatures invoke fear in people? Did monsters just become synonymous to terrifying, or is there a hidden interpretation to their existence? In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Hyde is without a doubt a monster. His appearance is strange, his behavior erratic, and his morals nonexistent. The respectable Dr. Jekyll morphs into Mr. Hyde by consuming an odd potion. In the form of Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll fulfills the dark needs that he has. Yet, that is not really the reason that he appears to be scary to other people. Throughout the book many people describe Hyde as being deformed and creepy in a way that cannot be put into words. Although Mr. Hyde is the evil that resides within Dr. Jekyll, he is also a monster that represents the fears of the Fin-de-Siécle. Through his devolutionary appearance and criminal behavior, he represents the fears that people of that time held. Therefore, he provides insight into the fears of the society, which in turn creates a direct window into the time period.

The Victorian era was a period of great change in England in terms of social, political, and even scientific advancement. The country became highly regarded around the world, whereby London was the center of excellence and was characterized by its citizen’s high moral standards. The pressure on Englishmen to maintain a respectable persona among others was so tremendous that often reputations were damaged at the slightest deviation from social norms. Similarly to the façade of England’s perfection, Robert Louis Stevenson reveals the result of the social expectations on Victorians’ personalities in his novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson uses the motif of the double to make a commentary on the conflict between

Robert Louis Stevenson’s, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, explores the idea of dual personalities. Dr. Henry Jekyll grew up in a wealthy family where he was well-known and socially exposed. He had set the standard extremely high for himself to always put his best foot forward but deep inside had this feeling of impeding darkness. Much to his credit and eventually to his fault, he kept the darker side of him private. After all, who would want their dirty laundry aired out?

Critical Analysis: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson demonstrates the battle between good and evil that occurs within the individual. The novel is essentially an allegory for the internal struggle between these two sides of the human personality. The story is centered around a chemist named Henry Jekyll, who composes a concoction that allows him to shift between his typical, well-mannered self and an alternate evil identity that allows him to give into his sinful pleasures. In their critiques on the novel, Joyce Carol Oates and Henry James discuss Stevenson’s presentation of good vs. evil, as well as the significance of his message on the subject.

Although, Jekyll is fully aware of what Hyde is doing, he wakes with a clear memory the morning after. One example of this is when he remembers the trampling of the little girl and the killing of Sir Davis. Jekyll could not live under societies expectations and rules which ultimately led to the evil side of himself known as Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a socially acceptable repressed individual who still has a dark side but he does a fine job hiding it. Hyde on the other hand is completely free and liberated. “Hyde is a metamorphic creature, adhering to the elusiveness of Stevenson’s creation: the initial frames depict Hyde as a dark shadow, undistinguished from the abstract cityscape that he aims to possess” (Becoming Hyde)

The gothic novella, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886, is a glimpse back in time to the Victorian era. The novella highlights the Victorian morality and the Victorian model of life. The key features of Victorian morality include a set of moral values pillared in sexual restraints, low tolerance policies on crimes and a strict social code of conduct. Dr. Jekyll is a respected member living in the Victorian society, who abides to all the rules and regulations. Mr. Hyde is his own repressed and animalistic personality, awakened through his wild science experiment, to dissociate the good and evil personalities with the help of a potion. The themes incorporated in the novella are: the existence of dualism in human nature (good vs. evil), repression, physiognomy, reputation, friendship, murder, curiosity about science, religion, violence on the innocent or weak, and death. Though the story is a science fiction, it is fascinating that the same person can have entirely opposing personalities. The protagonist, Dr. Henry Jekyll represents the good side of the human personality and the antagonist, Mr. Edward Hyde represents the evil side of the human personality — display the phenomenon of dualism in human nature. Thus, the story concentrates mainly on the issue, whether human nature is inherently good or evil and Stevenson portrays how the dichotomy of good and evil coexists within the

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde elucidates the contextual values of Victorian society, such as a surge for scientific experimentation, self-analysis, liberalism, conformation through concealment and the exposure of man’s dualistic nature; all of which are reflected using traditional English grammar and conventions. Although it may seem paradoxical for Stevenson to instil and reflect the values of liberalism and conservatism within his one novella, this binary instalment reiterates the conflicting inner-workings of man and society. Sigmund Freud’s theory of ‘The Uncanny’ enlightens these very notions as he states, “The Uncanny is in some way a species of the familiar… It applies to everything that was intended to remain a secret, hidden