From Mr Hyde’s physical appearance to the transition between Jekyll and Hyde, these attributes explore the discoveries of mental illness, specifically multiplex personalities. The focus of this chapter is on how Stevenson’s novella explores the connection between multiplex personalities and degeneration while examining how his depictions of the main characters mirror society’s shifting perception of mental illness. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, England saw an influx of new theories, like Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, that concerned humanity and society. The theory of degeneration sparked public discourse and fear of falling civilization. Julia Reid says the fin de siècle was Famously haunted by the fear of degeneration. With its roots in pathological medicine and biology, and drawing on the Darwinian mechanism of natural selection, the theory of degeneration amounted to a reassessment of progressive narratives of evolution, and a recognition that life did not always advance from the simple to the complex. This collapse from the complex to the simple was also mentioned by British zoologist Edwin Ray Lankester. In 1880, he wrote on the topic of degeneration in which he defined the term as ‘a gradual change of the structure in which the organism becomes adapted to less varied and less complex conditions of life.’ Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde is a form of this concept of degeneration. While Jekyll does enjoy the transformations, he soon
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.
When the book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert L. Stevenson and the play, Trifles by Susan Glaspell were written both literary pieces dealt in depravity. The two main genres engage in violent acts with no remorse. Both genres reveal emotional turmoil, that’s the battle within their mind and soul, taken pleasure in immoral behaviors. Although The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Trifles are genres depicting male and female depravity, they are alike and different in social issues, such as violence, murder and justice for all.
“All human beings are commingled out of good and evil.” Robert Louis Stevenson was no fool when it came to understanding the duality of human nature evident within mankind. In his novella, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson is able to explore his interests concerning the dark, hidden desires that all human beings are guilty of possessing. In his story, a well-respected professional by the name of Dr. Jekyll experiments with the idea of contrasting personalities and successfully undergoes a physical separation of such identities—one which would soon wreak havoc upon his very existence. As a result of his success, Edward Hyde is born. Hyde, characterized as a miniscule and terrifying, apelike figure from the start,
The novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" took place throughout the time period of prosperity, when Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, due to the expansion of the British Empire and the industrial revolution. Because of this, Great Britain had become primarily the world 's most powerful superpower. In spite of Queen Victoria becoming a powerful leader, the social morality changed from rationalism to romanticism, which in turn transformed the society of art, literature, politics and social movements to love that emphasizes nature as a place free from society 's judgment and restrictions. "Furthermore, the era was characterized by rapid change and developments in nearly every sphere, from advances in medical, scientific and technological knowledge to changes in population growth and location. It was a time of prosperity, broad imperial expansion and great political reform." Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and writer who established his notoriety in the Victorian Era. Stevenson wrote the famous piece, “Stevenson: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” which he uses multiple literary devices Such as similes (metaphors, and personification, to develop the setting as a character in the novella.
Therefore, the audience of book can presume that Dr. Jekyll is familiar with the times, therefore subdue his natural, human needs in according with Victorian society. As a result, Jekyll, the ego, experience a tragedy of imbalance in which the morals, imposed by a Victorian superego, overwhelm the psyche. Fighting with the standards placed on humanity, he engages the help of science to physically extract the repressed human needs, or id, and from his haunted mind whose physical form is Hyde. Epitomizing Hyde as the consequence of society control, Robert Louis Stevenson strives to expose the devastation Victorian society creates on
Robert Louis Stevenson 's initial notoriety came as an avatar of expansive adventure fiction, most famously through 1883 's Treasure Island. Just three years later, however, he would cement his status as one of the 19th century 's most popular and versatile writers by releasing the horror suspense novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It 's a testament to Stevenson 's concept of the duality of man-- the pious intellectual and the wanton savage can coexist in the same body--that the book and its characters are still almost universally recognized in the 21st century. As a result, in Stevenson 's Jekyll and Mr. Hyde we get an exemplar of 19th century horror-suspense literature, that not only proved popular and influential in its day, but continues to stand spine-to-spine with Bram Stoker 's Dracula, and Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein as enduring genre classics.
There are several traits that can be used to describe a hero: immense strength (physically and/or mentally), loyalty, honesty, dependability, etc. A hero is somebody who is a role model to many, so it makes sense that traits like the ones above are commonly looked for. When comic books were first introduced, in the early part of the twentieth century, they were not very popular. However, when World War II began, people began reading and enjoying comic books because of the different stories they told. Wonder Woman is a very well-known superhero. Her true name is Diana, with Wonder Woman being her alter-ego. In the book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll, who is the main character, has an evil
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
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is shaped by the idea of a dual personality. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde highlights the dual nature of man by portraying man’s desire for an evil outlet. Oates says that “man is a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous, and independent denizens… [and] that Stevenson was himself a man enamored of consciously playing roles.” Here, Oates expresses that multiple personalities inhabit all men.
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
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” is a gothic novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson that was first published in 1886. It’s about a lawyer from London named G.J. Utterson who explores strange events that involves his old friend Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. The novel’s influence on language is extraordinary, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” coming to the meaning of a person of diversity in moral character from one situation to the next (French literature).
The writer of this gothic novella, R.L. Stevenson, had kept the suspense of the story till the last chapter – Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case. In this chapter, Dr. Henry Jekyll reveals the existence about his dual personality through his confession letter (death note) and that Mr. Edward Hyde is the other ‘hidden’ personality of Dr. Henry Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll makes a potion that transforms him into Mr. Hyde. More than the transformation itself, it is the discovery of the existence of his other personality.
Novels, plays, and movies often depict characters caught in a conflict with their doubles. Such collisions call a character’s sense of identity into question. Robert Louis Stevenson takes this idea of doubles to a whole new level in his novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde. Upon closer examination of Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde and his reoccurring theme of duality, we see that however constrained a society is, a person must break free, be multifarious, exploratory, and irresolute. A person must be able to see the “damage behind apparent failure” and the hypocrisy “behind worldly success.”
Frankenstein by author Mary Shelley is a Gothic science fiction novel written in Switzerland between 1816–1817, and published January 1, 1818. Set in eighteenth century Geneva, Frankenstein tells the story of a young man by the name of Victor who goes away to college to study natural philosophy, chemistry, and alchemy. When armed with the knowledge he has long been seeking, Victor spends months constructing a creature out of old body parts, and in the secrecy of his apartment, brings his creation to life. The monstrous abomination later disappears, and when a mysterious series of deaths start to occur in Victor’s family, he is certain his creation is the cause, and devotes his life to vanquishing the savage fiend. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson and published in 1886, is a mystery thriller about a respectable man by the name of Henry Jekyll, who takes a potion to occasionally become a dark and evil character, which he so cleverly calls “Mr. Hyde”. Meanwhile Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer and close friend, tries to figure out why his dear friend Dr. Jekyll is acting so suspiciously, while simultaneously trying to uncover the origin of Mr. Hyde for himself. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde shares common themes with Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein such as dangerous knowledge, monstrosity, and the use of doppelgängers. Both Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde, develop the idea of the doppelgänger to emphasize how social