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What Are The Literary Elements In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

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More often than not, it is how an author writes, not what, that can have the greatest impact on the reader. Originally published in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson’s enticing gothic thriller, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde observes the classic tale of man versus monster, only this man’s monster is himself. This story of woe follows the respected lawyer, Gabriel Utterson as he investigates the remarkably strange behavior of his friend Dr. Henry Jekyll. As Utterson continues to pursue the truth he discovers a horrifying truth; Henry Jekyll is the same person as Edward Hyde, a hunted killer. The well-known thriller entices the reader with the emerging Victorian fear that science would lead to the destructive collapse of their society, …show more content…

Stevenson benefits from the usage of imagery to contribute to his overall idea of the Victorian fear that the fall of society would be brought about by science. This begins fairly quickly, within Enfield’s story in the first chapter of the book. With Hyde’s very first appearance he is described in ways that make him appear malevolent and uncaring, concerned only for his own well-being. This early exhibition of Hyde serves to show that in the eyes of the Victorian characters, integrated within the story of Jekyll and Hyde, that the scientific creation of Hyde is seen as a creature of unholy standards, born not of the God-given ability to create life, but the scientific innovation to alter it. As the story progresses to show Jekyll’s lab, it is also described in a similar manner. In its initial appearance, it is described as “a door covered in red baize” (18) and having “three dusty windows barred with iron” (18). The red door acts as a foreshadowing of the death that is to occur in the doctor's …show more content…

The novel begins with a brief description of Utterson, relating him to Cain, with Utterson often acting as the voice of reason throughout the novel this statement contains an added weight. The fact that Utterson keeps to himself is similar to Jekyll’s isolation in his work, though they contrast one another as Jekyll eventually falls into insanity and takes his own life while Utterson tries to save him, ignoring his earlier statement regarding Cain and leading to his own emotional trauma. Also, once Poole truly fears for his master and attempts to enlist Utterson’s aid, he is offered wine and leaves it alone. With biblical connotations applied, somebody who is not allowed to drink wine, a symbol of the blood of Christ, is seen as impure and unprepared to receive God into their body. This implies that Poole has seen too many of the horrors of Jekyll’s work and himself become influenced by his master’s unholy doings. Lastly, in Jekyll’s confessions, he refers to Hyde’s growing power over him as ”like the Babylonian finger on the wall, to be spelling out the letter of my judgment” (48) The Babylonian writing on the wall refers to the end of an empire within the contents of the bible. This serves as a strong message that science is the ultimate weapon in the

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