Saturday, October 17, 2009
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7:10 AM
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Robert Louis Stevenson was the author of “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”Stevenson was born in Edinburgh on November 13, 1850. As a child Stevenson was often in poor health. Alison Cunningham who was an old nurse educated him and told him unforgettable stories of demons, ghosts and devils. This is what inspired his writing in adulthood. During adolescence he used to partake in “immoral” behavior and this is what could have given him an insight into mans dual nature that is portrayed frequently in “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Family criticized his first work that he had created and it was destroyed. He then wrote a second edition. He has said that the first edition was one of the best works he had ever created.
“The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is an extraordinary novella that is very interesting. This text was written in the Victorian era which was in the 1800’s. The Victorian culture consisted of many moral codes to live under as the middle class. Some values that had to be attained was to live a life without sin and take care of their families and lives. It is about Dr Jekyll who is a well respected man in the Victorian society that creates a potion that allows him to experience the evil side of himself. “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is full of suspense and was written and inspired by a dream that Stevenson had. The main characters of the “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” are Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Mr. Utterson, Enfield, Dr Lanyon and Poole. Dr Jekyll is a well respected man with the ideals of the Victorian society, in that he is sociable, respected, decent. Mr. Hyde murders a young girl, Sir Danvers Carew and later commits suicide towards the end of the novella. Mr. Utterson tries to piece together information about the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mr. Utterson is a good friend and respects Dr Jekyll and does not want to taint his image after his findings of the relationship of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr Lanyon reveals the shock of his death in the letter addressed to Mr. Utterson towards the end of the novella.
The duality of nature is a main and central theme of the novella as Dr Jekyll is in fact Mr. Hyde. This is only discovered in the final chapter of the story as Stevenson has built up the entire emotion and suspense from the beginning and now reveals all in the form of a letter. Utterson could never imagine identifying the two being related as he finds it extremely difficult to reconcile the strikingly different behavior. Dr Jekyll being well respected, clean, educated, civilized man compared to the uncivilized, disgusting and evil Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll knows his good side is dominant but still persists in bringing out Mr. Hyde because he feels that his life is not exciting. He makes a mistake in that he underestimates Hyde and this becomes his downfall. Every time Hyde is brought back he becomes stronger and eventually takes over Dr Jekyll. Dr Jekyll tried to separate these two identities but they still would remain one as the evil side grew stronger and took over the good. It has also been debated that man has been primitive being and tamed by the laws and societies norms. Parents, education, religion, law and society all form a part of the norms that could allow us to sculpt an image. We are trained and taught between right and wrong and manners from our parents in order to be a good person. Then we are given formal education and training in school that enables us to be responsible. Religion gets us spiritually involved and so that we can decipher between right and wrong. Law is also rules that teach us what we can and cannot do. Society also portrays us in different ways. Dr Jekyll may have been adapted and went through these processes in his life. He created his potion that would separate both good and evil entities and this may have been his downfall. They are indeed the exact opposites are Jekyll and Hyde. The other forms of duality in the novel could also be the city of London being foggy, dreary and nightmarish yet also well kept and bustling with commerce.
“The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is an extraordinary novella that is very interesting. This text was written in the Victorian era which was in the 1800’s. The Victorian culture consisted of many moral codes to live under as the middle class. Some values that had to be attained was to live a life without sin and take care of their families and lives. It is about Dr Jekyll who is a well respected man in the Victorian society that creates a potion that allows him to experience the evil side of himself. “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is full of suspense and was written and inspired by a dream that Stevenson had. The main characters of the “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” are Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Mr. Utterson, Enfield, Dr Lanyon and Poole. Dr Jekyll is a well respected man with the ideals of the Victorian society, in that he is sociable, respected, decent. Mr. Hyde murders a young girl, Sir Danvers Carew and later commits suicide towards the end of the novella. Mr. Utterson tries to piece together information about the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mr. Utterson is a good friend and respects Dr Jekyll and does not want to taint his image after his findings of the relationship of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr Lanyon reveals the shock of his death in the letter addressed to Mr. Utterson towards the end of the novella.
The duality of nature is a main and central theme of the novella as Dr Jekyll is in fact Mr. Hyde. This is only discovered in the final chapter of the story as Stevenson has built up the entire emotion and suspense from the beginning and now reveals all in the form of a letter. Utterson could never imagine identifying the two being related as he finds it extremely difficult to reconcile the strikingly different behavior. Dr Jekyll being well respected, clean, educated, civilized man compared to the uncivilized, disgusting and evil Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll knows his good side is dominant but still persists in bringing out Mr. Hyde because he feels that his life is not exciting. He makes a mistake in that he underestimates Hyde and this becomes his downfall. Every time Hyde is brought back he becomes stronger and eventually takes over Dr Jekyll. Dr Jekyll tried to separate these two identities but they still would remain one as the evil side grew stronger and took over the good. It has also been debated that man has been primitive being and tamed by the laws and societies norms. Parents, education, religion, law and society all form a part of the norms that could allow us to sculpt an image. We are trained and taught between right and wrong and manners from our parents in order to be a good person. Then we are given formal education and training in school that enables us to be responsible. Religion gets us spiritually involved and so that we can decipher between right and wrong. Law is also rules that teach us what we can and cannot do. Society also portrays us in different ways. Dr Jekyll may have been adapted and went through these processes in his life. He created his potion that would separate both good and evil entities and this may have been his downfall. They are indeed the exact opposites are Jekyll and Hyde. The other forms of duality in the novel could also be the city of London being foggy, dreary and nightmarish yet also well kept and bustling with commerce.
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