Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, referenced Carl Jung’s theories and played with the idea of what made someone good and another evil through characters and events of the book. Firstly, Carl Jung, a Swedish psychologist, believed in archetypes of humans, especially the shadow archetype. The shadow archetype, according to Carl Jung, is one’s darker side and is filled with impulses, darker intentions, and others of the like. Additionally, Carl Jung stated that while everyone has shadows, one should not try to suppress them because the dark side would only return stronger. Secondly, Robert wrote Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886 and was influenced by the idea of the Victorian gentleman. The
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Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On one hand, Dr. Jekyll is an example of a Victorian gentleman and shows this multiple times. One example is when the narrator of the story states that he is “...a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness - you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection. (Stevenson, 17).” However, due to the societal pressure to be a perfect gentleman, Dr. Jekyll suppressed his inner desires, impulses, and darker pleasures, creating Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is the personification of Dr. Jekyll’s corrupt side and is savage, villainous, and is a small and hideous man under Dr. Jekyll’s suppression. One example of his wicked act is when he murdered Sir Danvers Carew with a cane that was given to Dr. Jekyll by Mr. Utterson many years ago. As the story goes on, Dr. Jekyll is revealed to enjoy being Mr. Hyde more and more, desiring to have the pleasures that Mr. Hyde has. Nevertheless, Mr. Hyde’s personality slowly grew larger than Dr. Jekyll’s and Dr. Jekyll soon learned the consequences of trying to destroy his shadow by stating, “...I have been made to learn that the doom and burthen of our life is bound for ever on man’s shoulders, and when the attempt is made to cast it off, it but returns upon us with more unfamiliar and more awful pressure …show more content…
Firstly, Carl Jung believes that one should accept one’s darker personality and try to improve it to prevent our shadows from devouring our other self. Dr. Jekyll showed the consequences of trying to suppress our shadow, which is falling deeper and deeper into evil. Secondly, Robert uses the perfect Victorian gentleman and examples of it, such as Dr. Jekyll, to show the good sides of humanity and uses Mr. Hyde to show the darker sides and the temptations of evil. Another theme of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is that no one is, or can be, perfect. Dr. Jekyll’s experiment shows that when one tries to achieve the highest level of perfection, they face the tremendous pressure to stay that way and eventually fall into their evil desires. In conclusion, society should learn to accept their shadows and learn from them. They should also learn other people’s shadows and flaws as well, so that one’s shadow would not be suppressed to the point where they return stronger and even
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On one hand, Dr. Jekyll is an example of a Victorian gentleman and shows this multiple times. One example is when the narrator of the story states that he is “...a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness - you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection. (Stevenson, 17).” However, due to the societal pressure to be a perfect gentleman, Dr. Jekyll suppressed his inner desires, impulses, and darker pleasures, creating Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is the personification of Dr. Jekyll’s corrupt side and is savage, villainous, and is a small and hideous man under Dr. Jekyll’s suppression. One example of his wicked act is when he murdered Sir Danvers Carew with a cane that was given to Dr. Jekyll by Mr. Utterson many years ago. As the story goes on, Dr. Jekyll is revealed to enjoy being Mr. Hyde more and more, desiring to have the pleasures that Mr. Hyde has. Nevertheless, Mr. Hyde’s personality slowly grew larger than Dr. Jekyll’s and Dr. Jekyll soon learned the consequences of trying to destroy his shadow by stating, “...I have been made to learn that the doom and burthen of our life is bound for ever on man’s shoulders, and when the attempt is made to cast it off, it but returns upon us with more unfamiliar and more awful pressure …show more content…
Firstly, Carl Jung believes that one should accept one’s darker personality and try to improve it to prevent our shadows from devouring our other self. Dr. Jekyll showed the consequences of trying to suppress our shadow, which is falling deeper and deeper into evil. Secondly, Robert uses the perfect Victorian gentleman and examples of it, such as Dr. Jekyll, to show the good sides of humanity and uses Mr. Hyde to show the darker sides and the temptations of evil. Another theme of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is that no one is, or can be, perfect. Dr. Jekyll’s experiment shows that when one tries to achieve the highest level of perfection, they face the tremendous pressure to stay that way and eventually fall into their evil desires. In conclusion, society should learn to accept their shadows and learn from them. They should also learn other people’s shadows and flaws as well, so that one’s shadow would not be suppressed to the point where they return stronger and even