Discuss Stevenson’s portrayal of the dual nature in the novel ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’
The question we all have when finishing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is, what was the purpose of Jekyll splitting his personality? Was it a selfish act?
Jekyll was a man of science in the Victorian Era. During that time Darwin’s theory had just surfaced and people were intrigued. Darwin had mentioned that we descended from animals and that we all had dual personalities. This was a huge breakthrough in science, so how could Jekyll resist investigating? Jekyll splitting his personality wasn't an act of selfishness, just curiosity, passion for science and his belief that he can’t balance good and evil when they are mingled. Even though anyone …show more content…
Just a touch from Hyde is enough to make him recoil, “I put him back, conscious at his touch of a certain icy pang along my blood.”
Lanyon aways preferred the more traditional way of science. That was in fact one of the reasons Jekyll and Lanyon were no longer friends. When Lanyon is questioned by Utterson about Jekyll, the only thing he tells him is that Jekyll is more interested by darker sciences. Jekyll, seemingly angry by the way Lanyon treated him decides to show him how much he achieved, knowing what ill effect it would have on him. Jekyll achieves his goal, because a few weeks after he transforms into Hyde in front of him, Lanyon is found dead from shock.
Utterson, the narrator of this book is another great example of duality, even though it’s more discreet. One can see this while he’s describing his past. At some points he refers to “old iniquity” and “the many ill things he had done,” that he fears might surface. But at other points points he mentions that “his past was fairly …show more content…
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as mentioned before was heavily inspired by Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud’s theories.
Sigmund freud was the one who suggested that our brains were divided in three parts: the Id, ego and super-ego. The Id is the unconscious, impulsive, childlike portion of the brain that is the source of basic impulses and drives; it seeks immediate pleasure and gratification. This part clearly represents Hyde who is often compared to a child. It’s also mentioned a few times that Hyde acts like an animal (primitive instincts) ”And next moment, with ape-like fury.”
The super ego is represented by Victorian England. The super ego is the moral component of the brain, which takes into account no special circumstances in which the morally right thing may not be right for a given situation. In Victorian England the expectation of people at the time was to suppress desires that seemed unholy, vulgar or rude. Dr Jekyll is haunted by his Superego's expectations of him which is why he created a potion that allows his Id to take control so that he can escape the nagging of his
The question we all have when finishing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is, what was the purpose of Jekyll splitting his personality? Was it a selfish act?
Jekyll was a man of science in the Victorian Era. During that time Darwin’s theory had just surfaced and people were intrigued. Darwin had mentioned that we descended from animals and that we all had dual personalities. This was a huge breakthrough in science, so how could Jekyll resist investigating? Jekyll splitting his personality wasn't an act of selfishness, just curiosity, passion for science and his belief that he can’t balance good and evil when they are mingled. Even though anyone …show more content…
Just a touch from Hyde is enough to make him recoil, “I put him back, conscious at his touch of a certain icy pang along my blood.”
Lanyon aways preferred the more traditional way of science. That was in fact one of the reasons Jekyll and Lanyon were no longer friends. When Lanyon is questioned by Utterson about Jekyll, the only thing he tells him is that Jekyll is more interested by darker sciences. Jekyll, seemingly angry by the way Lanyon treated him decides to show him how much he achieved, knowing what ill effect it would have on him. Jekyll achieves his goal, because a few weeks after he transforms into Hyde in front of him, Lanyon is found dead from shock.
Utterson, the narrator of this book is another great example of duality, even though it’s more discreet. One can see this while he’s describing his past. At some points he refers to “old iniquity” and “the many ill things he had done,” that he fears might surface. But at other points points he mentions that “his past was fairly …show more content…
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as mentioned before was heavily inspired by Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud’s theories.
Sigmund freud was the one who suggested that our brains were divided in three parts: the Id, ego and super-ego. The Id is the unconscious, impulsive, childlike portion of the brain that is the source of basic impulses and drives; it seeks immediate pleasure and gratification. This part clearly represents Hyde who is often compared to a child. It’s also mentioned a few times that Hyde acts like an animal (primitive instincts) ”And next moment, with ape-like fury.”
The super ego is represented by Victorian England. The super ego is the moral component of the brain, which takes into account no special circumstances in which the morally right thing may not be right for a given situation. In Victorian England the expectation of people at the time was to suppress desires that seemed unholy, vulgar or rude. Dr Jekyll is haunted by his Superego's expectations of him which is why he created a potion that allows his Id to take control so that he can escape the nagging of his