From the time humans began to understand the functions present within the brain, they have tried to question the conscious and unconscious mind. Is man an existence embodied with good and evil? Are the actions and behaviors related to the identity of a person? In the early 20th century, neurologist Sigmund Freud developed a theory based on the psyche, which states that humans have three identities. These are the id, ego, and superego , which “operate at an unconscious level according to the pleasure principle, satisfy the demands of the id in a safe, socially acceptable way, and is responsible for ensuring [that] moral standards are followed,” respectively (McLeod, "Sigmund Freud"). Although published before the theory, Robert Louis Stevenson’s
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He is a tall, handsome, and educated man. Jekyll comes from an affluent family and a wealthy background, so he owns a fortune of a large estate. His upbringing seems to give him a “guarantee of an honorable and distinguished future” (Stevenson 42). In addition to his wealth, he is a prominent and popular scientist in London, well-known for his dinner parties with his bachelor friends. In society, he is a respectable doctor with all the characteristics of a good man. He possesses “every mark of capacity and kindness” (Stevenson 12) and engages in charitable acts. Through his excellent outward appearance and demeanor, Dr. Jekyll establishes his Freudian ego …show more content…
Jekyll is known as good and courteous, but in the ending chapter he confesses his own evil doings. The novel concludes that the doctor has a conscience and he knows that what he is doing is immoral. He even tries to fix the harm that was caused by Mr. Hyde. However, Hyde eventually takes over the doctor’s body and the good doctor dies in the body of the evil identity. According to the Freudian theory, the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde proves to be a case of the battle of the personalities that exist within humans. Each identity strives to fulfill its pleasures and sometimes the id’s outward behavior has a stronger effect. Ultimately the ego identity has to comprise what the id wants and what society
He is a tall, handsome, and educated man. Jekyll comes from an affluent family and a wealthy background, so he owns a fortune of a large estate. His upbringing seems to give him a “guarantee of an honorable and distinguished future” (Stevenson 42). In addition to his wealth, he is a prominent and popular scientist in London, well-known for his dinner parties with his bachelor friends. In society, he is a respectable doctor with all the characteristics of a good man. He possesses “every mark of capacity and kindness” (Stevenson 12) and engages in charitable acts. Through his excellent outward appearance and demeanor, Dr. Jekyll establishes his Freudian ego …show more content…
Jekyll is known as good and courteous, but in the ending chapter he confesses his own evil doings. The novel concludes that the doctor has a conscience and he knows that what he is doing is immoral. He even tries to fix the harm that was caused by Mr. Hyde. However, Hyde eventually takes over the doctor’s body and the good doctor dies in the body of the evil identity. According to the Freudian theory, the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde proves to be a case of the battle of the personalities that exist within humans. Each identity strives to fulfill its pleasures and sometimes the id’s outward behavior has a stronger effect. Ultimately the ego identity has to comprise what the id wants and what society