The Victorian period during which The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and “The Birthmark” were written (1837-1901) was characterized as a time of technological invasion. Science was rapidly introduced into the lives of individuals and it was evident that science was going to dramatically change the world. Inventions galore, combined with the professionalization and institutionalization of science, challenged authors, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Nathanial Hawthorne, with the task of determining how to portray the role of science in their written works. Stevenson and Hawthorne both chose to explore the idea of individuals who practice the wrong type of science and too get caught up in the role that science plays in the world.
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Throughout the works by Stevenson and Hawthorne, supporting characters function as foils to the protagonists; by reinforcing the importance of the type of science conducted and the goals that the scientist has in mind while performing experiments, these characters portray the positive representation of science in Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark”.
Dr. Hastie Lanyon is the foil character to protagonist Dr. Jekyll in the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson first introduces Dr. Lanyon by calling him the “citadel of science” (7). The word citadel means a fortress that protects the city that lies beneath it. By using the word “citadel” in describing Dr. Lanyon’s character, Stevenson implies that he actively protects science and attempts to conserve its positive aspects throughout the course of the novella. Known for being “bound to the most narrow and material views” (40), Stevenson characterizes Dr. Lanyon as a …show more content…
Aminadab is a servant to the protagonist Alymer, a man who is defined solely by his obsession with science. The name Aminadab used in the story is also the name of a priest in the bible. By naming a supporting character after a religious figure, Hawthorne shows that unlike Alymer, he has chosen to characterize Aminadab to be involved in both religion and science, not just science alone. The creation of Aminadab’s character is Hawthorne’s way of telling his readers that to be a good scientist does not involve isolating science from all other aspects of society such as religion. During the Victorian period, when the story was written, science was rapidly gaining momentum compared to the regression of religion. Throughout the course of the story, the protagonist tries to conquer nature and change the world that God has created with his scientific experiments. This attitude of being able to overthrow God’s powers with science, which carries Alymer through the novel, leads to terrible ends when he attempts to remove the birthmark from his wife’s cheek and she ends up dying due to the potion he gives her. Aminadab, on the contrary, understands the consequences of trying to overthrow God’s creations and tries to advise Alymer throughout the novel to stop tampering with
Throughout the works by Stevenson and Hawthorne, supporting characters function as foils to the protagonists; by reinforcing the importance of the type of science conducted and the goals that the scientist has in mind while performing experiments, these characters portray the positive representation of science in Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark”.
Dr. Hastie Lanyon is the foil character to protagonist Dr. Jekyll in the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson first introduces Dr. Lanyon by calling him the “citadel of science” (7). The word citadel means a fortress that protects the city that lies beneath it. By using the word “citadel” in describing Dr. Lanyon’s character, Stevenson implies that he actively protects science and attempts to conserve its positive aspects throughout the course of the novella. Known for being “bound to the most narrow and material views” (40), Stevenson characterizes Dr. Lanyon as a …show more content…
Aminadab is a servant to the protagonist Alymer, a man who is defined solely by his obsession with science. The name Aminadab used in the story is also the name of a priest in the bible. By naming a supporting character after a religious figure, Hawthorne shows that unlike Alymer, he has chosen to characterize Aminadab to be involved in both religion and science, not just science alone. The creation of Aminadab’s character is Hawthorne’s way of telling his readers that to be a good scientist does not involve isolating science from all other aspects of society such as religion. During the Victorian period, when the story was written, science was rapidly gaining momentum compared to the regression of religion. Throughout the course of the story, the protagonist tries to conquer nature and change the world that God has created with his scientific experiments. This attitude of being able to overthrow God’s powers with science, which carries Alymer through the novel, leads to terrible ends when he attempts to remove the birthmark from his wife’s cheek and she ends up dying due to the potion he gives her. Aminadab, on the contrary, understands the consequences of trying to overthrow God’s creations and tries to advise Alymer throughout the novel to stop tampering with