"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" victorian age

"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" victorian age

"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" victorian age

book plot

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a famous short novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It tells the story of a London doctor, Dr. Jekyll, who creates a special potion. When he drinks it, he turns into Mr. Hyde, his evil second personality. then the lawyer Utterson, friend of the doctor, investigates the mysterious connection between respectable Dr. Jekyll and violent Mr. Hyde. Through documents and witness accounts, we learn Jekyll created Hyde through a scientific experiment to separate his good and evil sides. But the experiment fails tragically Hyde grows stronger while Jekyll loses control. Hyde does terrible things, and Jekyll cannot control him anymore. In the end, Jekyll kills himself to stop Hyde forever.

The Duality of Victorian London

Victorian London was a city of strong contrasts. On one side, it was the capital of a powerful empire, full of wealth, culture, and innovation. The Industrial Revolution brought new technologies like steam engines, railways, and gas lighting, making life more modern and efficient. The upper classes lived in luxury, attending theaters and gentlemen’s clubs in the West End.On the other side, industrialization created major social problems. The population grew quickly, leading to overcrowded slums, poor sanitation, and extreme poverty, especially in the East End. Crime, prostitution, and violence were common, and the city had a hidden world of opium dens and illegal activities.Stevenson mirrors this duality in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jekyll represents the respectable upper class, while Hyde symbolizes the dark, uncontrolled side of the city. Even Jekyll’s house reflects this contrast: the front entrance is elegant and proper, while the back entrance, used by Hyde, leads to dark and dangerous places.

The Victorian Compromise

The Victorian Age (1837-1901) was a time of great progress but also deep contradictions. This period saw incredible industrial and scientific advancements, as well as the expansion of the British Empire. However, it was also a time of strict moral rules, social inequality, and hidden vices. The Victorian Compromise is the term used to describe how society tried to maintain a respectable image while secretly breaking its own rules. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) perfectly reflects these contradictions. Through its main character, Dr. Jekyll, who transforms into the violent and immoral Mr. Hyde, the novel explores the duality of human nature and the hypocrisy of Victorian society. This essay will analyze five key aspects of the Victorian Age, using Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as a reference.

Science and the Fear of the Unknown

The Victorian era was a time of major scientific discoveries, especially in medicine, psychology, and evolution. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859) introduced the theory of evolution, which shocked many people because it contradicted religious beliefs. If humans evolved from animals, did that mean they still had an animal side? Stevenson explores this fear through Hyde, who is described as small, primitive, and animal-like. This suggests that inside every civilized person, there is a wild and violent nature waiting to escape. The novel also warns about the dangers of uncontrolled scientific ambition. Jekyll’s experiment starts as a way to separate good and evil, but it quickly becomes a disaster. His story reflects Victorian fears that science, if not controlled, could lead to dangerous and unpredictable consequences.

Narrative Techniques

Stevenson structures the novel in a fragmented way, using multiple perspectives and documents to build suspense and mystery. - Third-person narration (Utterson’s perspective): The story is initially told from Utterson’s point of view, following his investigation like a detective novel. The reader uncovers the truth gradually, maintaining an air of mystery. - Use of letters and documents: The final confession from Jekyll and Lanyon’s testimony reveal the full story only at the end, creating a dramatic twist. - Suspense and delayed revelation: Stevenson withholds key information until the last chapters, keeping readers engaged and heightening tension.

Mystery and Narrative Structure

The narrative structure of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde plays a significant role in creating suspense and revealing the hidden nature of the story. Stevenson employs multiple perspectives to gradually uncover the truth about Jekyll and Hyde. The story is told through the eyes of Mr. Utterson, Dr. Lanyon, and Dr. Jekyll himself, each providing a piece of the puzzle. This fragmented structure mirrors the theme of secrecy in the novel, as the truth is revealed only little by little, much like the gradual uncovering of Jekyll’s hidden life. The shifting perspectives and the mystery surrounding Jekyll’s experiments serve to heighten the suspense and emphasize the importance of hidden knowledge and the dangers of secrets. Through this technique, Stevenson draws attention to the importance of transparency and the destructive power of repression and concealment.

The Theme of Duality

In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the complex theme of duality. Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected scientist and a model of moral virtue in Victorian society. He represents the rational, respectable side of human nature that aligns with social expectations. On the other hand, Mr. Hyde embodies the darker, more primal side of Jekyll, revealing the hidden and immoral impulses that lurk beneath the surface. This duality is central to the novel’s message: that good and evil are not separate, but rather coexist within every individual. The characters of Jekyll and Hyde represent this inner conflict, suggesting that repression of one’s darker side only makes it more powerful.

The Danger of Repression

Dr. Jekyll’s creation of Mr. Hyde is his attempt to separate his moral and immoral impulses, allowing him to indulge in his darker desires without facing societal repercussions. Jekyll believes that by creating Hyde, he can classify his personality and lead a respectable life while satisfying his less honorable urges. However, this act of repression ultimately leads to disastrous consequences. Over time, Hyde grows stronger, and Jekyll loses control over the transformation, showing that repression does not eliminate the darker side of human nature but allows it to grow uncontrollably. The novel illustrates the dangerous effects of suppressing one’s true nature, suggesting that ignoring or denying darker impulses only makes them more destructive in the end.

Transformation and the Role of Science

The novel also addresses the theme of scientific experimentation and its ethical limits. Dr. Jekyll’s potion is a symbol of the scientific progress of the Victorian age, where science is viewed as a tool for controlling and understanding human behavior. However, Jekyll’s attempt to manipulate his own identity and alter his nature through science ultimately leads to disaster. Initially, Jekyll is able to control his transformations into Hyde, but as his experiments progress, the transformations become involuntary. Jekyll’s loss of control over his alter ego demonstrates the dangers of scientific experimentation that goes beyond ethical boundaries. Stevenson uses Jekyll’s transformation as a warning about the potential consequences of tampering with human nature and the unpredictability of scientific advancement.

The Timeless Message of the Novel

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is more than just a Gothic horror story. it is a powerful critique of Victorian society. The novel shows that repression can lead to dangerous consequences and that no one can completely separate good from evil. Even today, Stevenson’s message is relevant. Modern society still struggles with issues of morality, hypocrisy, and the dangers of unchecked ambition. The idea of a hidden dark side exists in psychology, literature, and even real-life scandals. Through its exploration of Victorian London, morality, science, and narrative style, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde remains a timeless story that continues to fascinate and warn readers about the complexities of human nature.

The end

The end

Federico Leporieri Lorenzo Fusani Pietro Salomone Asia Lenatti Giuseppe Felici