In What Way The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Is A Novel Of Secrets Where The Truth Is Hard To See? The aim and purpose of this assignment is to show the way in which “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is a novel of secrets and where the truth is hidden and difficult to see. One can see by the title that the it has been described as a Case, and therefore isn’t the same as a story. I will firstly talk about the Victorian society, i.e. particularly privacy and reputation and then the characters Utterson and Enfield will be discussed followed by Jekyll and Hyde. Then their views on privacy and reputation will be closer looked at. The Victorian era was the time of an industrial revolution, which gave way to a rich country where the class differences were noticeable, especially, within the social classes. The society then was very strict, closed and reserved. This led to people being discreet about their affairs because they wanted to uphold their reputation and privacy. The character of Mr. Utterson is a lawyer by profession; therefore he should be bound to discretion, tact and diplomacy. Not only because he has a profession that demanded all these characteristics but they are innate in him . The novel reveals that Mr. Utterson despite being a dreary and quiet man (e.g. conversation did not come easily to him) he was self- disciplined and one could also say he was shy and to some extent also unsociable (he liked theatres but did not go to visit one for twenty years). Mr Utterson was forgiving to those who did not have this self- control. He seems a compassionate man especially towards people who were down on their luck. He was seen as a likeable person. This could be because he saw his brother go on a downward spiral and was not able to help him. “I let my brother go to the devil in his own way.” He was an extremely private man and almost all of his acquaintances were through blood e.g. his distant kinsman Mr. Enfield or people he had known for many years. He was a very loyal friend/ relative. He was also very observant when he taking in information and spent much time musing over his thoughts. Mr. Richard Enfield was Mr. Utterson’s distant relative. Although they spent time with each other one could suggest they had not that much in common. “It was reported by those who encountered them in their Sunday walks, they said nothing, looked singularly dull, and would hail with
Texts are a representation of their context and this is evident in Robert Stevenson’s novella: “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”, where many values of late nineteenth century Victorian England values were reflected through the themes of the novel using language and structural features. These values included: technological advances, reputation and masculinity and are demonstrated in the text through literary and structure devices as well as the characterisation of the main character.
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll, in grave danger, writes a letter to his good friend Lanyon. With Jekyll’s fate in Lanyon’s hands, he requests the completion of a task, laying out specific directions for Lanyon to address the urgency of the matter. In desperation, Jekyll reveals the possible consequences of not completing this task through the use of emotional appeals, drawing from his longtime friendship with Lanyon, to the fear and guilt he might feel if he fails at succeeding at this task. Through Jekyll’s serious and urgent tone, it is revealed that his situation is a matter of life and death in which only Lanyon can determine the outcome.
In this essay on the story of Jekyll and Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson I will try to unravel the true meaning of the book and get inside the characters in the story created by Stevenson. A story of a man battling with his double personality.
Robert Louis Stevenson in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is telling people that they fear the knowledge of their duality so they keep silent. That everyday people are silent they fight a "war" within their bodies and minds. People are afraid of the truth, about themselves, so they stay quiet. Everybody has a part of himself or herself that they don't reveal to anyone. People are afraid to show it, but when it comes out they would rather not talk about it. People cannot do this, it is essential that one be capable of good and evil to be in existence.
“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson was a familiar title to me and prior to reading it I believed I was well versed about the story. I knew that Dr. Jekyll was an intelligent man who experimented with the idea of creating a more powerful version of him that would release
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic story published in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is about a man who transforms between two personae: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This novel focuses on Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll’s. The novel starts with John Utterson talking with his other friend who has just witnessed an odd situation. A man identified as Hyde run over a girl, only to pay off her family later with a check from Dr. Jekyll. This situation is made even stranger since Jekyll’s will has recently been changed. Mr. Hyde now stands to inherit everything. Mr. Utterson believing that the two men are separate people, thinks that the cruel Mr. Hyde is some how blackmailing Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson questions Dr. Jekyll about Hyde, but Jekyll tells him to mind his own business. Unfortunately, Mr. Utterson cannot do that. A year later, Mr. Hyde attacks someone else: he beats a man with a cane, causing the man’s death. The police involve Mr. Utterson because he knew the victim. Mr. Utterson takes them to Mr. Hyde’s apartment, where they find the murder weapon, which is a gift that Mr. Utterson himself gave to Dr. Jekyll. Mr.
Jekyll does deserve his final miserable fate because he commits several selfish deeds to the point where he brings his miserable fate upon himself. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson uses Jekyll to represent how man prioritizes by putting himself over others. Throughout the book, Jekyll’s two different sides are used to show that man is consistently selfish and will usually think of himself before others. Even though Jekyll has a good side and an evil side, both sides of him are selfish. Jekyll originally takes the potion for selfish reasons, Jekyll uses Hyde to conquer his own evil temptations, and in the end Jekyll gives into Hyde and completely gives up.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a confusing and perplexing one. R.L. Stevenson uses the devices of foreshadow and irony to subtly cast hints to the reader as to who Mr. Hyde is and where the plot will move. Stevenson foreshadows the events of the book through his delicate hints with objects and words. Irony is demonstrated through the names of characters, the names display to the reader how the character will fit into the novel. These two literary devices engage the readers; they employ a sense of mystery while leading the readers to the answer without them realizing the depth of each indirect detail.
Mr. Hyde and Dorian Gray are characters that nearly match each other in their symbolism and manner. However, it is the key differences that make them remarkably interesting as a pair. They symbolize the battles between good and evil, though they have differing interpretations of morality.
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel about dual identity, Dr. Henry Jekyll, an affluent surgeon, creates a potion by which he can transform into Edward Hyde, the physical manifestation of his evil side. After many months of thrilling nighttime criminal escapades through the streets of London, his antics under the cloak of Hyde get him in trouble when he slays prominent public figure Danvers Carew. Jekyll is so shocked by this deed of evil that he decides an end will be put to his transformations, a science he calls transcendental medicine. Much to his alarm, Jekyll finds that he now turns into Hyde without his wanting it, undeniably a side effect of the drug. After locking himself into his cabinet, in order to facilitate his use of the drug in case of spontaneous transformations, his concerned butler Poole alerts good friend Gabriel Utterson, a lawyer. Together, they break into the cabinet, only to find they body of Hyde, lifeless on the floor. The pair finds an envelope addressed to Utterson which shall supposedly explain why they cannot find the body of Henry Jekyll.
Gothic Literature Mini Assignment Compare and contrast the way the writers use plot, character and setting to increase tension and atmosphere in the opening chapter of ‘Varney the Vampire’ and ‘Dracula’. Both ‘Varney the Vampire’ and ‘Dracula’ create a tense and suspenseful atmosphere in their opening chapters as the typically gothic language (“solemn tones”, “air thick and heavy”) and imagery immediately incites in the reader a sense of foreboding and unease. This is particularly true of a modern audience familiar with the conventions of the genre; the old castles adorned with “curious carvings” and the dank, dark settings of musty “antique chambers” in ‘Varney the Vampire’ are highly suggestive of imminent encounters with unimaginable evil. Stoker echoes these conventions as he juxtaposes the familiar backdrop of the Carpathian Mountains with the unnerving superstitions of the local peasants; these strong supernatural elements continue as Harker travels along the murky and desolate mountain pass (“weird and solemn”) with alarming haste and endures a terrifying ride to Dracula’s “vast ruined castle”, leaving the reader with a feeling of doom and dread, eager to read on.
Page, Norman. "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson." Encyclopedia of the Novel. Eds. Paul Schellinger, Christopher Hudson, and Marijke Rijsberman. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1998.
veneer of my real self." This is true due mostly to the fact that no
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be read in a number of ways through any number of different lenses, which makes for a versatile novella, and an interesting read for just about anyone. It also makes for a great novel with which to learn literary analysis. Using The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde one can see how Freudian psychoanalysis, though it had not been so developed at the time of the novel can intersect with homosexual undertones, and how the manifestations of the repressed can come to light when the subject of homosexuality is not properly addressed.
Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I have been reading the book Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The book was written by Robert Louis Stevens on during in the 19th century. This book was written during a time where Victorian society had a lot of strong moral values. These codes were very strict and controlled every aspect of the Victorian lifestyle. People in these times believed to settle things verbally rather than aggression so fighting was looked down upon.