The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde - Essay Example

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Introduction “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ was written by Robert Stevenson. The double personality story was written based on a prior story by Edinburgh. The story is about Deacon Brodie who was found to be living a twofold life. Stevenson explained that he had written this best seller story based on the prior story and a dream. In the dream, he saw a person who used a special powder and was able to change his personality. In his story, Dr.

Jekyll is a respected physician in England at the time. Edward Hyde is his other personality who is strange and not likeable by the society. He reveals the hypocrisy of the member of his society through the contradicting actions of the same person.Personality and the societal expectation Without law there is no crime. Law is about norms and the societal standards of what is considered good or bad in a particular community. This is a society in which the doctor was highly regarded. He was respected by all and this can be verified by the attitude of Utterson who is even concerned by what the doctor had written in his will.

It is common knowledge that for every right and privilege that one enjoys there is attached responsibility. The doctor was overwhelmed by the responsibility attached to his title. He was supposed to be gentle, genuine, intellectual and a gentleman as such. Deep inside, he wanted to engage in activities that can be considered wild and may not well have been compatible to his title and status in the society. He is unable to engage in these wild dreams because of his conscious which dictates his action according to the expectations of the society of his status.

As a result, he is unable to engage due to guilt. To be able to satisfy his fantancy and at the same save face for his original personality, he sets up a concoction that changes his personality at will and engages in his dreams. In His induced personality, Edward Hyde is reckless and is not as caring as is expected of a physician. In this state, he tramples upon a little girl and the scene is witnessed by Enfield. This indicates his hypocrisy in his original personality. As a physician, he would not have been expected to undertake such an act.

Hyde is a major suspect. Through all the acts that Hyde is able to accomplish without the suspicion leading to the “Good Doctor” we are able to see that as much as the doctor enjoyed evil deeds likewise he enjoyed the prestige associated with the personality that ironically he felt bound to. In anonymity of the strange personality and secrecy of not being known as the culprit the doctor’s real personality is manifested. There is a situation that one is used to. This state in life is bearable because you are used to the privileges that are attached to it and the detriments.

But there is a state that one wishes to achieve but is afraid of the uncertainty that lie ahead. Attachment to the status quo may also be a hindering factor. Selfish people like the doctor never want to lose both; they want to continue enjoying the privileges of the initial personality and the adrenaline rush attached to the desired personality achieved at the expense of the society.Works citedStevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library