Jekyll and Hyde - Research Paper Example

Jekyll and Hyde Jekyll and Hyde is a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson in the year 1886. This novel is a portrayal of the Victorian era in several manners. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde's double persona has been interpreted in numerous ways. In his original published incarnation, he was perhaps are presentation of the Victorian moral code." (Muir, 727) This means that Stevenson in his works incorporated Victorian moral values and ethics. His work is a representation of what he perceived about the Victorian era. The characters represent the Victorian setup during that time, further it also showed what Stevenson thought of London. The inspiration of the novel came from the setup he was brought up in. When one reads the novel they understand the complexity that is shown between scientific discourses as well as the Victorian gothic which is immensely highlight throughout the course of the reading which is known as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Since at the time this novel was written science and particularly psychology didn’t develop much as a field of study therefore this novel was an initiate or the first step to give scientific principles popularity. This novel discusses a very common issue in recent times which is about having a split personality. Basically a split personality is when two individuals who possess different characteristics and traits dwell within a single person. This piece of reading was written before the branch of science that is psychology was confidently recognized. Furthermore it has been observed that the novel also seeks to incorporate various other scientific theories in it too which were really famous during the late Victorian period. Hence in a nutshell this novel is an amalgamation of different scientific theories and the moral and attributes of the Victorian Age. The moral values associated with the Victorian age have changed tremendously with the passage of time for the people. Victorian era is linked to many mystiques where it seems a time of several inconsistencies and enigmas that persist amongst the remaining part of the society. There was this perception that if any individual possessed feelings or any form of sexual arousal then he was considered to be wrong, unethical and illegal. These feelings were ill and they were not supposed to be shown publicly. Hence the thoughts, liking and preferences of a person were limited to themselves. This was strictly considered ill for opposite sexes as well and those individuals who possessed feelings for similar sexes were cursed more and hence society considered then to be ill or evil. This era was a victim or persisting thoughts, therefore it was not acceptable under any circumstances that any new or fundamental idea was publicized, hence only those things which were popular during Victorian era and were confined to the barriers defined by the society was acceptable. In the same manner Mr. Utterson who was considered as an honorable and respectable man, is considered to have a personality which resists in showing emotions. This is considered to be a 'backward in sentiment' issues that was faced by him. This novel seeks to highlight the quest he does in order to hide his feelings thus to do what is rightful in the society. This gives birth to a split personality. When individuals tend to fake their true self for the sake of society, such complexes develop. Furthermore this novel also seeks to highlight another issue that persists within the Victorian era that is homosexuality. As I mentioned earlier that the society had strict moral attributes and values thus one could not really express what he/she felt. Therefore homosexual feelings were something that did persist but people chose to hide them in order to be socially accepted. (FRAYSER & THOMAS, 322). Today the way homosexuality is accepted in London is completely different from the Victorian era. Here another character Mr. Enfield develops who is a very close friend of our protagonist Mr. Utterson. Despite the fact that they were good friends but they made sure that they did not complicate business with friendship. This is very important as most people tend to forget the importance of separating business and real life. Hence this simply means that they prioritized and maintained healthy justifiable relations. Some people found it quite intriguing that why did they do for each other and why did they do so. This clearly determines that the relationship they are experiencing is very indefinite and thus they do not possess any similar traits. On the contrary it needs to be noted here that there was some unethical relation prevailing which the society might label as homosexuality. Apart from all the inconsistencies they still chose to be with each other hence enjoying the journey without any disturbance. This clearly signifies that there were some instances which denote the birth of homosexual behavior. This homosexual behavior was not acceptable by the Victorian society and thus it was condemned by them. Furthermore it was expected that a person belonging to the class of Mr. Utterson could not associate himself to such behavior. They were not likely to be into such a relation which resulted in a flaw that was not acceptable within that social sector. This is something quite common as many individuals chose to hide their real self during that time for the sake of being accepted by the society. Later Utterson realizes that Hyde is using Jekyll by blackmailing him. Hence he decides to start blackmailing Hyde in the same manner so that he can leave them on their own. Furthermore it is believed here by Stevenson that the Victorians during that time tend to deny themselves. This is also considered to be against the moral and attributes associated with the Victorian era. In the ending of the book it has been seen that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde possess the same body. Dr. Jekyll is a sophisticated man with professional attributes on the other end Mr. Hyde is the representation of evil that was in him. These are two very different qualities that persist in these polar opposites. In this manner Stevenson studies how a man develops relationship between good and bad and remarks on the battle or at times balance that persists between the two. It is usually observed that is quite difficult for a person to choose between good and bad as evil is far more tempting. This was a representation of various cultures which Hyde represented. He was associated with uncivilized and savage behavior whereas Jekyll was linked to England that showcased culture, value, pride which is contradictory to remote countries. The Europeans believed that they were playing an important role shaping society and spreading Christianity. Surprisingly in order to spread new culture the Europeans somehow gave up on their ways of life. Hence Dr. Jekyll demonstrates the colonization in Europe that is influenced by savage attributes. But somehow Jekyll is not able to control his evil side and eventually dies in search of finding himself all over again. This novel is apparently a battle to discover oneself and the failure one might fail while doing so. This novel is a much diversified reading that deals with many issues that persisted during the Victorian age. At some point it contradicts and at some instances it appreciates the Victorian society. "While some of us are better than others at managing our dark sides, there are far more people suffering from the Jekyll and Hyde syndrome than one might suspect." (Engel, 2)Thus in a nutshell this novel is a true representation of the European Victorian era. Works Cited Engel, Beverly. The Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome: What to Do If Someone in Your Life Has a Dual Personality or If You Do. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. Print. Frayser, Suzanne G, and Thomas J. Whitby. Studies in Human Sexuality: A Selected Guide. Englewood, Colo: Libraries Unlimited, 1995. Internet resource. Muir, John K. Horror Films of the 1980s. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2007. Print. Read More