The Use of Space in Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) is widely regarded as one of the most prominent works of Gothic fiction. The story has over the years become ingrained into the collective human consciousness, providing a cautionary, often-sensationalised tale of the mysteries of human nature and of our dual capacity of being simultaneously good and evil.
As a genre, Gothic fiction is deeply complex and convoluted. Since its inception, it has come to encompass various forms, even divided into subgenres such as urban gothic, space gothic, post modern gothic, post colonial gothic and so on. However, no matter how varied the
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This essay shall look at how the source of the horror in Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde emerged from the confines of the human mind. It shall look at how developments in the sciences of biology, psychology and criminology in the late 19th century helped inspire a new source of gothic horror: the depths of human consciousness.
Duality in Mind and Space
The fact that Stevenson chose to set his story in London, not his native city Edinburgh, says a lot about his desire to question the norms of society at that time. By the late 19th century, London had become one of the world’s greatest cities, the largest in terms of population and the centre of the British Empire and heart of global commerce and culture. In Stevenson’s novella however London is a city marred with social contradictions: on the one hand the excess of wealth and high Victorian respectability, and the other hand social and economic divides characterised with extreme poverty, exploitation, prostitution, and crime. Both sides inhabited the same space but had two completely separate entities.
In the story, London retains the qualities of gothic spaces, the dark eerie castle passageways and dungeons now replaced by the fog covered narrow streets of Soho. As Utterson narrates:
A great chocolate-colored pall lowered over heaven, but the wind was continually charging and routing these assembles vapours; so that as the cab crawled from street to street, Mr Utterson beheld a marvellous number of degrees and
In the opening chapters of ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’, the Soho area of Victorian London is described negatively and disapprovingly, compared to other areas of Victorian London An example of this is in the chapter of ‘The Carew Murder Case’, where the Soho area is
Instead of choosing Stevenson’s hometown, Edinburgh, the obvious choice of setting, he chose London to locate the novel. An example of the streets of London and why this proves to be a suitable location is “The street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood…the line was broken by…a certain sinister block of building…[which] bore in every feature, the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence.” The “block of building” in question turns out to be Hyde’s. Having his rooms described as neglected and “sinister” suggests that his entire presence spreads darkness like a disease. The use of the word “dingy” suggests that London could be dark and dreary whereas “shone” make this road seem as if it is bright and lively. The idea that London can change from pleasant to dismal within the turn of a street enhances the suggestion of
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and published in 1886. It concerns a lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, who investigates the strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the reclusive Mr. Edward Hyde. This novel represents an ideology in Western culture; the perpetual conflict between humanity’s virtuosity and immorality. It is interpreted as an accurate guidebook to the Victorian era’s belief of the duality of human nature. This essay will explore Mr. Edward Hyde and whether Stevenson intended for him to be a mere character in the novel or something of wider significance.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a complex and tricky novel to fully grasp, but the reader can come to understand many parallels to their own lives. Stevenson’s creation has stood the test of time because of its power to astonish; even if one previously new the outcome. This power has made Jekyll and Hyde, a pair that will continue to provoke thought in many readers in generations to
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” is a gothic novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson that was first published in 1886. It’s about a lawyer from London named G.J. Utterson who explores strange events that involves his old friend Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. The novel’s influence on language is extraordinary, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” coming to the meaning of a person of diversity in moral character from one situation to the next (French literature).
Hyde’s apartment was set in Soho, a very sleazy, corrupted part of London at the time. Living in Soho links Hyde was the lowest levels of society: prostitutes, foreigners and primitive, immoral behaviour. Also, Soho had eerie weather- ‘a great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven’, representing the malicious crimes being committed and the blocking out of God. This reflects the mysterious, depraved attributes of Hyde’s
This essay will focus on how Robert Louis Stevenson presents the nature of evil through his novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. Using ideas such as duality, the technique used to highlight the two different sides of a character or scene, allegories, an extended metaphor which has an underlying moral significance, and hypocrisy; in this book the Victorians being against all things evil but regularly taking part in frown able deeds that would not be approved of in a ‘respectable’ society. This links in with the idea of secrecy among people and also that evil is present in everyone. The novel also has strong ties and is heavily influenced by religion. Stevenson, being brought up following strong
Using the central characters and the key theme of the duplicity of mankind Robert Louis Stevenson strategically uncovers the broad theme of good and evil in the book. By the use of the character Dr. Jekyll, the author is able to symbolize “good”. Mr. Utterson who is a lawyer based in London, also an old friend of Dr. Jekyll, has the quality of being loyal to his friends and also concerned about Dr. Jekyll. With this loyalty, he asks him about his pal Mr. Hyde whom he had left his luggage in his will (Cresser N.P). "You know I never approved of it," said the doctor. Mr. Utterson believes that the doctor bed them by lies possession to a man whom he meet but rather than being annoyed. Dr. Jekyll he shows concern like a true loyal friend would have, from Mr.
During the latter portion of the nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The fin de siècle saw the rise of different thoughts and ideas surrounding science and society. These concepts and interpretations sparked the discourse surrounding the theory of degeneration; which was the concern that civilization would fall to a lower state of being. This chapter will be reading multiplex personality as a manifestation of this broader cultural fear. Stevenson’s story played upon the changes society was facing during this time and the interest in scientific explanations for mental illness. He creates the character of Dr Jekyll, a scientist who invents a potion to unlock his inner,
The dual character combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the most well-known in literature and is arguably the most blatant example of duality Stevenson uses to try and get the theme of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde across. The dual personalities Dr. Jekyll possesses are stark examples of the animalistic and civilized sides of man that inherently resides in all men. The virtuous Dr. Jekyll serves as a portrayal of the more rational, human side of man. When Mr. Utterson attends Dr. Jekyll’s dinner party he paints a picture of a quintessential Victorian man when describing Jekyll’s appearance, “well
Stevenson shows how repression can lead to the development of dangerous, horrible secrets. The novella depicts repression through the character of Dr. Henry Jekyll, and shows what kind of threats it could pose on the society and its individuals. Edward Hyde is Dr. Jekyll’s doppelganger. He is the manifestation of Dr. Jekyll’s suppressed thoughts and desires. When Dr. Jekyll transformed into Hyde he turned the tables around. He challenged society. The transformation of a typical, respected Victorian gentleman into a troglodytic, dwarfish creature is an unsettling secret that highlights Gothicism in the novella. The idea of transforming from a high class Victorian gentleman into an apelike atavist underlines society’s fear of social and moral regression (Clausson, 2005).
Gothic novels tackle many aspects of the Victorian era which was between 1837 to 1901. Such aspects were then translated into tropes of different gothic novels. Duality, Masculinity, Secrecy, Sexuality, Mystery, Suspense, Rationalism Vs Irrationalism and Supernatural beings Vs Human Beings and many more were all important tropes to their respective novels. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was one of the driving forces behind the trope of Duality, published in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson. The book was written in the form of an Allegorical novel, which meant that the novel had an extended metaphor. One of the main messages conveyed through the book was duality, the idea of 2 separate entities residing in the same person. Good being their gentlemanly characteristics while bad being the hidden dark pleasures. Hence, this essay will discuss the duality within supporting characters association
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde influence each other, Stevenson focuses on individual’s perspective. By illuminating on individual’s conflict and perspective, it makes reader to sympathize Dr. Jekyll’s dilemma. Because of social status, he can’t be free, but when people recognize Mr. Hyde as Dr. Jekyll, it will influence to his social status. Additionally, Victorian era time period affects to author’s perspective in the book a lot. It is unique for everyone to overcome internal conflicts, and the author portrayed it in extreme method. Stevenson ultimately claims that in reality, everyone has
In the spooky mysterious novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson we start our journey with the main character, Mr. Utterson, and his companion, Dr. Lanyon. The two men talk about their colleague Dr. Jekyll and this mysterious figure named Mr. Hyde. In doing this Stevenson introduces the four characters that prove to be pillars in the investigation and resolution of the book. Throughout the book we experience plenty of conflict between these four characters and society. Stevenson sets up the theme through the conflicts that arise between the characters in the book. In the end the author wraps it all up by the use of his unique point of view and ends the confusion by allowing the us to finally solve “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
villainy in Stoker’s Dracula compare to that of Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This Extended Essay comparing the depravity in nature of the antagonists in these classic literary works will provide a better understanding of what constitutes ‘evil’ in society. Further analysis of the villains will reveal how the authors use them as representations of repressed human nature. My own fascination with the topic, as well as my rapport with gothic classic literature, led me to pursue this research topic.