Stevensons The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay

Stevensons The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Firstly, telling The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde from Dr Jekylls point of view would have presented a number of problems. The elements of tension provided by telling the story from others points of view would be lost, and therefore the definitive style of the book would have to be changed for one less exciting, and the plot would progress far slower. Also, telling the story from different peoples perspectives makes the text physically longer, and although this isnt an essential quality, without the length the story may have been regarded as a short story and not received so much acclaim. Most of the tale is told from the†¦show more content†¦This Darwinism was very fashionable, and people were obsessed with the idea of physical change and metamorphosis in people. It was also popular to lead two lives, one as a respectable member of society, and the other, an after hours life. Without the perspectives of Jekyll (Dr Jekylls Full Statement of the Case) and Lanyon (Dr Lanyons Narrative), the dual lives of Jekyll and Hyde would never be discovered. This would have made the book far less admired, as the attractive principles of mutation and change would have been missing from the book. The appealing idea of a first person perspective of a person leading two lives; and two such abnormal lives; would be lost, and with it the appeal of the book. In Chapter 1, the book begins with Uttersons point of view, but with a story told by Uttersons friend, Enfield. If Stevenson had chosen to tell the story from Uttersons perspective, this chapter would not have changed, although it is very useful in giving a first impression of the detestable Hyde, and gives the reader an example of a Victorian phrase for doctor, sawbones. Chapter 2 shows another example of the popular double lives of some Victorian people, as Utterson leaves his house in the middle of the night, which throws a sense of mystery and secrecy into the character of Utterson. Also, when Utterson meets Llanyon, he seems far tooShow MoreRelated Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2544 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† is a gothic horror novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson in the Victorian era. The novella follows a well-respected doctor - Henry Jekyll - and his struggle between good and evil when he takes a potion and becomes Mr Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson - the author of the novella â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde†- was born in Edinburgh in 1850 and died at the young age of forty-four. He wrote the book in 1886. As a child he was very closeRead More Stevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1060 Words   |  5 PagesStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In his novella Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the dual nature of Victorian man, and his link with an age of hypocrisy. Whilst writing the story he obviously wanted to show the people of the time what happened behind closed doors. In Jekylls suicide note he makes the following observation I have observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near toRead MoreMans Duality in R.L. Stevensons The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1820 Words   |  8 Pagestheme of mans duality in R L Stevensons The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde portrays mans duality to perfection. This story can be classified as Science Fiction. He scientist Dr Jekyll wants to have self-satisfaction that he can master two personalities with perfection. The Victorian Society is the backdrop of this novel and the moral code turns people into hypocrites because they lead double lives. Dr. jekyll is a renowned doctor and a scientistRead MoreStevensons Representation of Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1522 Words   |  7 PagesStevensons Representation of Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In this piece of coursework, I am asked to first of all, discuss how the novel is mainly concerned with the struggle between good and evil. Next, I will be moving on to discovering the historical, social, and cultural issues of the novel; this will discus what Stevensons literary influences were. Subsequently, I will be exploring the actual evil character oh Mr. Edward Hyde; thisRead MoreStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2427 Words   |  10 PagesStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells of how a scientist abuses his knowledge so that he can become another being but the double he becomes is one that cannot be directly blamed for his crimes and actions. Throughout the story Stevenson uses many different literary techniques to convey how the characters feel. These can be categorized into many different themes: theRead MoreStevensons Use of Technique to Present Character and Atmosphere in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde3297 Words   |  14 PagesStevensons Use of Technique to Present Character and Atmosphere in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by the young Robert Louis Stevenson was published in 1886. The story, which concerns the way in which an individual is made up of different emotions and desires, some good and some evil is told from the point of view of John Utterson. Mr Utterson is a lawyer and friend to the respected and brilliant scientist, Dr. HenryRead MoreThe Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1052 Words   |  5 PagesLouis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Apart from being an exceptional Gothic work, Stevenson’s novella is an excellent critique of the hypocrisy that dominated the Victorian era. In his novella, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson uses the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to expose the double standards and moral pretensions that governed Victorian society. Dr. Jekyll, the protagonist in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is theRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde Essay975 Words   |  4 PagesLouis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novella that follows the basic outline established by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein. However, Stevenson’s monster is not created from body parts but comes from the dark side of the human personality. In both novels, a man conducts a secret experiment that gets out of control. The result of these experiments is the release of a double, or doppelganger, which causes damage to their creator. While most people think that The Strange CaseRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Where Dr. Jekyll 1163 Words   |  5 PagesBrodie and Dr. Knox were both from Edinburgh and both lived â€Å"double-lives†, this undoubtedly had a major impact upon Stevenson’s imagination and later his writings. (Stefan 5) â€Å"While growing up Stevenson had a friend and the son of Sir James Simpson, the developer of medical anesthesia, the two friends would â€Å"experiment† with chloroform, for the enjoyment of it.† (Stefan 5) This experimenting carries a familiarity with it that would later be found in the character of Dr. Jekyll in Stevenson’s novel,Read MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde : Literary Review1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Literary Review The Romantic era was plagued with class conflict, poverty, and labor issues. The Victorian novel allows those who had access to them discover and focus on moral issues with society. Among the novel that were created during the era, the genre of a gothic novella emerged. Well knowns gothic novellas included Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Stevenson’s gothic novella The Strange