In the concluding chapter of
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jekyll offers an explanation of his actions through his own words. Jekyll describes how his strange transformations are due to a drug which he is ever so deeply dependent on. However, the drug drastically changes from something which allows Jekyll to be Hyde and becomes a portal in which Hyde escapes his evil and transforms back into Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll describes one of his transformations as he says, "At that time my virtue slumbered; my evil, kept awake by ambition, was alert and swift to seize the occasion; and the thing that was projected was Edward Hyde" (Stevenson, pp. 27). Just as Dr. Jekyll became taken back by his unsuspecting metamorphoses, felt as out of place as a "stranger in my own house" (Stevenson, pp. 60). I feel as though the description of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde isn't a description about Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde
at all. I believe that the story of an intellectual man fighting an intrapersonal battle is about no one other than Robert Louis Stevenson himself. Furthermore, I believe that Stevenson's tale is relevant to many individuals in the Victorian Era. Just as Stevenson struggled with cocaine addiction, many high class individuals suffered substance abuse as well. Perhaps, though, the ultimate conflict faced is good vs. evil and the high social expectations of the Victorian Era forced individuals to seek ways of releasing their "evil side." When I say "evil side," I'm not referring to murdering people and being a disgusting addition to society. People during this time needed ways to express their unpopular thoughts or their sinful actions and escaping their "high image" through drugs was the only way of doing so.
As a result, I believe that there is "evil" rooted in every person, it is simply the depth of that evil that is different.
I definitely agree that this entire story is really about the author, Stevenson. As one of the groups in the socratic circle talked about, this was Stevenson's way of depicting what he is facing in reality. He can be a good or bad person (like everyone can), but instead of dealing with his problems through reality he utilized drugs as an escape. Everyone has an evil and good side, but what differs is how individuals deal with their problems. I think it is very interesting that Stevenson was on cocaine while writing this, it explains very much of the book. He is fighting a constant battle between the good and evil him, just like Hyde and Jekyll.
ReplyDeleteLike I said on Kristen's blog, I find it really interesting that those of you in other groups are finding similar points as we're finding in ours. I love all of the Freudian concepts within the novella, and I think that the belief of suppression of a greater evil is what Stevenson really took and ran with as he wrote the piece.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that Stevenson is making a point in his novel about evil residing within everyone. The Victorian era put such a strong emphasis on reputation and image that no one deeply suspected those in the upperclass of falling victim to these evils. Jekyll's alternate persona is his escape from societal pressures and serves as evidence of the duality of persons even in the upperclass.
ReplyDeleteLike I mentioned in my blog, Jekyll himself says "man is not truly one, but truly two." Although every individual only possesses one name and primarily one identity, there are multiple alter egos inside every person. Which personality is manifested through the individual's actions is determined from within the individual himself; however, society usually plays a role in influencing one's behavior.
ReplyDelete