Deformity In The Victorian Era
The Victorian Era: a time where perfection was of the upmost important. A period where the ideal man or woman was what was to be expected and anything short of that was typically looked down upon. It was a standard to look beautiful and quaint, and this ideal was especially reflected in Victorian literature. From Jane Eyre being criticized that she is plain, to Lady Bracknell pointing out that Cecily is sadly simple, a person’s viewpoint on another was crucial, and no author was able to tackle this aspect better than Robert Louis Stevenson. In his novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mr. Hyde’s appearance and how others view him is taken to the extreme. He is a deformed man, yet no one can outright express how deformed he looks, only that he has a sense of deformity. In an age where people judged others based on their looks rather than their character, Mr. Hyde’s appearance is able to show that Victorians were both …show more content…
Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution only added to the hysteria as people started to believe that if humans could evolve, they could possibly devolve too. Victorians viewed deformity as a form of regression, so many people feared Mr. Hyde because they did not want to end up like him. They believed that if they were to surround themselves around him, they too would develop “ape-like” features and tendencies (Stevenson 25). A wall was put between the normal and the abnormal as Victorians feared that they could be exposed to deformities and invade their bloodline simply by being in the same room with someone. Victorians wanted a separation between them and the “freaks” because this realization that anyone could become Mr. Hyde was terrifying. Society shunned and hated them because aristocrats believed that is what they could become if they strayed from the righteous path. This scene when Mr. Enfield first meets Mr. Hyde expresses that ideal perfectly, replying to Mr. Utterson
Penny Dreadfuls
1891 Words | 8 PagesThe dreadful origins of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde is a novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson published in 1886. In the 1880s, one of the leading forms of literature in Britain was called the “Penny Dreadful”. The term “Penny Dreadful” is used to describe a form of cheap serial literature that was targeted toward the masses: these texts often had thrilling plots filled with crime as well as dark undertones. As a result of the popularity of penny dreadfuls at the time, it is no surprise that Stevenson’s novella was heavily influenced by this form of literature. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde’s vivid descriptions of London life.
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448 Words | 2 PagesThere is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point (Stevenson, 1886, p. 5) The quotation above is important to the book because the initial description of Hyde given by Enfield is consistently given by others as well. As Hyde is a being of pure evil, he sets others on edge yet his creation is entirely scientific.
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586 Words | 3 PagesThe fact that Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published in the year after private male homosexual acts was made illegal […] Two characters that paint the most homosexual undertones are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Utterson. While Jekyll represents the negative and repressed views of homosexuality, Utterson is the opposite. Utterson’s characterization represents homosexuality that was tolerated in the 19th century. Through clever storytelling and characterization, Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is able to provide insight on how homosexuality was viewed in the 19th century.
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813 Words | 4 PagesIn the novel, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the complexity of human nature. He uses characters and events in the novel to present his stance on the major theme: “man is not truly one, but truly two” (125). Branching from this major theme are many more specific views on the idea that human nature is divided into good and evil. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two very different people who occupy the same body. Human beings struggle with good and evil and Stevenson goes to the extreme to to show this relationship.
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592 Words | 3 PagesAs Stevenson was fascinated by Darwin theory of evolution he decided to portray it in his work. Due to the fact that in Victorian times the idea of rationalism was popular and that people weren’t supposed to show their strong emotions their darker sides were repressed and The locked doors and curtained windows of Jekyll’s house form the imagery of a man locking away the truth that lurks inside; Jekyll turning into Hyde is a metaphor of what happens when the unconscious mind is revealed; the murder of Carew symbolizes the repressed mind striking out at the conscious mind. The whole narrative is about unpeeling the layers that hide the repressed desires inside Jekyll Stevenson also uses several narrative points of view to intensify the feeling of a frightening outsider. As Hyde is often narrated in a mysterious way through different characters perspectives which slowly reveals horror a feature used in gothics.
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532 Words | 3 PagesThis may be why he permanently morphed into Mr. Hyde, and then committed suicide because he could not face a world in which he was so hated. In a way, he became what he always was, a base man who sought after
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Knowledge And Consequences In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
1591 Words | 7 PagesRobert Stevenson uses his protagonist’s, Dr. Jekyll, person versus self conflict to illustrate this point. Throughout the text, the reader learns that Dr. Jekyll was born into good fortune and was well-respected in society. However, the reader learns that it was not enough for him. He craves irregularities and he seeks a way to experience both sides of his identity without harming his reputation, which leads him to immoral experiments that bring out Hyde. To be specific, Jekyll states the following, “Many a man would have even blazoned such irregularities as I was guilty of; but from the high views that I had set before me, I regarded and hid them with an almost morbid sense of shame” (Stevenson 55).
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Duality In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
855 Words | 4 PagesDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde consists of reputation, good vs evil and damage control. In other words, Utterson tirelessly works to prevent his best friend Dr. Jekyll from being dragged into the horrid affairs of Mr. Hyde, and Dr. Jekyll goes through the greatest of lengths to prevent his Hyde identity from being discovered, in order to avoid anyone knowing of his somewhat questionable scientific work and morally despicable behavior. Much of the novel is based on the characters ' reputations, how they have to maintain a good public image, as they are upper class people. The novel takes place in Victorian England and the main characters are all male members of upper class London.
Monstrosity In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
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Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Research Paper
1065 Words | 5 PagesIn 1886 the book "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", written by Robert Louis Stevenson, was released and became one of the most popular Stevenson's work. It was a huge success all around the world, bringing a lot of distinct aspects from the Victorian Era, such as conflicts between social classes; the influence of religion in people's life; the importance of people's reputation; conflicts
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