Dr Jekyll's Influence On Religion

What should be noted with this change is that much like Viktor’s introduction to science which was heavy with religious influence; this change although scientific is also tied to ideas about faith. The freedom of his soul and the word wicked being used over and over. Wicked is something tied closely to ideas of sin and the church. Jekyll’s change is not only physical and emotional but very much spiritual. His ideas about the world and his standing within change along with his identity. This change also occurs when he goes from Jekyll to Hyde in a religious way. “Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr Jekyll. He came out of his seclusion, renewed relations with his friends, became once more their familiar

His demonic identity is tied up in science as is Viktor’s. When religion becomes involved it draws them back to their normal or ordinary identities. Not only is it Jekyll’s religious and scientific experiences that matter but also Mr. Utterson’s who has very little to do with science: “This little spirit of temper was somewhat of a relief to Mr. Utterson. "They have only differed on some point of science," he thought; and being a man of no scientific passions (except in the matter of conveyancing), he even added: "It is nothing worse than that!” (Stevenson 14) It is important that Mr. Utterson not be a scientific man himself because his searching for the truth will not be affected in the same way that Viktor and Dr Jekyll are. “O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it Is on that of your new friend.” (Stevenson 19) Hyde is also referenced to as the devil, like Viktor’s own parallel to Lucifer standing against God: Jekyll himself is the good and caring soul who has Hyde within him who is like the devil. “I never saw a circle of such hateful faces; and there was the man in the middle, with a kind of black sneering coolness—frightened to, I could see that—but carrying it off, sir, really like Satan.”