Free English Literature Dissertations - Simultaneously, The Story Discusses The Issue Of Evolution, Identifying Mr.
Simultaneously, the story discusses the issue of evolution, identifying Mr. Hyde with the ape and revealing that uncivilised people have many characteristics of animals. Creating two contradictory identities of one person, Stevenson uncovers social stereotypes, according to which a person is regarded as a complete evil, if he reveals some negative manners and emotions. The writer demonstrates that both identities of Dr. Jekyll possess good and evil sides.
But while Jekyll suppresses negative emotions and strives after good feelings, his another image Mr. Hyde adheres to his desires. Mr. Hyde tries to satisfy himself and he does not understand love, forgiveness, kindness or sympathy. However, Mr. Jekyll who possesses both sets of emotions finally destroys his darker identity, although he also has to destroy his good identity. In fact, the formation of two identities within Henry Jekyll is also depicted through physical changes. Mr. Jekyll, an old and handsome gentleman, is opposed to a young uncivilised Mr. Hyde who is physically smaller than Mr. Jekyll. In this regard, Stevenson shows that evil is lower than good and it can be suppressed. Henry Jekyll is not presented as a crazy man; he is the product of society, in which he lives. Although Mr. Jekyll makes constant attempts to adhere to the existing social and moral norms, he also reveals his powerful desire for freedom that is inspired by his natural instincts. As Manlove rightfully claims, The two sides compare almost as conscious and unconscious. In a sense they never meet: Jekyll develops on his own, and his development and no other person determines his fate18.
In the times when Stevenson lived psychology was based on rather contradictory theoretical approaches, and Stevenson’s interpretation of a dual personality was considerably new. However, only with the creation of Freud’s psychoanalytic theories on the suppression of desires and instincts, the principal character of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has acquired appropriate interpretation. The fact is that both Stevenson and Freud consider that a person greatly depends on the subconscious. However, he/she may still realise the consequences of his/her subconscious actions and experience guilt, as is just the case with Dr. Jekyll who claims, I was often plunged into a kind of wonder at my vicarious depravity19. As Freud points out, person’s identity is classified as the reflection of id, superego and ego. Id as subconscious responds for pleasures and evokes natural sexual desires, superego as a part of conscious limits people’s actions and ego serves as reconciler between id and superego, that is ego should satisfy desires, but simultaneously it should restrict them.
In the case of Stevenson’s Dr.
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