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Work in groups of 4 and answer the questions. Then organise your findings in 4 categories:

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Work in groups of 4 and answer the questions. Then organise your findings in 4 categories:

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Features of the novel

Plot

The Double

Other themes in the novel

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HOW DID R.L.STEVENSON COME TO WRITE “THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE”?

(VITTORIA C)

Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because it came to him one night in a nightmarish dream, in which he saw a man in a laboratory who had just swallowed a drug and turned into a different being. He was so enraptured with his dream that he got furious at his wife Fanny for waking him.

After that nighmare, Stevenson had the idea of writing a story in which the connection between the Gothic aspects of this horror story and his harsh criticism of the hypocrisy and the double nature of the Victorian society would become the main themes of his masterpiece novel.

Stevenson could not shake how the story came to him, envisioning it before it was written. The artistic belief that something imprinted had to be recognized as a form of inspiration seized Stevenson. It is for this reason that he was able to compose the drafts of the book so quickly.

Stevenson was moreover driven by the need to explore the different polarities that existed within human beings. This duality of the human soul is a reflection of the same type of binary reality that governs the Victorian society.

The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde refers also to the tradition of the detective stories which became very popular at that time.

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“Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” is both a detective and gothic novel ?
(Ludovica)

The novel “Dr jekyll and Mr Hyde” can be considered both a detective and a Gothic novel.

The plot develops through the happening of many crimes, for example the murder of a member of the Parliament, and is based on an investigation, which is led by Mr Utterson, and revolves around a crime that is unrevealed until the end.
The mistery of the real identity of Mr Hyde and his relationship with the well-reputed Dr Jekyll is a mystery in the novel. Stevenson uses these characters to represent the duality of the human mind. In this, Stevenson anticipates what later Freud will investigate in his theories about the unconscious and psycho-analysis and which will lead to the discovery of such concepts as: Id, Ego, Superego.

The Gothic element of “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” is mainly represented by the theme of the double and the struggle between the good against the evil side of man. This is revealed to the reader by the horrifying transformation of Dr Jekyll into the murderer Hyde. The transformation is generated by the fear of regression, as both men are revealed to be the same person.
Other Gothic elements are:

the presence of a protagonist who is an overreacher and wants to discover forbidden knowledge by penetrating the secrets of nature and going beyond God's law;

the setting, since most of the scenes are set during the night in a small room or in some sinister parts of the city of London.

The theme of double is also symbolised throughout the novel by the city of London, which is split in two: one smart and wealthy side where Dr Jekyll and Mr Utterson live and work as opposed to another dark, shabby area of London, where immoral behaviours are expected and less noticeable.

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WHAT ELEMENTS DOES STEVENSON'S NOVEL HAVE IN COMMON WITH DETECTIVE AND GOTHIC STORIES?
(FEDERICA)

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde could be considered both as a gothic horror novel, as well as a detective story as it contains elements of both genres.

The novel explores dark themes such as the natural and the supernatural. It also includes elemnts of mystery, suspense and secrets which remain unrevealed to the end.

Furthermore Stevenson exploits the gothic themes of monstrousity, scientific experimentation and ambiguity to dig into the theme of the double which is revealed to the reader by the horryfing transformation of Dr Jekyll into Mr Hyde.

Further gothic elements can be related to the setting and the night scenes. Nearly every Gothic novel takes place in a strange, mysterious location, like the dark, empty streets of London at night.
Moreover, Stevenson makes use of Gothic expression with the aim to create a dark atmosphere of evil.

As a typical detective story, the novel includes the presence of a detective, who solves a crime, using clues and bodies of evidence. In this case, the investigator is Mr Utterson, who uses clues to solve the mysterious behaviour of Mr Hyde and the strange things that happen to Dr Jekyll.

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How is the story told (setting, narrators, characters)?
(Vittoria D)

The novel “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”, written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1885, is set halfway between London in England and Edimburgh in Scotland in the late 19th Century.

The novel has a complex structure with four narrators: Enfield, Utterson, Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll. All events are narrated through letters.

The author uses a number of different techniques for the narrative structure.

While the first eight chapters are told from the point of view of Mr. Utterson, the nineth chapter is presented from the point of view of Mr. Lanyon and the tenth is from the perspective of Mr. Jekyll.

The novel is also non linear, which means that the events are not narrated in chronological order. Moreover, the author decided to combine third-person and first-person narrative. The novel begins with a third-person narrative through the eyes of Mr. Utterson  but then Stevenson intrudes Dr. Lanyon's perspective. In the closing chapter, the narrative turns into first-person narrative.

Mr. Utterson is the first main character presented in the novel. He is a lovable lawyer, who represents the ideal Victorian gentleman because of his seriousness and severity with himself. Utterson is that type of person who inspires trust because he always maintains order and decorum.

Mr. Jekyll, a friend of Mr. Utterson, is a well-know and respected physician. He’s 50 years old and the author describes him as a “large, well-made, smooth-faced…[with] every mark of capacity and kindness”.
Mr. Jekyll represents the Victorian stereotype of a well-reputed gentleman in his community for his intellects and his gentlemanly qualities.

Conversely, Mr. Hyde represents Jekyll’s double. He lives in the dark and has caused terror in his neighbourhood. He's pure evil and will have complete dominance over Mr. Jekyll.  When people see him, they feel the urge to strike out at him and kill him because his appearance brings out the worst evil in other people.
A third important character in the story is Dr. Lanyon, who is a close friend of Jekyll. Although they both believe in science, when Lanyon sees Jekyll's transformation into Hyde, he gets scared about him.

The minor characters in this novel are: Mr. Poole, a servant that had worked for Mr. Jekyll for years and Mr. Guest, an expert in handwriting who is Mr. Utterson confidant.

The setting reflects the hypocrisy of Stevenson's contemporary society. In Edimburgh the rich NewTown, with its big squares and elegant palaces, was exactly the opposite of the poor districts in the Old Town, where crime was a pressing problem. In London, the respectable West End clashed with the misery and bad living conditions of the poor in the East End slums.

This ambivalence in the setting chosen by Stevenson converges in Jekyll's house having two façades. Just like the two faces of Dr. Jekyll, also his house has two doors situated on the opposite sides: while the front door is used by Dr. Jekyll, the one on the rear is used only by Mr. Hyde at night. Dr. Jekyll has a virtuous life, his face is handsome, his hands are white and well-shaped and his body is large. On the contrary, Mr. Hyde is pale and dwarfish, his hands are dark and hairy and he gives an impression of deformity.

The mistery is solved only in the end when Dr. Jekyll, who is the last narrator, gives his full confession about the things that he and Hyde have done in a final letter, which is also his testament. This narrative device, which is typical of a detective story, increases suspense and provides entertainment to the readers.

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Why is the mystery solved only in the end? Briefly summarise the story and explain how it is told.
(Francesco)

The novel narrates the story of Dr. Jekyll, who is a well reputed gentleman and scientist in Victorian London.

With his experiments, Dr Jekyll is able to develop a poison for dividing the human nature: the good one from the evil one. The doctor decides to experiment the poison on himself and his identity will be separated in two parts: the good Dr. Jekyll and the mean Mr. Hyde.

When Dr Jekyll turns into Hyde, he becomes repugnant and evil and, as such, he gives vent to his primitive instincts. With the passing of time, Dr. Jekyll will lose control over Mr. Hyde and will have to ingest the poison more and more times a day.
As months pass Dr. Jekyll will withdraw from societyand confine himself in the laboratory. One day, a servant in the house hears screams coming from  laboratory; worried, he calls for Lawyer Utterson, who is Dr. Jekyll’s close friend. After smashing down the door, the lawyer and the servant will find Mr. Hyde dead on the floor, wearing Dr. Jekyll's clothes.
The novel ends with Utterson's reading Dr Jekyll's final statement of the case, in which the doctor confesses the truth about his experiments and his decision to kill his evil part, Mr. Hyde.
The novel is told in third-person omniscient narration, through events which are often seen from the point of view of Mr. Utterson.

The reader is aware that the narration is omniscient because from time to time the narrator provides information about Mr. Utterson's opinions and knowledge of the case. Also, we get the impression that the narrator is following Mr. Utterson, as if were recording everything he is doing on a video camera and providing us some background information to understand the story.

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In the excerpt “The Story of the Door” the setting reflects the double nature of Victorian society. Explain.
(GIORGIA)

In many ways, the Victorians were hypocrites because they claimed to be moral and pious in ways they were not. They shut their eyes to whatever was ugly and unpleasant around them. To some extent, they perhaps hoped to draw attention away from their own double conscience by pointing out the hypocritical attitude in others.

The pious nature of Victorian society meant that many people had to suppress their feelings and primitive instincts. This resulted in the common desire to emphasise 'good heart' and civilised manners due to the fact that religion condemned all ‘evil' thoughts.

The importance of this value system is clear in the way that upright respectable men such as Utterson and Enfield, the protagonists of this first chapter, avoid gossip at all costs; they see gossip as a great destroyer of reputation.

The text describes these men as reserved—so reserved, in fact, that they can enjoy a lengthy walk during which neither of them says a word. Declining to indulge in their more impulsive thoughts and feelings, they display a mutual disgust for sensation and gossip.
The Victorian value system largely privileged reputation over reality, and this prioritization is reflected both in the narrator’s remarks about Utterson and Enfield and in the characters’ own remarks about gossip and blackmail.
In a society so focused on reputation, blackmail proves a particularly potent force, since those possessing and concerned with good reputations will do anything they can to preserve them. Thus, when Hyde tramples the little girl, Enfield and the crowd blackmail him into paying off her family.
The episode described in "The Story of the Door" reflects the double nature of the Victorian society.

While Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield are walking along the street they notice a weird house. The house is presented as an example of ambivalent setting because it has two facades, which are one the opposite of the other, just like the two faces of Victorian conscience.

Both facades have a door: the one on the front is used by the well-reputed doctor and Victorian gentleman who leads a very sober life; the one on the back is used only at night by the mysterious Mr Hyde, who leads a life of crimes and depravity.

The house with its double facades represents also the two opposite sides of a human being: the official one is all devoted to morality, decor and good position in society; the back door leads to mystery, corruption and vices.

The character of Dr Jekyll represents the respectable gentleman of the Victorian wealthy classes, who believes in the Victorian values of personal duty, hard work, respectability, authority, charity and philantrophy, chastity and patriotism.

Conversely, the character of Mr Hyde represents the dark side of the human being made up of animal instincts and brutality. Hyde is also a monster representing the corruption of society and its hypocrisy in hiding the big social problems of the Victorian age.
In the novel the duplicity of the individual thus reflects the duplicity of the Victorian compromise.

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In his final statement,Dr Jekyll gives a full account of his experiment and explains how it was carried out in his laboratory. Summarise it in your own words and mention what fields of science were involved.
(Benedetta)

The final statement is Dr Jekyll’s confession to Mr Utterson about his relationship with Mr Hyde.

Dr Jekyll had become aware early in his life that there are two sides in every human being, a good and a bad. In the course of his scientific and medical studies, he came to the conclusion that man is composed of two sides. He thus began to wonder whether his evil side could be isolated and contained in a separate body. After much experimentation, he discovered a chemical formula that he believed would strip away his good side and leave only the evil.

One night, having acquired the final ingredient, Dr Jekyll mixed the potion, drank it  and turned into Edward Hyde. Delighted by his discovery, Dr Jekyll acquired a flat for Hyde and drew up the will that Utterson so dislikes. Hyde began living a life of sin and immorality, though Dr Jekyll does not specify what he did. One night, Dr Jekyll went to bed as himself and woke up as Hyde: he had transformed overnight without having taken the potion. As this occurred more frequently, Dr Jekyll realised he had to choose between himself and Hyde. After much hesitation, he chose himself. For two months he lived a life of charity and altruism, but then began to live the sinful life of Hyde. Soon he murdered Sir Danvers Carew. With this, Dr Jekyll decided he must cut his links with Hyde for good, but some days later he was once again transformed without having taken the potion, this time in a park after having an impure thought. This was the occasion for him to send an urgent letter to Dr Lanyon in order to have the special ingredients so that he could change back into Dr Jekyll. Following the meeting with Dr Lanyon, Dr Jekyll began to require more and more of the potion to keep himself from transforming into Hyde.
Eventually, he realised that the initial batch of the particular salt he had ordered had been contaminated, which is why it had had a magical effect. Without this salt Dr Jekyll knew he was doomed. The narrative ends with Dr Jekyll’s last words before he is transformed into Hyde for the final time. He doesn’t know whether Hyde will surrender himself or commit suicide.
Jekyll is frightened when he realizes that Hyde will eventually take control entirely over himself, so that he decides to commit suicide. He considers this final resolution as the only way to eliminate Henry Hyde and to save himself from a life of crimes and depravity.

In this statement many fields of science are involved, for example: medicine, chemistry, psychology. Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hide was written during the 19th century, which was a period of new discoveries and revolutionary theories, that challenged the traditional biblical version of creation and the origins of man.

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The evil counterpart of doctor Jekyll is called Hyde, a disgusting, evil, violent monster that is ready to commit any kind of crime.
With the passing of the years, Dr Jekyll progressively loses his natural force and aggressivity becoming way more peaceful. Everytime he transforms into Mr Hyde he has to resist as he feels that the evil side of his being is taking over control. to live his life because he was searched from the police because of what he did.

Dr Jekyll becomes aware of this transformation on the day on which he sees Mr. Hyde in the mirror of his room for the first time. Immediately Jekyll drinks some more potion in the hope of turning back to himself. Although he suffers as usual, he will retain the body and face of Henry Hyde.
After this episode Jekyll understands that there are only two possible choices left to him: he can either let Mr Hyde take full control of him and indulge in a life of crimes and depravity or choose the moral way and try to eliminate Hyde. In the end - as his name suggests - Dr Jekyll will kill Hyde by committing suicide.

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Plot Number 9

The evil side of Dr Jekyll Is kept under control at the beginning of the story. What happens next and why does Dr. Jekyll decide to kill himself?

Edward Hyde is a separate personality living in the same body of Henry Jekyll.
“Hyde” is Jekyll transformed into his dark, monstruous side.

Dr. Jekyll decides to make a scientific experiment in order to eliminate the evil from the world. He thus discovers a scientific formula that will allow him to turn into Mr Hyde.
One day one of John's friends dies suddenly. Before he dies, however, the friend gives John a letter. He says it should only be opened if Dr. Jekyll either dies or disappears. Dr. Jekyll starts acting even weirder and shuts himself up inside his laboratory. Eventually, his butler and John break into the laboratory, concerned because the voice they heard inside is not the doctor's. Once inside, they find Mr. Hyde dressed in Dr. Jekyll's clothes and dead. He has committed suicide.

ANSWER IS INCOMPLETE

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In the novel “The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde”, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, the potagonists are all men and there aren’t any female characters.
This choice reflected the society of the Victorian Age, in which the women had to be submissive to men and had no official role in society.

Women in the 19th century didn´t have the rights or the same opportunities of men. It took many years and many political campaigns for women to obtain the most basic civil rights.

Women were excluded from public or political life. This is well reflected in the novel by Stevenson, in which the main characters are all men so as to emphasize the total absence of women in the exercise of power. Not surprisingly the male characters get involved in a "strange" case of crimes, corruption and moral decay so as to show the wrongs of society entirely dominated by men.

For these reasons the choice of women as protagonists would have been criticized by the reading public. Besides the fact that Stevenson wanted to write about evil, crimes and violence, made the choice of male protagonists more suitable.

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11)Why are Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde complementary in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? (Adreana Lecce)

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11)Why are Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde complementary in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? (Adreana Lecce)

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The theme of the double or Doppelgänger is one of the main themes in the novel “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. The term Doppelgänger means an apparition or double of a living person and was used to explore issues of identity, sexuality and morality.
Dr Henry Jekyll is a doctor and a scientist, interested in human nature and the human mind. He will find out that all human beings have both a good and an evil part inside. After an experiment he manages to separate his good side from his evil part: this is how Mr Hyde is “born".
As we read in the doctor's final statement, his intentions were good as the scientist wanted to eliminate all evil from the world:

“I, for my part, from the nature of my life, advanced infallibly in one direction and in one direction only. It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.”

“If each, I told myself, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that was unbearable; the unjust might go his way, delivered from the aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin; and the just could walk steadfastly and securely on his upward path, doing the good things in which he found his pleasure, and no longer exposed to disgrace and penitence by the hands of this extraneous evil. It was the curse of mankind that these incongruous faggots were thus bound together—that in the agonised womb of consciousness, these polar twins should be continuously struggling. How, then were they dissociated? “

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyse are actually the same person, however they are one the opposite of the other. Mr Hyde is evil, ugly with physical deformations, short and every time someone looks in his eyes feels a sense of anguish and wickedness. On the contrary Dr Jekyll is a" large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty with something of a slyish cast“.

In the role of Mr Hyde, Jekyll will at the beginning feel stronger and free from all moral constraints. However, at the end he will lose control over Hyde´s actions and will be disgusted about Hyde's depravity. Jekyll wants to stop Hyde, also because of the several crimes Hyde has comitted. When he realises that he cannot control both his action and his mutation in Hyde, there is only one choice that he can make: he must eliminate Hyde. So, Dr Jekyll decides to kill himself to stop Hyde, hence we understand the hidden meaning of his name “Jekyll” from the French“Je kill” - I kill.

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12) The ambivalence in the novel can be found both in the characters’ qualities and in the setting. Explain. 

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12) The ambivalence in the novel can be found both in the characters’ qualities and in the setting. Explain. 

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The main protagonist and the setting are highly symbolic.
Mr Jekill is a scientist, whose aim it to create a magical potion that can separate the evil side of human being in order to eliminate all evil from the world.
The ambivalence in the novel is represented both by Dr Jekill and his double Mr Hyde, as well as by his house which has two doors: one on the front, respectable facade and one on the rear whis often at night by the Mr Hyde.
Dr Jekyll, who is known as a respectable doctor, is a perfect Victorian gentleman. Like the society he lives in, he has a double face. In fact, when he drinks his potion and turns in Mr Hyde, his evil instincts break loose. He the feels extremely alive, powerful and free because he can do whetever he wants without any moral restraint.
However, at a certain point Mr Hyde becomes so strong that he takes control over the good part of the Doctor. When Jekyll realises that his trasformation is about to become permanent, he makes the only possible decision that is to eliminate Hyde by killing himself.
Stevenson wanted to convey a fundamental message: all human beings have a good and an evil part that are inseparable. We need to accept them.
Also the setting has a symbolical role in the story. The double facade of his house reflects the double conscience of the Victorian society, and the door to the internal garden that is used by Mr Hyde to get out at night and commit the worst crimes hints at the hypocrisy and lack of humanity of the Victorian industrial cities. What's more, the door is an archetype symbolising the entrance to our inner subconscious which may hide secrets unknown to us ourselves. We all need to control our negative feeelings in front of others and hide our negative side in order to be respected in society.
This remarks that the duality of the human being affects all of us.

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14) Both in “Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde” and in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” the presence of a mirror is highly symbolical. What interpretation can be given to it? (Gabriele)

After drinking the potion, Dr. Jekyll starts to change both mentally and physically. His body completely changes and the elegant Victorian gentleman turns into a horrible being called Edward Hyde. The mirror in which Dr Jekyll sees himself after scientific experiment shows him his evil twin.

This symbol of the mirror is used by Stevenson to highlight the theme of the double nature of the human being, which is essential in this novel.
Also in the Picture of Dorian Gray there is a mirror, which the protagonist uses after commiting crimes for checking the progressive changes to his painting which bears the signs of his horrible sins.
Both in the novel by Stevenson and the one by Wilde, the mirror is used to introduce the theme of the double, in order to create the reflection effect.
The mirror also “helps” the author to represent the hypocrisy of the Victorian society. Indeed behind the surface of the Victorian political and economic triumph,  there was a dark side represented by the serious social problems of the time, the moral decadence, corruption and inhuman behaviors of many Victorians.

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16) Which are the main themes dealt with in “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”?  (Noemi)

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16) Which are the main themes dealt with in “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”?  (Noemi)

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The main theme that emerges from “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" is the double nature of the human being.

The novel represents the eternal struggle between good and evil that co-exist in the same person. Henry Jekyll is a brilliant scientist who, by mixing special drugs, succeeds in creating a potion to separate the evil part of the human soul from the good one. His wish is that one day the dark side which is present in every human being and which is the cause of much suffering and misery in the world, could be permanently eliminated.

The doctor's successful transformation into Mr Hyde makes the doctor initially feel more powerful and free from all moral restraints. However, slowly the deformed and repulsive Mr Hyde manages to prevail and commits several wicked and evil actions. At that point, the doctor realises that he has to eliminate Mr Hyde by killing himself.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are also symbols of the duality of the Victorian Age: on the one hand, Jekyll represents the public face of the Victorian gentleman with his respectable behaviour and good manners; on the other, through the several crimes that Mr Hyde commits at night in the notorious streets of London, Stevenson shows the dark side of people caused by malevolence and cruelty.

Even the name Hyde is linked to this controversial theme: it means to hide, to do what you cannot do openly.

Another important theme in the novel  is the concept of social reputation and appearance. Such values were considered essential in the Victorian society.

Despite the many serious problems that were affecting especially the lower classes, the Victorians showed a tendency to put up a veil of moral dechorum and sobriety in order to maintain a good reputation and avoid scandals.

Dr. Jekyll, of course, is a good example of this struggle as he tries to keep up a gentlemanly appearance in society. His motivation for creating Hyde is not just scientific, but moved by curiosity and desire to go beyond the limits of nature. We see how excited he is when he succeeds in transforming himself into Hyde. His success makes him feel powerful as he realizes that through Mr Hyde he will be able to do whatever he wants without affecting his reputation.

Also Mr Utterson is a good example of the Victorian model: he has perfect manners, and is systematic, rational, conscientious.

Friendship is another significant theme that is analyzed in the first chapter. The unusual relationship between the two men is portrayed as superficial and based on personal interests and appearance. Utterson and Jekyll are old friends, who see each other on a regular basis, but are unable to communicate. Jekyll also entrusts Utterson with his financial affairs, so their relationship is both personal and professional. At the end of the novel, their friendship will however prove sincere as the lawyer, moved by his affection for the doctor, will show his concern for his friend and decides to investigate on his strange case.

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17) The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde suggest the myth of Faust. What justifies this association? (ELEONORA)

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and My Hyde is one of the most famous Gothic stories in English literature. Written by Stevenson in 1886, the novel reminds also of the Myth of Faust, i.e. the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange of unlimited power for 24 years so that all his desires can be satisfied.

In both works, the eternal conflict in humankind between good and evil is revealed, suggesting that no person is entirely good or evil, but that we all have also a dark side. The readers are however encouraged not to pursue the evil, as this may provoke a loss of control of one's own identity.

The most important theme that connects the two stories is the "Alter Ego", that means "the other me". Dr Jekyll is obsessed by his alter ego, Mr Hyde, and this is also an example of his double personality. As a scientist, Dr Jekyll wants to discover a scientific method that could divide the good part of him from the bad one. His wish is to create a potion that could isolate the evil and thus eliminate all suffering caused to humanity. In doing so, he however breaks the law of God and goes against nature. His curiosity and thirst for knowledge make of him a rebel who wants to go beyond the limits of nature and is finally punished with death.

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18) THE INITIAL DREAM OF DR. JEKYLL AND THE TRUTH HE THINKS HE HAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE EXPERIMENT. (GIADA)

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18) THE INITIAL DREAM OF DR. JEKYLL AND THE TRUTH HE THINKS HE HAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE EXPERIMENT. (GIADA)

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Dr Jekyll is a brilliant doctor who, during his studies about the human psyche, is able to develop a potion to separate the evil side of himself from the good one.
By taking this drug, Jekyll is able to separate the dual nature of the human soul and transforms himself in Mr Hyde.

Jekyll’s personality appears as split in two mirror halves which alternately take possession of his body. The Victorian scientistist, who has always lived a virtuous life represents the good part of Jekyll, whereas the monstruous, deform Mr Hyde symbolizes the evil, dark side that is hidden in every human being. After the experiment, Jekyll becomes aware that he actually wants to indulge in the moral freedom that Hyde allows him to have, because he can give vent to his unconscious drives without the need of keeping them secret. Jekyll will soon  realise that he is no more able to control his mutation and that his evil alterego although initially less developed, is gradually spoiling his good twin. Hyde will in fact become stronger and stronger, up to the point that the trasformation becomes almost irreversible. When Jekyll realizes that Hyde has almost taken control over him and he is trapped in Hyde’s body, he will decide to commit suicide as this is the obly way to eliminate Hyde.

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19. What is the symbolical meaning of Mr Hyde’s deformity in relation to Stevenson’s contemporary society?  -Genny 

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19. What is the symbolical meaning of Mr Hyde’s deformity in relation to Stevenson’s contemporary society?  -Genny 

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Hyde appears repulsively ugly and deformed, small, shrunken, and hairy. His physical ugliness and deformity symbolizes his moral hideousness and warped ethics.
Indeed, for the readers of Stevenson’s time, the connection between such ugliness and Hyde’s wickedness might have been seen as more than symbolic.

Many people believed in the science of physiognomy, which held that one could identify a criminal by physical appearance.
Additionally, Hyde’s small stature may represent the fact that, as Jekyll’s dark side, he has been repressed for years, prevented from growing.

Mr.Hyde is deformed like the society in which he lives. Stevenson harshly criticizes the Victorian society because of its duplicity. The socalled Victorian Compromise was in fact based on materialism and the exploitation of the poor, although their mainstream values were that of personal duty, hard work, progress, triumph and authority.
All in all the Victorian society was characterized by hypocrisy, social injustice and inequity. While the upper classes enjoyed great economic prosperity and led a comfortable life, the vast majority of the population lived in appalling conditions and complete poverty. This dualism can be found also in Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, who represent the double aspects of the human soul and of Stevenson's contemporary society.

Dr.Jekyll in particular shows that beneath the facade of respectability, good reputations and civilised manners there is a monstruous part made up of evil, primitive instincts and violent drives.

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Actor John Barrymore as Dr. Jekyll