Concetti Chiave
- "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" explores the Victorian theme of the double, depicting the conflict between the respectable Dr. Jekyll and his evil alter ego, Mr. Hyde.
- The novel highlights the moral dichotomy of the Victorian Age, showcasing the contrasts between progress, social reforms, and underlying societal hypocrisies.
- Stevenson uses the concept of the double to criticize the hypocrisy of individuals who maintain appearances while concealing darker aspects of their nature.
- The struggle between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde symbolizes the dominance of the alter ego, culminating in Jekyll's realization that only death can free him from Hyde.
- The narrative intricately links body and mind, using Mr. Utterson's perspective to explore internal conflicts and the detailed depiction of settings and characters.
The theme of the double
“The Strange Case of Doctor Jeckyll and Mr Hyde” is the most famous novel written by Stevenson. It develops one of the most important themes of the Victorian Age: the double. The main character, in fact, is a man who has two personalities: Dr. Jekyll, a respectable man, and his doppelganger Mr. Hyde, an evil genius. The story is told by Mr. Utterson, a typical victorian man. It is based on the continuous struggle between good and evil: through the novel, in fact, the author wants to express the moral dichotomy of these two aspects. It reflects the main characteristics of the Victorian Age, an age of great contrasts: one hand it was a time of progress and social reforms, on the other hand it was characterized by hypocrisies and injustices.
Hypocrisy and alter ego
So, the theme of the double, analyzed by Stevenson, represents the hypocrisy of Victorian people, who make good actions only to maintain the appearances. The double is a sort of alter ego that most of the times comes to dominate the subject. At the end of the novel, in fact, Hyde takes control of Dr. Jekyll. So, the man realizes that he can free himself from Hyde in only one way: by killing himself.
Relationship between body and mind
In addition to that, the story has a complex view of the relationship between body and mind, as mind and body are intricately linked. Stevenson develops the story with a defined structure: it is told in third person and the perspective adopted is internal; the story follows Mr. Utterson’s point of view and the settings and the characters are described in details.
Domande da interrogazione
- How does "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" explore the theme of the double?
- How is the relationship between body and mind portrayed in the story?
The novel explores the theme of the double by presenting Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as two personalities within the same man, symbolizing the struggle between good and evil. This reflects the Victorian Age's moral dichotomy and societal contrasts.
The story portrays a complex relationship between body and mind, emphasizing their intricate connection. Stevenson uses a structured narrative from Mr. Utterson's perspective to detail this relationship, highlighting the internal and external conflicts faced by the characters.
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