Literary Analysis Essay on Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Paper Type:  Literature review
Pages:  5
Wordcount:  1304 Words
Date:  2022-09-14
Categories: 

Introduction

Kathrine Linehan in the book titled "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" brings up many important claims. It focuses on the importance of human beings, and he brings up the dual nature the wrong and right, despair and joy, evil and good. It makes use of narrative techniques that are intertwined such as foreshadowing, flashback, and suspense. It, therefore, calls every reader to be attentive and be in a position to question the system values about temperance in the Victorian period.

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Many critics bring out the issue of women not appearing in the novel as among those who are the main characters, and they link it to the cultural and social life of Stevenson. The interpretations that the book brings out the drama of the inherent weakness that is in predominates in the social organization in Victoria. This weakness is derived from oedipal and preoedipal issue that is unresolved, and this poses a significant threat to the community. Patriarchy and Stevenson insist that all men that appear in the story bring the creation of the society that is close-knit..."mother-child mirroring." There is a mirroring of men in the book and their bonds present as homoerotic and homosocial. Consequently, there is a fear of developing a relationship with any peer woman.

Stevenson had to bring up the context of a relationship between a woman and a man to be able to bring out the gender problem that was affecting people. Jennifer identifies that there is blurring sphere in between the male and female characters and she claims that domesticated men usually move from "masculinized" field into a feminized area and this is via engagement in the discourse that is feminine such as integrity, morality, domesticity love and marriage.

There are mysterious happenings that surround Mr. Hyde, and there is the highlight of the proper, eminent and the appropriate attitudes of Utterson and Enfield in Victoria. The text brings a clear description of these men as being so reserved, and it claims that they can enjoy long walks within which no man will say any word. By declining to be indulged in much more impulse feelings and thoughts, they show a lack of taste that is mutual for gossip and sensation. They avoid holding discussions concerning Hyde, and this is after the realization that someone who Utterson knows is involved. The value system in Victoria privileged the reputation mainly over the reality, and this kind prioritization is shown in the narrator's remarks concerning Enfield and Utterson and when bringing out the character's comments concerning blackmail and gossip.

In a society that is so much focused on good reputation, blackmail proves otherwise by introducing a potent force, and this is because everyone who is involved in building good standing will be forced to do anything to preserve them. Therefore when Hyde trampled on the little girl, the enfiled and the crowd can now blackmail him to pay the family off. By accessing the bank account of the man by Hyde, this resulted in Enfield leaping to a conclusion that blackmailing is Hyde's benefactor.

Steven thoroughly explores duality and a story that does not have importance as it lacks women and consistency with duality or either to support that theme. Stevenson, however, married a woman who was older than him, and it is argued that he had Oedipus complex and as confirmed by Kanzer that Stevenson had oedipal emotions and he preluded therapeutic working in the midst of oedipal feelings. He took into consideration sexuality and sex in his work. He brings up feminine energy as displayed by the feminized men.

Stevenson has sufficiently established a collaboration of feminism and masculinity, and this subverts identity of either of them, and this presents the implicit of the sexual relationship sensuality. Jekyl is the most popular character who distinguishably and professionally socializes with male peers. He had no wife or girlfriend, and from an early stage he had been indulging in pleasures overnight, and he found it uncomfortable consistently with the public image of himself. Readers have detected that there is involvement of minor characters who are female who are deviant and monstrous, the little girl, and an old woman with an evil face and was smoothed by hypocrisy. In comparison with female's males that have feminism have been powerfully depicted. Among the narrators and actors Mr. Richard Enfield and the great Dr. Lanyon and these two had nothing to do with women, and according to them, there are no equal women. Jekyl had some pleasures however he had no wife

Hyde had lodgings inside Soho as mentioned among in the stories, Utterson lived in a bachelor's house while Lanyon and Enfield they are celibates and single characters can be noted in these individuals. Among some readers, it seems that Hyde resembled a lady "weeping like a woman or a lost soul," smaller and younger. Hyde and Jekyll an example of two lovers inside a laboratory where "they lay the cabinet their eyes in the quiet light, a good fire glowing and chattering on the hearth, the kettle singing its thin strain...".Utterson has a weird name which means delivering a baby and he is a representative of the male characters who had female qualities. He decides to adequately preserve the reputation of Jekyll and the preservation of dignity and order. He has motherly figure bossy as he tried to have everything being controlled. In many instances, Utterson has been playing the role of women many times in a homoerotic relationship, and at the beginning of a novel, readers can feel the homoerotic atmosphere that surrounded Enfield and Utterson.

Concerning the object of the Oedipus complex, the conflict is not apparent, and there is no appearance of mother or father. Stevenson brought the idea of relationships between parent and children. There is controversy in how connection happens such that the killing of a father is very counterproductive since the more a son fights for the mother, she will side against him for long. Louis recognizes that the father-son conflict is inevitable. The display of complex occurs when there is an expression of femaleness by the male and the female characters.

The extent of the evil capacity of Hyde. Although Hyde might be taken for nothing big than the only unscrupulous opportunist and the mindless and the vicious nature of the man becomes very clear with violent killing of Sir Danvers Carew and Hyde at random he is fierce, and he had no motive, and he had no safety concern. His disappearance after the murder and his lack of the family, people, and friends who could identify him suggested that he possessed some origin. As in the rest of the novel, Utterson remained as the proper gentleman in Victoria, and this is despite the nature of events that were being investigated. Even as he played the role of detective his desire remained the avoidance of any scandal rather than just discovering the truth. Even after suspecting Jekyll for murder cover up the reported nothing as he wanted to preserve his reputation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it's evident that Steven had gone through some troubles to exclude sex from the story. This is mostly due to the acute sense that the market can bear. Stevenson had not even a single desire of being involved in the story that would be considered obscene or inappropriate for any young readers. Many issues have been brought upon this novel. At the character level, plot level, setting and characterization level, the story of Hyde offers a panoramic view where his concerns on gender and human nature are well presented.

Reference

Linehan, Katherine. (2003). Sex, Secrecy, and Self- Alienation in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Lectures on Literature. New York: Norton Company.

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Literary Analysis Essay on Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (2022, Sep 14). Retrieved from https://midtermguru.com/essays/literary-analysis-essay-on-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde

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