Moll Flander versus the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde - Essay Sample

Introduction

Many scholars advocate human nature as that of duality, since people have two sides of their lives, either right or evil. At times people are fascinated by the duality of their nature which to an extent is a condition that affects every individual. The obsession on the evil or dark side overpowers the good side, and this has a direct psychological implication (Stevenson, 108). It is this duality of people's personality that creates tensions between the real character of an individual and their other side. The darker side is a life that ravels in causing harm and mayhem and to some extent, it becomes hard to control. The two sides portray different characters. The psychological aspect of a person is affected, where one side of an individual is good-natured, responsible, honest and accountable, while the other one turns to be characterized by violence, irresponsible and canning personality (111). The scenario can be described as the polar opposite where one is evil and the other one good. This is supported by the comparison between the case of moll Flander versus the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde.

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In the duality of human nature, there has always been the existence of two extreme sides that keep opposing, one wholly evil and the other completely good. This character is recognized and portrayed in the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In the story, the former is an embodiment of good while the latter is an embodiment of evil (Stevenson 114). This scenario also applies to Moll Flander who lives a double life. One side she is good and pretends to be so to attain what she is after, in case, she misses her goals, Flander could immediately shift to another man. Her double life turned her to a thief from the cool kid she was before. Individuals in both cases have their right as well as the evil side, which eventually overpowers the good one. However, there is always a misunderstanding understand the two opposite sides are the same individual.

The early life of Moll Flander is difficult, considering that she was born in prison and sent to live with the poor and kind nurse. Years later, when she was old enough, she was sent to stay in a wealthy family. Everything was going on well until the family's oldest son made romantic advances and her troubles begun (Defoe 113). In a short period, the relationship failed, and she marries second gentle but no money husband. They broke up after a short time, being penniless and without a husband, Flander opt to change her identity to hide from creditors. Getting into a relationship and breaking up had become the ordinary thing to Flander. Due to frustrations in her life, relationships that were not working out and most importantly being in desperate need for cash to support her life, she embarked on crime, performing cons and stealing. However, the trend did not take long until she was caught, sent to prison and sentenced to death, but later the sentence is changed to exile in America.

The case of moll Flander ideally tackles on the class struggle, gender relations, repressive societies as well as bad economics. In lives, people may engage in odd stuff to make a living. According to Defoe (113), making a living is not all that easy, and at a time people resolve in taking strange measures to make end meets. However, even if the economies are not doing well and making a living is difficult, people should not engage in criminal activities but instead, choose a page that is crime free (117). People should not follow the criminal path as an exact path out of poverty but rather involve themselves in certain genuine activities.

The original interpretation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is to think or imagine the former as good, Victorian and the most successful scientist of his time Dr.Jekyll through his experimentations and inspired by his noble achievements gradually changed from accountable, honest and competent individual to a dreadful self. Similarly, Moll Flander changed from being, good individual while growing up, to extortionist and finally becoming a thief. Initially, Jekyll had control of the process and later the evil personality of "Hyde" a wanted killer took charge of good "Dr.Jekyll," a fact that became impossible to reverse. Eventually, in the end, there was an incarnation of pure evil Mr. Hyde, getting rid of the good self in him, entirely.

The theoretical explanation of Jekyll and Hyde's case is somewhat horrifying, due to the aspects involved. It is worrying because human character focuses on the idea of doing well beyond the reach of evil. Dr. Jekyll is depicted as undisputable good; however, the interpretation shows that no good exists in him. On the other hand, it is fantastic because for Jekyll to change to Hyde, some evil elements must have lived or existed before. At times, a human is an incongruous compound of their good and evil (Stevenson, 118). In his experiment, Dr. Jekyll is inspired by the idea of both good and evil personalities which are meant to channel the different characters in two identities. However, the results were a project involving a concentration of pure evil "Hyde" who is smaller than Jekyll. It turns out that Hyde is a small portion of Jekyll but horrified by the evil actions of Hyde, the right side is overpowered and unable to control such aspects. In essence, the human right side is supposed to control the evil part, but to the extreme, the condition becomes difficult to reverse, causing people to continue being violent, murderers, rapists and another kind of evils.

Even when evil personality exerts control, human nature is supposed to be responsible for actions taken. Because, even as the good and evil spirit exist inside people, one still can choose whether to do good or evil (Stevenson 122). For instance, "Dr. Jekyll admits that if he had approached his discovery in more noble spirit" allowing the good to control and overpower the evil, he would have come forth as an angel instead of a friend (123). Similarly, Flander in her evil side overpowered the willingness to do well, and this drove her to be an extortionist, married more than four men all in the name of looking for a fulfilling life. As a traumatizing fact, Flander good side was overpowered by evil, as she doesn't seem to care about her siblings. Like an animal, Moll Flander seeks to satisfy herself without restraints of social and moral codes which seem not to exist in her (Defoe 130). Referring to the Flander case, "an argument ensues on whether money is necessary to be happy in a relationship and whether good luck trumps it" (130)

The two cases have many similarities as there are differences, in reality, considering that both Moll Flander and Jekyll lived a double life. Flander's life at some point is that of pretense though due to her poverty status, she pretends to be in true love while sounding more of an extortionist (Defoe 143). When she realizes the man does not have money, she becomes quick to look for other financially stable men. At one point she even changed her identity to hide from creditors. Unknown to many, Jekyll lived a double life of engaging in evil unrestricted conducts in private, while trying to maintain his gentleness and respect in the public eyes making him an epitome of self-divided. Stevenson (132), states that double life makes people commit themselves to hypocrisy as unfolded in Jekyll's life. The former wanted to be two different people by hypothesizing good character can perform an excellent job and find enjoyment in the same. However, the super-ego of a person can fail to identify what is morally right and wrong, and when this fails, a person turns toward spontaneity life.

Both Dr. Jekyll and Flander engage in criminal activities in search of different satisfactions. For example, Flander chooses to turn to a thief, committing crimes by performing cons and stealing to make a living. Though the reason for engaging in crime was to make a living, it is not a genuine and legal means of making a living and that why she is caught and imprisoned. On the other hand, Jekyll involvement in violence and criminality is a means towards fulfilling his worst desires that alienated him from the Victorian society, good reputation and noble character (141). Initially, Jekyll believed he could hide his true nature, but Hyde revealed him as a real criminal. Unable to control the evil, Jekyll, allow Hyde to commit various heinous acts like violence, rape, and forgery. Reversing Hyde to Jekyll was not easy since once an individual allows temptations, it turns difficult for that same individual to resist the same temptation second time (147).

The only difference existing between Moll Flander and Dr. Jekyll and Hyde case is that whereas, the former engage in criminality to make a living. They lived a double life to hide from creditors and make money, Jekyll turned to crimes and lived a two-sided life due to the inability to overpower and control the evil "Hyde." His acts of violence were driven by his wicked desires to satisfy him (151). Moreover, the immoral acts destroyed his relation with Victorian society, ruined his reputation and his scientist noble causes, the super-ego failed to control the evil part.

Conclusion

What is important to learn is that their society is formed by a collection of human beings, persons who cannot control the whole but who can focus and control their actions. Dr.Jekyll failed to control his actions which could have saved his life and those of other people in the community (Stevenson 157). The tragedy of Dr.Jekyll should serve to remind people of the essence of taking responsibility for their actions and re-examining their character before judging others. People can live a healthy life, productive and honest if they learn to balance the rational with irrational behavior, good and evil. Then this could be a fulfillment of human desires for which everyone can dream or hope.

Works Cited

Defoe, Daniel. The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders (1721). Routledge, 2016. 112-180

Stevenson, Robert Louis. "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde." Medicine and Literature, Volume Two. CRC Press, 2018. 105-177.