THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL E MR HYDE

The novel deals with the theme of the double in human nature; in fact both good and evil are in each human being. In the story good Is represented by Dr Jekyll and evil by Mr Hyde. Their physical aspect reflects moral characteristics: Jekyll has always been virtues and so he is handsome, his body is well-proportioned and his hands are white and well-shopped; Hyde, instead is pure evil and so he is pale and dwarfish, his hands are dark and hairy, and gives an impression of deformity. At the beginnings Hyde appears smaller than his alter ego, because the evil side is less developed, but gradually Hyde starts to became taller, it means that evil is becoming stronger than good; and Dr Jekyll isn't able to control Mr Hyde any more.

The story can be seen as a gothic novel for its irrational elements and because of its atmosphere, full of suspense, of the setting which is often dark and sinister and because of the sense of the terror transmitted by Mr Hyde. In addiction a lot of scenes are set during the night .

The novel can be also an example of detective story, in fact there is a mystery, a murder and some people, the inspector Newcomen of Scotland Yard and Mr Utterson who investigate to solve the case.

Another interpretation of the novel is that it is a criticism and condemnation of Victorian repressiveness. Victorian society with its strict sexual morality, its cult of respectability and decorum, repressed natural instincts and impulses.

  The novel has a multi-narrative structure, in fact there are four narrators and so four points of view. The narrators are: Mr Utterson (who has the role of a detective), Enfield (a distant relative of Utterson), Dr Lanyon (a friend and colleague of Dr Jekyll) and Dr Jekyll ( who is the narrator in the last chapter). So there isn't a omniscient narrator.

In this novel we can find the Darwinism's evolution theory, because while Jekyll is the maximum of the search, Hyde is only a primordial being.

In this story we can see the Biblical opposition between good and Satan (evil).

He was born in Edinburgh in 1850. he spent most of his childhood in bed because he was very sick. He travelled a lot and he lived in Germany, Italy and France. He was under the influence of his family's Calvinism. He studied engineering at University but he graduated in law and decided to devote himself to writing. He was bohemian in Britain; he died of a brain haemorrhage in 1894.

When Mr Utterson came home, he was unhappy. He ate and he took Dr Jekyll's will. There was written that in case of disappearance or death of Dr Jekyll, Mr Edward Hyde could have all his money. The lawyer decided to find out the truth. He decided to visit Dr Lanyon, another old friend of Jekyll. They talked a little and then Utterson asked if he knows the name 'Hyde'. He said no. One day Utterson was walking in the old street, when he saw a man. He asked him if he was Hyde and he confirmed. Hyde sad Jekyll wasn't at home and he gave Utterson his address. Utterson went to Jekyll house and he asked Poole, a servant, if Hyde was a close friend of Jekyll. It was so. Servants had to obey Mr Hyde. He also had a key of the laboratory.

In the beginning of this chapter, Jekyll explain why he would separe evil and good side of the man. He think that if he succeeded to separate this two elements, he can make a life more pleasant and the life would be relieved of all his intolerable. He bought a large quantity of particular salts and he computed the elements and he drunk the potion. He feels some pangs, a grinding in the bones, a deadly nausea and a horror in the spirit. After the transformation he felt lighter, younger and happier in his body. But after he understood that when he wore the semblance of Hyde, none could come near to him without a visible misgiving. So Mr Hyde was pure evil. (the tone is serious and mysterious)