Masculinity in the Strange Case

Masculinity in the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Written by author Robert Louis Stevenson, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published in 1886 after two separate attempts at writing it. Stevenson threw the first copy of the manuscript into the garbage after slaving over it for three consecutive days. He then worked on the second version, which was ultimately published. For its time, the story, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was innovative and dark. The complexity of the story revolves around a genius doctor (Dr. Jekyll), who invents a drug serum, which transforms him into an evil, out-of-control, alter ego (Mr. Hyde). The drug was initially created to test the doctor's theory that man has a dual nature (or an alter ego) and the doctor is successful in separating the good and evil sides of his true self. Unfortunately, the drug was quite unpredictable and Dr. Jekyll would turn into Mr. Hyde various times throughout the day, without warning. Dr. Jekyll is a respected, even-tempered individual who throws lavish parties and stays out of trouble, but Mr. Hyde is pure evil; a murderous and dark individual walking the streets and terrorizing those around him.

The intent of this essay is to speculate what about Dr. Jekyll's masculinity is perceived as good and what exactly about Mr. Hyde's personality is perceived as "evil" or bad. it's important to discuss what makes Dr. Jekyll good and why his dual personality is so far from what appeared to be his true self. Direct quotes from the original text will be included in some parts of this essay in order to support the statements, which will be discussed.

Analysis

In the story, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll becomes curious about human nature, in general. This curiosity turns into an obsession as Dr. Jekyll comes to believe that every person is part angel and part demon. He decides to try to isolate each personality side by creating a drug that will separate the two. In the story, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde look completely different from each other. Dr. Jekyll is smaller with a more petite stature and Mr. Hyde is much bigger and stronger. In the first analysis of Dr. Jekyll, it is clear that Stevenson was writing about a character that fit the Victorian persona, along with moral ability. Dr. Jekyll is considered to be docile and part of society, thus making him the "good" side of the two personalities.

The description of Dr. Jekyll speaks a great deal about Victorian society overall. Today, research has proven to us that much of Victorian society lived dual lives, so perhaps this is the heart of the matter that Stevenson was trying to impress on his readers. He uses complete opposites with the good and the evil, but he could have very well been using a descriptive metaphor for the day-to-day life of many individuals in this time period. Dr. Jekyll is described as being a prominent member of society who is aware of moral codes that society says he must obey. Still, Dr. Jekyll isn't purely perfect, because he holds a curiosity about his alter ego and chooses to participate in a mission to separate the two. or, perhaps this was simply his way of living out his animalistic and evil fantasies.

Mr. Hyde was the complete opposite (in most ways) of Dr. Jekyll. Not only was he bigger and stronger, his personality was drastically different, except that the whole point of the drug was to prove that we all have two different sides to us in our human nature and to try to successfully separate the two personalities. That being said, even though Mr. Hyde was supposed to be very different from Dr. Jekyll, who was part of everyday society and a prominent figure within society, Mr. Hyde's personality was supposed to be part of Dr. Jekyll's true personality as well. Much like an individual would make the claim that they had gone on a killing spree because a voice told them to do so, it is not very different for Dr. Jekyll to separate two parts of his personality and use his alter ego to create complete terror and chaos in society.

Stevenson's book is one of the few books written in its time that is still popular today. Most people are aware of the story, either from an educational standpoint or from their own pure curiosity about the story (Cohen, 2003).

In the story, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is described as a doctor who gives pleasant dinners. For example: "A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent reputable men, and all judges of good wine; and Mr. Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had departed." It is clear from this passage from the manuscript that Dr. Jekyll strives to be a part of everyday society and to be accepted.

Mr. Hyde, on the other hand, is described as an angry tyrant who terrorizes people he meets. One of the best descriptions is as follows: "And as she so sat she became aware of an aged and beautiful gentleman with white hair drawing near along the lane; and advancing to meet him, another and very small gentleman, to whom at first she paid less attention. When they had come within speech (which was just under the maid's eyes) the older man bowed and accosted the other with a very pretty manner of politeness. It did not seem as if the subject of his address were of great importance; indeed, from his pointing, it sometimes appeared as if he were only inquiring his way; but the moon shone on his face as he spoke, and the girl was pleased to watch it, it seemed to breathe such an innocent and old-world kindness of disposition, yet with something high too, as of a well-founded self-content. Presently her eye wandered to the other, and she was surprised to recognize in him a certain Mr. Hyde, who had once visited her master and for whom she had conceived a dislike. He had in his hand a heavy cane, with which he was trifling; but he answered never a word, and seemed to listen with an ill-contained impatience. And then all of a sudden he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on (as the maid described it) like a madman."

Conclusion

Cohen points out that just a couple of years after the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published, the beginning murders of Jack the Ripper began (in 1888). The manuscript was innovatively written for its time. Interestingly enough, the true-life horror of Jack the Ripper would begin after the book was published, allowing Stevenson's book to make a valid point. Today, we know that there are many killers and psychopaths that live normal, everyday lives. It is interesting that Stevenson hit on this mark in 1886 when he wrote a book about a man with two personalities. Granted, the two personalities came out in two very different psychical appearances, but the idea still remains the same. Dr. Jekyll was an example of what was then, modern society. He was polite, small in stature and did everything an individual who was a prominent member of society should do. He threw parties, had polite conversations and a quiet demeanor. His alter ego, Mr. Hyde, was larger, stronger and downright vicious. Mr. Hyde's character created chaos and mayhem wherever he went. The two characters were very different from each other, but were thought to be derived from the same being.