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The term doppelgänger, also known as a double persona, is a term commonly used in literature to point out human flaws by portraying them through two different perspectives. The dual nature of human kind exists in many cases and can be expressed through the setting or the protagonist itself. Often, features of the duality are used in order to illustrate a moral lesson or warn humanity about the dangers that may arise if desires are not controlled or concealed. In both Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley and The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the theme of duality is framed through the author's use of specific character diction, setting and input of the alter ego.
In Frankenstein, the protagonist, Victor, is a young scientist who is driven by his passion for creating life. His lack of heedfulness and culpability is what leads to the creation of a creature who is rejected and soon becomes the pariah of society.
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The convoluted relationship between Victor and his creature challenges the idea that they are linked together by the powers of nature and are intertwined into one being. A similar event took place in Jekyll and Hyde, where the reader is alerted by the protagonist, Jekyll, who reveals his passion for scientific experiments by creating a potion that allows him to transform himself into an animalistic creature named Hyde. Social context is highly influential on the characters and events in both novels, as they were both published around the Victorian era, a society which was always questioning the triumph of right over wrong and strongly depicted the use of science versus religion to question humanity as a whole.
Both novels explore the idea that humans consist of two sides; the ‘evil’ and the ‘good’.
In Frankenstein, the complicated relationship between Victor and his creature is contrasted by the core similarities they share with each other and the author. Victor and the creature seem to fluctuate between similar thoughts about their creators. When talking about his parents, Victor states that “ was their plaything and their idol their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on heaven and whose future lot was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery”. In other words, Victor believes that his happiness was determined by the way he was nurtured by his parents. Similarly, the creature says “was benevolent and good: misery made [him] a fiend. Make happy, and shall again be virtuous”, demonstrating how he is blaming his creator, Victor, for his destructive nature because he was abandoned and ill-treated by him. The resemblance of their views leads the reader to believe that the creature represents Victor’s unconscious state of mind. Furthermore, the rejections of the creature by both society and Victor, is relevant to Mary Shelley's personal life. At a young age Mary Shelley's mother died, and her step-mother never accepted her into the family, leaving Shelley with no formal education. She blamed much of the subsequent unhappiness in her life on her lack of proper parenting. Victor and the monster follow a similar downfall throughout the novel, Victor is “smitten with the thirst for knowledge”, this becomes his driving force for science and his motivation to create the creature. However, Victor’s constant isolation and passion to create life causes a drastic change in him, as he states, his “cheek had grown pale with study, and his person has become emaciated with confinement” suggesting that Victor’s mental and physical state has begun to degrade. The evoking picturesque imagery of confinement gives the impression that Victor is so lost from reality that he is no longer a part of society. The creature also experiences ongoing isolation once he realises he has been rejected by society, as he attests to when he declares that he is “an unfortunate and deserted creature an outcast in the world forever”. The interchangeable lives between the two characters makes the reader amplify this schizophrenic relationship between Frankenstein and the monster. Therefore, Shelley may be dealing with a philosophical idea about their synchronicity, raising awareness among all relationships of ‘I’ and the ‘other’.
Similarly, in Jekyll and Hyde, Stevenson explores the theme of duality through Jekyll's and Utterson's character. The events of the novel are uncovered through a limited perspective since the novel is written in 3rd person through the eyes of Utterson who represents the epitome of a civilized Victorian gentlemen. Utterson, said he “inclined to Cain’s heresy”and he “unadorned an approved tolerance for envy, at high pressure of spirits”. The fact that utterson is envious of ‘high spirits’ indicates the nascent side of him that seeks pleasure in Utterson too. A Victorian reader, as well as contemporary one, witnesses Stevenson’s suggestion that the concept of duality is within us all, even upstanding men like Utterson, or society have to recognize the sinful side and allow for an outlet so that it doesn’t breed and grow stronger, as is the case with Victor’s monster. In addition, Hyde’s savage actions juxtapose those of Jekyll. Hyde, “with ape-like fury, was trampling his victim”. This animalistic and inhumane attack portrays a violent presence throughout, he targets an innocent figure. The “ape” connotation could be a reference to Darwinian evolution. During the publication of the novel, Darwin released the origins of species, the theory of evolution created an enormous amount of controversy as previously, mysticism and belief in god were the primary source of knowledge. Therefore, Victorians were beginning to question Christian dogma, wondering if there were other less repressive ways to live their lives. Perhaps Jekyll is simply mistaken: “man is not truly two” but is first and foremost the primitive creature embodied in Hyde who is brought under the tentative control of civilization, law and conscience. Stevenson clearly exemplifies the duality of man through Jekyll's potion which strip away the civilized veneer, exposing man's essential nature. Perhaps one of the main messages Stevenson is conveying is that there are some aspects of ourselves that we can’t hide or control. If we do, they will naturally overpower and control us.
Finally, both novels Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde rely on the setting to support the theme of duality. Stevenson utilizes the blend of public and private spaces which mirror the attributes and habits of the characters. The constant shifting of setting from the “changing glimpses” of the street and the “dusty windows, barred with iron” to the more luxurious parts of London “furnished with luxury and good taste” is reflecting the double life-style that Jekyll is able to thrive in. Ironically, the transformation of Jekyll to Hyde occurs in an open, beautiful setting which is contrasted with the dark, sinister laboratory of Frankenstein. Not only does the setting present the juxtaposing atmosphere, it also hints at the darker side of scientific exploration. Rapid progress in scientific research makes it difficult for society to regulate science that is capable of creating and exploiting artificial life. Scientists and technologists are constantly producing artificial organisms and different forms of nanotechnology. The creation of some form of new life in both novels suggests “that the boundaries between life and matter, human and nonhuman, living and machine are not easily defined”. Likewise, in Frankenstein, the setting of the novel ranges from Europe, where Victor spends most of his time, to the cold North in the Arctic. The remote setting of the North creates vivid imagery of isolation and loneliness; here, Shelley may be symbolizing the creatures life and neglect. Additionally, Shelley directs significant attention towards carefully describing the beautiful countryside of Europe, “these sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the great consolation”; this picturesque imagery could be connoting Victors more graceful nature. The setting is one of the most important aspects of any novel as it plays a significant role in setting the scene and enhancing the readers knowledge about the characters as well as foreshadowing future events. Therefore the fact that the theme of duality was incorporated into the setting in both novels, marks the significance of it.
All in all, from both novels it is evident that the true dual nature of human kind is apparent most when desires are suppressed and hidden. The urge to experience new encounters and pleasures is stemmed through two different personas. Usually, in public spaces people are forced to mask themselves in order to live up to societal standards. Shelley, who had a difficult upbringing could have incorporated this dual nature of humans to express the side of her that she never was able to experience in her childhood, in contrast Stevenson, who was an atheist, wanted to prove to society that humanity is not perfect but is flawed.
Frankenstein Vs. Jekyll And Hyde: Comparison Of Two Stories. (2024, Feb 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/frankenstein-vs-jekyll-and-hyde-comparison-of-two-stories-essay
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