The Gothic fiction “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, talks about Dr. Jekyll, a benevolent scientist, transforming into his malevolent alter ego, Mr. Hyde, after drinking a portion he created. The lawyer, Mr. Utterson, attempts to uncover the mystery of the criminal Mr. Hyde. Based on Lanyon’s notes, Dr. Jekyll invented a potion that divides his good and evil traits. Jekyll realized that he committed many crimes when becoming Mr. Hyde. One night, Dr. Jekyll finds that he is transformed into Mr. Hyde without meaning to. Being afraid that his darker side would be overpowering him, Dr. Jekyll becomes depressed and withdraws from his friends. When Dr. Jekyll runs out of the potion and cannot create more, he takes his own life to prevent further harm, thus ending both his and Mr. Hyde’s existence. There are three main themes to be discussed in this book: Supernaturalism, Divided Self. and the Dark Side of Science.
An intense focus on the supernatural can lead individuals to become obsessed with the dark practices, which distancing themselves from reality and engaging in harmful behaviors. Supernaturalism is essentially a worldview that includes more than what can be observed and tested by the natural sciences.After consuming the potion, Dr. Jekyll gains the ability to transform into Mr. hyde. Utilizing this power, Mr. Hyde harms a young girl and commits numerous illegal acts. To many, he is considered a murderer. Supernaturalism is intricately woven into the story, primarily through the transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde via a mysterious potion. The act of drinking the supernatural potion represents the duality within human nature, illustrating the struggle between good and evil. Mr. Hyde’s evilness comes from supernaturalism. Dr. Jekyll invented the evil Mr. Hyde in his science lab because he wanted to discover more science. But Mr. Hyde is ugly everywhere, both his appearance and his thoughts; unlike the Elephant man, who has a kind heart despite his unattractive appearance. The existence of Mr. Hyde allows readers for exploration of moral ambiguity and the consequence of unrestrained desires. Supernaturalism, at some points, threatens human beings, challenging the goodness of human beings. The negative side and results of supernatural power would lead to conflicts and lack of harmony, causing other people to suffer.
The concept of “divided self” refers to the idea that a person could possess conflicting identities, desires, or different aspects of personality that create internal conflicts. Divided self in literature is used to highlight the struggle between different parts of a character, such as moral values versus darker impulses. Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll are actually the same person but two sides, displaying different appearance, behaviors, and attitudes. Initially, he was Dr. Jekyll, a kind respectful man; but as the effects of the drug worked, the darker side, Mr. Hyde, emerged. One person could divide into two different personalities. Specifically, one could be a nice, gentle person during the day while being mean, breaking rules during the night. Dr. Jekyll is a respectful scientist who helps people and is liked by everyone. But after drinking the special potion he invented, he became Mr. Hyde, the complete opposite of Dr. Jekyll who was mean and did bad things without caring about the rules or how others feel. Dr. Jekyll thought that after drinking a potion he could still manage himself and not transform to Mr. Hyde. He was mistaken as the darker side of human nature is hardest to control. The divided self illustrates the complexity of human nature, revealing how a person may fight with their inner contradictions.
Scientific endeavors can pose significant risks, potentially leading to human suffering and considerable disruption in people’s lives. It is crucial to balance the benefits and risks of scientific endeavors, emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines and considerations. Mr. Hyde was invented by Dr. Jekyll while drinking the scientific potion. As Mr. Hyde, he engages in violence and whatever-he-want activities without being recognized, which allows him to avoid getting caught as he appears to become different people. Dr. Jekyll used this evil identification, Mr. Hyde, to fulfill his desires. The invention of Mr. Hyde is to satisfy Dr. Jekyll’s thoughts and actions by doing harmful things. Dr. Jekyll used the unpleasant figure of Mr. Hyde to escape the constraints of his gentleman-like image. This raises a controversial question of whether science should enhance or diminish life. Although scientific advancements could bring positive impacts, at the same time, they could cause significant negative consequences. Take sperm donation as an example. Sperm donation provides a solution for individuals or couples and allows them to have biological children. But the anonymity of donors could be a problem. What if in the future the kids with the same sperm donor grow up and get married? It is unethical. They forget humanity! Honestly, it is not wrong for Dr. Jekyll to innovate and uncover scientific truths, but his creation of Mr. Hyde demonstrates a failure of not thinking about the moral and ethical considerations. Scientists should refrain from utilizing scientific advancements to develop innovations that are harmful to humanity, focusing solely on personal benefits.
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