Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - How Does Stevenson create an atmosphere of tension and build up suspense in the novel? To what extent are his methods typical to Gothic Horror Genre?

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How Does Stevenson create an atmosphere of tension and build up suspense in the novel? To what extent are his methods typical to Gothic Horror Genre?

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has all the characteristics of a Gothic Horror text. For example, most of the settings are dark and mysterious, women play a very small part in the text and there is a beast, Hyde. In Frankenstein and Dracula, two Gothic horror texts, there is also a beast. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, lives are deeply affected. The little girl is trampled and badly injured, Sir Danvers Carew is murdered, the maid who saw the murder was deeply horrified, the shock on Dr Lanyon was too much for him and he took to his bed and died.

Stevenson was bought up strictly and taught to behave properly. Victorian children had to seen and not heard and boys had to be brave and manly. Stevenson often wondered about the evil side of a man. He grew up feeling there was a clear division between good and evil, very aware of the powers to destroy, if given the chance. He wondered what it would be