Explore the nature of evil as it presented to us in 'The Strange case of Docter Jekyll and Mr Hyde' by R.L.Steveson and 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding.
In this essay I am going to compare two novels, which are 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding and 'The Strange case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde' by R.L..Stevenson. I am going to study the nature of evil as it appears in these novels.
'The strange case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde' (now to be known as 'DJ & MH') is set in Victorian London. It was published in the late nineteenth century, when society was in a state of confusion because Dawin had recently published 'On the Origin of Species,' an essay on his theory of evolution. His theory stated that man evolved from an ape, which appalled Victorian man, as he did not relish the thought of evolving from an ape because it was a lower life form. He found this notion insulting. Dawin's theory implied that the biblical version of creation was incorrect. The biblical version is found in 'Genesis' and is the story of how God created the Earth in seven days. Victorian man could not envisage descending from a creature such as an ape because they were too sophisticated and advanced to come from such a beast. Churchmen were also extremely offended by Dawin's theory that questioned all the premises of Victorian society. Mr Hyde is similar to an ape in his posture and behaviour, which links the novel with Dawin's theory. In the novel Mr Enfield described him;
' There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.'
Utterson's description of him does not dither either;
'Mr Hyde was pale an dwarfish; he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation.'
Two years after 'DJ & MH 'was published a series of murders took place, the 'White Chapel murders'. The murderer was nicknamed Jack the Ripper because of the way he murdered his victims, as he would surgically remove their organs. Jack the Ripper was said to have been influenced by 'DJ & MH' along with the two Scottish body snatchers,' Burke and Hyde' who operated earlier in the century. The skill in which Jack the Ripper performed his murders suggested that in some way he was connected with the medical professions. Doctors and people involved in medicine are highly respected in society. The character Dr Jekyll was also a doctor, and therefore appears as a force for good, but he had a dark sinister side which emerged from within; Mr Hyde. Jack the Ripper and Mr Hyde are both the evil within a respectable man, but both men released this evil at times. Therefore the murders and the novel are linked.
In this essay I am going to compare two novels, which are 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding and 'The Strange case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde' by R.L..Stevenson. I am going to study the nature of evil as it appears in these novels.
'The strange case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde' (now to be known as 'DJ & MH') is set in Victorian London. It was published in the late nineteenth century, when society was in a state of confusion because Dawin had recently published 'On the Origin of Species,' an essay on his theory of evolution. His theory stated that man evolved from an ape, which appalled Victorian man, as he did not relish the thought of evolving from an ape because it was a lower life form. He found this notion insulting. Dawin's theory implied that the biblical version of creation was incorrect. The biblical version is found in 'Genesis' and is the story of how God created the Earth in seven days. Victorian man could not envisage descending from a creature such as an ape because they were too sophisticated and advanced to come from such a beast. Churchmen were also extremely offended by Dawin's theory that questioned all the premises of Victorian society. Mr Hyde is similar to an ape in his posture and behaviour, which links the novel with Dawin's theory. In the novel Mr Enfield described him;
' There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.'
Utterson's description of him does not dither either;
'Mr Hyde was pale an dwarfish; he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation.'
Two years after 'DJ & MH 'was published a series of murders took place, the 'White Chapel murders'. The murderer was nicknamed Jack the Ripper because of the way he murdered his victims, as he would surgically remove their organs. Jack the Ripper was said to have been influenced by 'DJ & MH' along with the two Scottish body snatchers,' Burke and Hyde' who operated earlier in the century. The skill in which Jack the Ripper performed his murders suggested that in some way he was connected with the medical professions. Doctors and people involved in medicine are highly respected in society. The character Dr Jekyll was also a doctor, and therefore appears as a force for good, but he had a dark sinister side which emerged from within; Mr Hyde. Jack the Ripper and Mr Hyde are both the evil within a respectable man, but both men released this evil at times. Therefore the murders and the novel are linked.
