The wealthy affluent London being safe like the character of Dr Jekyll whilst areas of social deprivation were constantly under treat of crime evil and disease, evil being Dr Jekyll's alter ego Mr Hyde

Authors Avatar

“ In each of us, two natures are at war- the good and the evil. All our lives the fight goes on between them one must conquer. But in our own hands lies the power to choose- What we want most to be we are” (Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1885) 

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

  Born in 1850 into a middle class family in Edinburgh, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Father expected his son to follow in the family tradition and become an engineer. Stevenson, however had other ideas. He was fascinated by literature, but to please his family he studied law, yet he never practised as a lawyer fulfilling his ambition to become a writer.

   Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was a product of Robert Louis Stevenson life. Stevenson’s childhood was blighted by illness and as a result he spent much of his time at home under the care of his much loved nurse Alison Cunningham who told him stories of ghosts, body snatchers and heaven and hell.  Stevenson as a result became fascinated by the idea of good and evil in every person. Stevenson’s ill health continued for most of his life and as a result he took laudanum and morphine as well as cocaine for chest problems and depression, other factors which may well have affected his life style and his writing.

The Stevenson’s family home was in Edinburgh, but as he grew he travelled more and further, London, Bournemouth, France and the continent. Stevenson’s choice of London as the setting for Jekyll and Hyde was the result of the extreme social divide he witnessed there, the wealth and poverty been vividly displayed. The wealthy affluent London being safe like the character of Dr Jekyll whilst areas of social deprivation were constantly under treat of crime evil and disease, evil being Dr Jekyll’s alter ego Mr Hyde

Join now!

This essay will discuss how the Victorians viewed their rapidly expanding cities. It will also explore how Stephenson uses contrasting scenes and weather descriptions to portray good and evil.

As a result of the industrial revolution Victorian Britain saw a massive movement of people from the countryside to major cities. Hugh numbers of houses were built to accommodate these people, but towns quickly became over crowded and unhealthy places. Filthy conditions and the spread of disease was rive amongst the poor and ...

This is a preview of the whole essay