No Subject

[Vita]

First, I don't think the characters in the book are representing 'good' and 'evil'. It is mentioned (in Dr.Jekyll's letter, I think) that his experiment wasn't as he intended - to fully separate good and evil, with two different characters embodying each. Instead, Hyde appeared personifying the pure evil side; but the contrasting character was not a pure good side, but the original mixture of good and bad found in Dr.Jekyll. In this sense, I think you're going the right direction with the idea of repression. Dr.Jekyll is the socially acceptable, repressed individual who still has a dark side, but can hide it. Hyde is the completely liberated (as he is often described), unlimited individual, who gives in to all his dark passions. This works better than the idea of Love/Hate, which I don't agree with. Hyde does feel self-love, and dedicates himself to his selfish desires, and in this sense he seems to fulfill the passions of both love and hate; Jekyll on the other hand, is more subdued, and feels both of these emotions in lesser extremes; in order to conform to society, it seems.<br> The fact that the contrasting figures are Evil and Repression, instead of Evil vs. Good, is notable. I couldn't quite figure it out, but the Freud comment shed considerable light. The conclusion seems to be that we are sinful by nature - the id, Hyde, is a loathsome, evil man. Only by the confines of social norms, and the repression of civilization, can we develop into decent human beings. This is emphasized by the description of Hyde as 'primitive', whereas Jekyll is a suave, distinguished gentleman. Humans, this book would suggest, need society and civilization in order to rise above their despicable natures.

[Unregistered]

i dont agree with the love/hate idea either, or the good/evil. the whole point about jekyll is that he has good and evil within him, and hyde is his liberated evil<br><br>note that Darwin was becoming popular at the time this novel was written, hence the ideas of evolution

[rick]

looks like a great beginning you've done.<br>I've just began this assignment too.<br>What u can can add is what makes hyde evil.<br>What he does and has done that makes him evil.<br>talk about jekyll's past.<br>How he used 2 do crazy experiments at skool because that is that is the reason why he has come up with this theory about man.<br>Describe Hyde's appearance.<br>People give him all these ugly names but cannot answer why when asked.<br>Also reputation was good in victorian times.<br>Because Jekyll has a good reputation he is seen as good.Describe how Stevenson often tells us hyde is evil.

[Liz]

Im doing coursework too. fun isnt it. is think that the first person was right about Dr Jekyll not preresenting good or love. Dr Jekyll is actually extremely hypocritical. Jekyll is in denial over his darker side. Jekyll “projected and shared in the pleasures and adventures of Hyde” but is unable to accept Hyde as an aspect of his personality. Before he distilled Hyde into human form, he was already living two separate lives. One of virtue and one of vice. Although Jekyll is “radically both” personalities, one was acceptable and the other was not. theres a good quote at the beginning of HJ's full statement of the case about religious law. Due to his self-imposed restraints, the second, less appealing facet had to be suppressed. Jekyll realizes that it is the restraint of his desire “to carry my head high and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public” that leads him to suppress his instincts. Stepehnson is having a go at the morals of Victorian society. What's your courswork title?

[Unregistered]

its fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br>awesome<br><br>

[Mr Hegarty]

I think that although your "comment" was exceptional I believe that it was too long. I did start to get bored. You should try to summarise it.

[Unregistered]

Very good, but here's a bit of extra information about Stevenson that may be helpful - he was brought up as a Calvinist, but rejected it. However, later on he did believe strongly in one of the Calvinist ideas, that evil is rooted within the earth. You'll agree that this theme is strong within the book

[ellie]

Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel is the simple portrayal of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and takes the view that each person is born with a combination of the two, good and evil, and that people tip the balance by their actions, showing them to society as either ‘good’ or ‘evil’. His characters, Jekyll and Hyde, are stereotypes of people who are ‘good’ and ‘evil’. The good is the upstanding, friendly doctor (the caring profession) and the evil is the hunchbacked, hunted murderer. <br>These two stereotypes combine to create the average man who has the capacity to be both ‘good’ and ‘evil’, and they have both ‘good’ and ‘evil’ thoughts and emotions. All people have the same emotions, some good and some bad and, like Hyde, when you follow the evil emotions like hate, jealousy and revenge, you are considered evil yourself. Jekyll and Hyde both have these ‘evil’ emotions but what makes Jekyll ‘good’ is that he represses them, Jekyll is driven by reason whereas Hyde is driven by desire, he’ll do what he wants when he wants.<br>The basic human emotions that drive people are Love and Hate and within these two come other emotions, less powerful ones like sympathy, forgiveness, revenge and jealousy. Hyde’s life revolves around the emotions within Hate, he has no knowledge of Love which prevents him from stopping himself doing or feeling regret for the things that he does. Despite this Hyde takes great pleasure in his actions, suggesting perhaps he does know Love, but this love is derived from Hate, he loves his Hate emotions and actions. He enjoys satisfying his needs but his actions are what we would class as wrong. Jekyll knows both of these raw emotions and this combination brings a new emotion; guilt which is powerful enough to drive him away from evil and all that is considered ‘bad’ and, eventually, it drives him away from Hyde.<br><br>as an opening to my coursework i like that but it seems wrong, i hope someone can help me out, is there anything else i can add to catch the examiners eye? please help! send any suggestions to [email protected] thanks<br>