The plot of the novel “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson may seem simple, but it can be interpreted in many ways. In the introduction to the third edition, Martin A. Danahay provides several possible interpretations that researchers of writers’ works have proposed at different times. Among others, the most interesting is the topic of addiction, which is not the most apparent element of the novel. This aspect is also closely related to the ideas of dualism and the social context described in Stevenson’s book. Thus, the essay expresses the position that the interpretation of addiction is the most compelling, as it presents the most holistic and versatile view of the novel.
Stevenson wrote “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in the middle of the 19th century, during the Victorian era. The introduction notes that the text can be considered an “expression of Victorian cultural anxieties and also as an interesting barometer of the way these anxieties have changed” (Stevenson 24). This era is characterized by the strive of people to create a more conservative social order in which they could moderate their carnal desires. The narrative is built around the idea of ​​the dualism of different contexts, including class and morals. This assumption is confirmed by Danahay, emphasizing that “Stevenson was always interested in the idea of a double life” (Stevenson 25). Thus, the author notes not only the dualism of the individual but also of society, where the aristocracy often hid secrets behind the external nobility.
In this case, an apparent dyad may seem to be Jekyll and Hyde, whose personality appears as a result of the hero’s addiction to the unknown potion. In his statement, Jekyll explains his condition by saying, “I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll” (Stevenson 79). It can be assumed that the author offers a dualism of good and evil, expressed in the common man Jekyll and the villain Hyde. In this case, the topic of addiction can be considered from a simple perspective: substances lead to the moral decay of a person. It is noteworthy that gradually Jekyll and Hyde merge into one whole, which suggests that the hero is directly responsible for his condition. Thus, his personal choice led to self-destruction, and evil consumed him, as he did not have the strength and courage to resist.
Addiction makes the hero evil, vulgarizes him, and diminishes his moral qualities. However, Patricia Comiti offers a different perspective on the characters and drug theme in the novel, positioning the dyad of Utterson and Jekyll as the central one (113). In this case, the figure of Hyde is the direct personification of the addiction with the connection to the social context of the novel. Utterson and Jekyll represent the controversy of the Victorian era of “rationality and affect, mind and body” (Comiti 114). Hyde in the novel embodies the British fear of opium and middle-class access to alcohol and drugs at the time. While Utterson is a model of moderation and rationality, this skill is learned rather than natural. He is aware of his inclination for pleasure, like all people, but knows how to control his boundaries. Utterson contrasts with Jekyll, who completely surrendered to addiction and does not deny its harmful effects.
Jekyll’s story of potion addiction and becoming Mr. Hyde illustrates the Victorian society’s drive for decadence as a refined state. The doctor constantly rejects the other side of his personality, considering him a separate, different being. He seeks to detach from him, not recognizing that this evil creature is part of him. Despite the fact that he feels ashamed of Hyde, he also longs for him, since this appearance gives him pleasure. Accordingly, Victorian society is dualistic in its pursuit of the noble appearance of Mr. Utterson and the vices which Dr. Jekyll tries to hide. Despite his high position in society and a good upbringing, Jekyll is gradually subordinate to Hyde. The same process occurs with a society that, indulges in addictions and pleasures, denies the negative impact, but over time becomes more ugly and immoral.
Martin A. Danahay has provided many significant interpretations of Stevenson’s novel in the introduction to the third edition. However, the most interesting seems to be the topic of addiction and its relationship with the social context and dualistic ideas which concerned the author. The story of Dr. Jekyll’s transformation into Mr. Hyde may be an illustration of a decadent tendency in the morality of Victorian society. Moreover, the denial of this process by its members and the stigmatization of the inclination to pleasure are emphasized. In this case, the figure of Utterson, as noted by Patricia Comiti, plays a key role in a depiction of the desire to express external nobility and honor. Despite the deliberate striving to hide their vices, Victorian society is also truly afraid of addiction, as it gradually cannot cope with it. Thus, in his book, Stevenson portrayed not only the personal decline of Dr. Jekyll but also a satire on destructive social processes.
References
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 3rd ed., Broadview Press, 2015.
Comitini, Patricia. “The Strange Case of Addiction in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Victorian Review, vol. 38, no. 1, 2012, pp. 113-131. Web.