Good and Evil

Writing Jekyll and Hyde

Stevenson's wife read the draft of the novel and offered her criticisms in the margins. Louis was confined to bed at the time from a haemorrhage; therefore she left her comments with the manuscript and Louis in the bedroom. She said that in effect the story was really an allegory, but Louis was writing it as a story. After a while Louis called her back into the bedroom and pointed to a pile of ashes: he had burnt the manuscript in fear that he would try to salvage it, and in the process forcing himself to start over from nothing, writing an allegorical story as she had suggested.

Allegory

A piece of writing in which the meaning is represented symbolically.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary

What themes is Stevenson communicating through symbolism in the novel?

Stevenson's UpbringingStevenson was brought up by Protestant Christian parents and an even more strictly religious nanny. His parents would play cards and go to the theatre, but she taught him that these were sins.”

His terror of hell as a child is revealed in this quotation: “I would lie awake to weep for Jesus, but I would fear to trust myself to slumber lest I was not accepted and should slip, ere I awoke, into eternal ruin.”

From “Robert Louis Stevenson” by IL Elgin (1999)

Turn to AtheismHis Cambridge-educated cousin, Bob, had founded the L. J. R. (Liberty, Justice, and Reverence) Club, which advocated atheism and had as a constitutional rule that members should disregard all they had been taught by their parents.

In January of 1873 Stevenson's father came across the pro-atheist, anti-parent document of the club and questioned his son about his current beliefs.Stevenson wrote to a friend, “I am not (as they call me) a careless infidel,” and “I do not think I am thus justly to be called ‘horrible atheist.’”

The Devil“The supreme Spirit of evil: Satan.”“A superhuman malignant being.”“A personified evil force or attribute.”

The Concise Oxford Dictionary

Throughout the novel there are references to hell and the devil when Hyde is spoken about.By the last chapter we know that “Edward Hyde... was pure evil.”

Evil - “1. morally bad; wicked. 2. Harmful or tending to harm, esp. intentionally or characteristically.”

The concise Oxford Dictionary

Who is the Devil?

According to the Christian faith that Stevenson was brought up in, the Devil was originally one of God's angels. His “fall” is

spoken of in Isaiah 14:12-15.

What did he do wrong?

12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

What else does the devil do in the Bible?

Most commonly the devil is seen as a tempter or someone who bestows suffering on humans.

This painting by Scheffer in 1854 hangs in the Louvre and shows Jesus being tempted by the devil.

Duality of Man

“I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man.” p 67

“It was the curse of mankind that these incongruous faggots were thus bound

together – that in the agonized womb of consciousness these polar twins should be

continuously struggling.” p 68

Original Sin

Original sin may be taken to mean: (1) the sin that Adam committed; (2) a consequence of this first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.

Catholic Encyclopaedia Online

The innate depravity of mankind held to be a consequence of the Fall.

Concise Oxford Dictionary

The Fall of Mankind

Described in Genesis 3.

What did Adam and Eve do wrong?

What changed about them as a result?

A Tendency Towards Evil

Galatians 5:19-26

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

Which of these things does Hyde do?

How were Frankenstein and Jekyll like Satan or Adam and Eve?

The Balance of Jekyll's Soul James 3:13-17 - Who is wise and understanding

among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Good and evil

Do you think all humans have goodand bad in them?

If man is half angel and half fiend, why is there no angel counterpart to Hyde?

“Perhaps Jekyll is simply mistaken: man is not “truly two” but is first and foremost the primitive creature embodied in Hyde, brought under tentative control by civilization, law, and conscience.”

Mr Hyde

Hyde is also often compared to an animal. Why do you think this is?

Your Research Task

You are going to collect examples of Hyde being described as the devil (or mentions of hell / the devil when he is being spoken about.)

You are going to collect examples of Hyde being described as an animal / having animalistic features.

Chapters The Story of the Door - p 4-8

The Search for Hyde – p 10-17

The Carew Murder Case – p 22-27

The Last Night – p 45-53

Doctor Lanyon's Narrative – p 61-65

Henry Jekyll's Full Statement of the Case – p 66-87