Question

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is said to be a novel of its time, meaning that it reflects the values and issues of the time in which it was written. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your position with at least two examples from the story. Your response should be a minimum of 5 sentences.

Answer 1

This statement is correct because the novel accurately and vividly depicts the gap between Victorian moral ideals and their absolute subversion and degradation. When deformed and hideous Mr. Hyde knocks down a little girl in the passage, it is almost a metaphor for his knocking down everything that is sacred and valued within his society - and the girl herself is a symbol of innocence. A couple of months later, he beats a man to death, displaying his urge for violence. But the most disturbing fact is that he is the same person as Dr. Jekyll, a well respected and decent man of high standing in his society, who can't bear to give up on his evil alter-ego. It depicts the fact that the more the society tries to restrain our dark urges, the stronger and more irresistible they become.