Question

Using what you know about the historical context at the time of publication, discuss one characteristic of Victorian life that is present in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Your response should be a minimum of 5 sentences.

Answer 1

By the time Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written, Darwin had already published his findings on the evolution of man. This is interesting because one of the major themes on the novel is ignoring the worst instincts of man. Dr. Jekyll represents who man is because of the pressures put onto us by society. He states that he is a philanthropist and well known in society because people have come to expect it from him. But his more instinctual side is bored of this do-gooder. And on some level, Dr. Jekyll wants to indulge in these instincts because of a hedonistic need for pleasure. The question then presents itself though, would he want to indulge in these pleasures so much if the social requirements of men in the Victorian Era weren't so great?