The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Dorian Gray...

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Dorian Gray The novel The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written by Robert L. Stevenson and first published in 1886. The years from 1837 to 1901 are considered the Victorian Era, so the novel is considered a Victorian novel. Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is written in the same era as Dr Jekyll and is a Victorian Novel as well. Having read the extracts of the novels and knowing what happens in the end, a comparison of the Victorian Era and the novels can easily be made. One of the major themes of these novels is the double personality that Dr Jekyll suffers from. When Dr Jekyll takes his metamorphosis potion, he becomes Mr Hyde who is pure evil, which is clearly shown in the†¦show more content†¦Dr Jekyll doesn’t like Mr Hyde and does not want to become him, but his unknown desire to become evil has more control of him. This could indicate that the storyline could have been taken from the Bible. This assertion is supported a few lines later in the Bible, Romans 7:24-25: â€Å"What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death?† Thanks to be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!† Jesus saves him because he’s his lord. Due to Darwin and his theory of evolution, God’s liability was doubtful. That’s why Dr Jekyll knows that if he wants change, he will have to make it himself. He is his own lord and he has to save himself. In the end of the novel he kills Mr Hyde and thereby himself as well. The same ending is seen in Dorian Gray where he stabs the picture which in reality is himself. This brings us to another topic which is represented in both texts and is a common trait of the Victorian Era; the denial or ignorance of a split personality. In both texts the main characters, Dorian and Dr Jekyll, look at their less flattering side as distinct. Dr Jekyll isn’t fond of Mr Hyde and sees him as another person even though he is a part of himself. The same happens in Dorian Gray where he is so detached from the painting that he only sees himself as a young and cannot relate to the painting before it is too late. In the end they both find out thatShow MoreRelatedSummaries of Fifty Shades of Gray, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Dracula799 Words   |  4 PagesThe Picture of Dorian Gray The story begins in an artists home in the city of London. The artist, named Basil Howard, is talking with his friend Lord Henry about his newly found inspiration otherwise known as Dorian Gray. They discuss how innocent and handsome he is which of course leads to Lord Henry asking to meet and talk with him. Basil, fearing Henrys potential inluence on Dorian, asks him to leave. As if on some certain que Dorian arrives and meets Lord Henry for the first time. 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