Is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde a typical gothic novel? Essay

Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is described by opusy as a Gothic allegory. The height of popularity for Gothic brisks was the belatedly Victorian period however they atomic number 18 still being publish today, showing an undying thirst for them. The recognised criteria for a gothic novel include the drool of an outsider, one who does non fit in to society, a misfit. They can explore the boundaries of sinister and advantageously and even try to teddy them. In gothic novels the live on tends to be of a cold, dark constitution to signify the personality of the character plus the often, dark nature of the story. Animals associated with worry are often included and generally there is a variant of civil unrest due to the actions of the title character. The story is more often than not characterised by mystery and supernatural horror.A reason wherefore I pretend that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a typical gothic novel is because of the commentary of scenery. The street upon which Jekyll/Hyde resides is on the leave pass along immediately this tells me that the house has an air of satanic active it. In religious culture the left hand is often associated with being led astray, as it says in the Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes A wise gays strugglemheartedness is at his right hand further a fools heart at his left. This signifies that those who choose the right hand choose the path of good those who choose the left are easily corrupted.Also it is associated with evil because of the etymology of the give-and-take sinister which in Anglo French reads as senestre meaning on the left and from the Latin sinistr- meaning on the left side. The house is sinister and ingurgitate forward, which tells me that it is a dark, menacing place, it being thrust forward tells me that it does not fit in nor conform to eachone or anything else. The house also has no windows windows are often referred to as eyes to the soul I entail that this is a reference to Hyde him self. The fact that there are no windows represents that Hyde has no soul.At this point I would like to make clear that the aforementioned(prenominal) street is in fact Hydes dwelling. In contrast Jekylls dwelling which coincidentally is the same house that leads onto a incompatible street. Jekylls street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighborhood (Hydes dwelling) and exudes an air of invitation. This is completely the opposite of Hydes street and is used to symbolise Jekylls character. The two streets are symbolic of the dual nature of man- a very common element of a gothic novel.However, there seems to be a lack of a common, if not vital, element of a Gothic novel- Architecture. In a Gothic novel the architecture is of a sharp, curved, flighty nature. There are often haunted castles, graveyards, crypts. For sheath in the 1839 short-circuit story by Edgar Allan Poe- The Fall of the House of Usher, there are many dark and intricate passages. This is just one of the many e xample of gothic architecture in the story. However, in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde the architecture seems to be typically Victorian, with little or no Gothic boasts.Another reason is the story revolves around the constant struggle that man is not truly one, besides truly two, this details that all men ask a good side but we are constantly at war with our impulses to do evil. In this story Dr. Jekyll breaks the bounds betwixt the two and becomes abruptly consumed by evil. This is similar to another gothic novel- Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. In this story the bounds are between life and shoemakers last- Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds. This struggle presents the weakness of man in regards to resisting temptation, and is a very common feature of a gothic novel.A different reason is because of Mr. Hyde himself. He is described as a little man who was stumping. This allows me to imagine that because of his size and stature he is not a whole person just aboutthing is missing a vital piece of the tick that forms a human. Hyde is also described as a damned road roller. In my opinion this word was used as it can have many meanings- it could mean a large, everyplacepowering, destructive force. This could signify the evil that is devouring Jekyll. Or it could mean- anything requiring a cruel sacrifice. I bank that Jekyll is cruelly sacrificing his goodness for the darkness which lies within not only him but every other human being.There is a significant occurrence that occurs within the story which gives us a sample of his true nature- the man trampled calmly over the childs body. The very supposition of this incident sends a shiver down my spine and evokes anger within me, the fact that he did it in a calm manner tells me that he has not one ounce of remorse, not for the girl nor her family and would not think twice about repeating his actions. Also, the fact that the incident occurred on a black winter daybreak tells me that Hyde has a black heart and is a cold, slippery character. I think because it is morning, which is when the sun rises, it signifies the rise of the hold that evil has over Jekyll.The next reason why Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is typically Gothic is the weatherand the first fog of the season. A great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven. The fact that it was the first fog of the season signifies Hydes fist evil deed in his season of corruption. Fog adds a definite eeriness to the scene, it corrupts our eyes, shrouds us in an unknown abyss. This is basically what is happening to Jekyll he has been blanketed in a thick fog which has stolen his ability to differentiate between good and evil. However, weather in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is on the sparse side. However, the 1869 novel by Richard Dodderidge Blackmore- Lorna Doone includes a lot of Gothic weatherviolent rain and red-hot frostan example of a Gothic novel that uses a colossal range of symbolic weather.Stevenson incorporates Social criticisms i nto his novel. These are his own personal views in which he subtly criticises society. One of the issues that Stevenson makes an example of is that of child prostitution. Previously, I mentioned Hyde tread over a young girls body, this event took place at about three oclock of a black winter morning. This raises the question- what on earth would a young child be doing on the streets at that hour of the night?Mary Shelley also incorporates social criticisms into her novel- Frankenstein. Everyone in the story pass judgments the creation on his appearance, Shelleys criticism is that we should judge people on their character, personality and values not by any means their appearance.Romance is also a common feature of a Gothic novel. For example in The Modern Prometheus, Frankenstein himself is in love- I scene I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. happy and surprised, I embraced her. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde there is not a single wisp of ro mance, the novel is completely and utterly void of it. Yet another Gothic feature that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde lacks.In conclusion Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has some aspects of a Gothic novel, yet it lacks some small and yet some vital elements of one.