This paper is about the instabilities of narration and meaning in Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide".
Robert Louis Stevenson’s late-Victorian novel "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" takes place in London between 1883 and 1885, and deals with the dual life of a man named Dr. Jekyll. He secretly separates his second, immoral personality called Mr. Hyde with the aid of drugs, what enables him to live out his desires by violence.
His lawyer and friend, Mr. Utterson, aspires to figure out what is going on with his friend and the suddenly emerging troublemaker Hyde, after some indications, that Dr. Jekyll has dealings with him. The double personality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde leads to an instability of characters, narration and meaning, what invites the reader to have a closer look at the novel’s properties.
But the revealing figure is neither Dr. Jekyll nor Mr. Hyde. It is Mr. Utterson who enables the reader to follow the mysterious story of them, what often gets neglected by critics as well as the role of women for the presentation of instability of meaning and narration.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the Narrative Structure of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.1 Mr. Utterson as the Focaliser and Reader's Representative
1.2 Enfield's Account and the Initial Impression of Hyde
2. Development of Instability Through Embedded Narratives
2.1 The Investigation: Search for Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll
2.2 Lanyon's Letter and the Revelation of Transformation
2.3 Jekyll's Full Statement of the Case
3. The Role of Women and Societal Critique
3.1 Female Characters as Victims and Symbols of Injustice
3.2 The Absence of Feminine Perspective and Its Impact on Meaning
4. Conclusion: Late-Victorian Grievances and Narrative Instability
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines how Robert Louis Stevenson creates narrative instability in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde through the use of multiple, conflicting narrative perspectives and the complex focalisation of characters like Utterson and Lanyon, while simultaneously addressing late-Victorian social anxieties regarding morality, gender, and class.
- Analysis of narrative focalisation and the role of the "omnisciently covert" narrator versus embedded homodiegetic narrators.
- Examination of Mr. Utterson’s function as the reader’s surrogate and his limitations as a participant in the events.
- Investigation into how the "instability of characters" mirrors the moral and physical degradation of Dr. Jekyll.
- Evaluation of the significance of minor female characters in highlighting social injustice and the limitations of Victorian ideology.
- Exploration of how the late-Victorian environment and social pressure contribute to the protagonist's "forced self-denial."
Excerpt from the Book
Instabilities of Narration and Meaning in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
Robert Louis Stevenson’s late-Victorian novel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde takes place in London between 1883 and 1885, and deals with the dual life of a man named Dr. Jekyll. He secretly separates his second, immoral personality called Mr. Hyde with the aid of drugs, what enables him to live out his desires by violence. His lawyer and friend Mr. Utterson, who “signifies the normal, the rational, the socialized Victorian” (Comitini 114), aspires to figure out what is going on with his friend and the suddenly emerging troublemaker Hyde, after some indications, that Dr. Jekyll has dealings with him. The double personality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde leads to an instability of characters, narration and meaning, what invites the reader to have a closer look on the novel’s properties, which include “a moral, social, and psychological [...] [as well as] a philosophical” disposition (Thomas 159). But the revealing figure is neither Dr. Jekyll nor Mr. Hyde. It is Mr. Utterson who enables the reader to follow the mysterious story of them, what often gets neglected by critics as well as the role of women for the presentation of instability of meaning and narration.
The narration of the first chapter Story of the Door presents the omnisciently covert main-narrator who focuses on “Mr. Utterson the lawyer” (Stevenson 7); “[f]or most of the novel, the omniscient narrative perspective follows Utterson” (Comitini 113). According to Genette’s narrative typology it is a matter of extra-heterodiegetic narration with zero focalisation, in other words an authorial narrative situation in which the main characters of Strange Case get introduced in third-person mode. The focus is on Utterson, because his “point of view establishes the reader’s focali[s]ation in the text” (114). Furthermore, lawyers have to deal with social contexts and human behaviours while being neutral and tolerant. Utterson represents the ideal lawyer, who wants to help Dr. Jekyll without judging, which is why he accompanies the reader in the whole story. He can also be regarded as the receiver of the novel himself; he is frequently employed as the main focaliser.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the Narrative Structure of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework regarding narrative focalisation, positioning Mr. Utterson as the primary lens through which the reader encounters the story.
2. Development of Instability Through Embedded Narratives: This section analyzes how the letters and accounts of Lanyon and Jekyll disrupt the linear narrative, creating an "instability of character" by fragmenting the perspective of the protagonist.
3. The Role of Women and Societal Critique: This chapter explores how seemingly minor female characters serve as crucial markers of social injustice and Victorian moral hypocrisy within the narrative landscape.
4. Conclusion: Late-Victorian Grievances and Narrative Instability: The final chapter synthesizes how late-Victorian social pressures and the high crime rate of the era manifest in the duality of Hyde, ultimately driving the novel's core instability.
Keywords
Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Narrative Instability, Focalisation, Mr. Utterson, Victorian Society, Dual Personality, Embedded Narratives, Late-Victorian Literature, Moral Degradation, Gender Representation, Literary Analysis, Internal Focalisation, Social Class, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this term paper?
The paper aims to analyze how narrative techniques, such as shifting focalisation and embedded accounts, create a sense of instability in meaning and character throughout Stevenson’s novella.
Which central themes are discussed?
The core themes include the duality of human nature, the limitations of Victorian rationalism (represented by Utterson), the impact of social pressure, and the role of overlooked characters.
Who serves as the primary focaliser in the novel?
Mr. Utterson is the primary focaliser; he serves as the reader’s surrogate, attempting to rationalize the irrational events surrounding Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
What scientific or literary methodology is applied?
The analysis utilizes literary narrative theory, specifically referencing Gerard Genette’s typology of focalisation and narration, combined with historical context regarding late-Victorian social conditions.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines the specific narrative contributions of Enfield, Lanyon, and Jekyll, and critiques the marginalization of women in the novel as a point of social failure.
Which keywords define this analysis?
Keywords include narrative instability, focalisation, Victorian society, dual personality, and the role of the narrator.
How does the role of Lanyon's letter contribute to the story's instability?
Lanyon's letter acts as an intra-homodiegetic narrative that forces the reader to confront the reality of Jekyll’s transformation, shattering the previous rational perspective held by Utterson.
Why are women considered significant despite their limited presence?
The paper argues that female characters, such as the girl trampled by Hyde, represent the innocent victims of the patriarchal and divided social structure of Victorian London.
- Quote paper
- Maike Heberle (Author), 2020, Instabilities of Narration and Meaning in Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1187627
