Jekyll and Hyde

[ambrosius]

I've had many arguments with english teachers back in highschool days about what this novel was about. Being a school, they stuck with "the duality of man" theme. I say it's about drug addiction. Any views on this and reasons behind them?

[Chaote]

Well id say its about society not accepting a man for who he wants to be so he has to turn to drugs to let that persona take over, its aout a battle between the ID and the ego and the drug allows for the ID to rake hold of all aspects but it all turns bad, tahst just my two cents

[Solidly-here]

The 2 sides of every person (amplified, for effect).


Everyone has a "good" side . . . and a bad side (the duality of man). There aren't very many "saints" in the world.


Just about everyone could be pushed to the point that they could kill another human being (for instance, a mother killing an intruder who's threatening her child's life). The boundary between ethical and unethical is blurry, to say the least. Life is messy. Our minds are not just like a computer; we have feelings surging through us all the time.


If you want the story to be about drug addiction, go for it.

[Benga]

It's funny that you should mention Stevenson's book, where the protagonist uses a certain salt in his transformation, and was probably inspired by cocaine hcl.


but i think drug addiction is part of the duality of man, or actually the plurality of man, as I think dualist thinking is way too simplistic, influenced by judeo-christian mentality ( thedialectism ofthe holiness of man and his human nature) for which I much prefer views based on post jungian scholars like James Hillman, which refer to the plurality of the hellenistic pantheon, forillustratingarchetypes.


Man isn't "good and bad", man is sometimes this and sometimes this and sometimes this comes from this...I like the greek archetypes with the clearly defined tendencies of the gods, finding that this way of thinking fits my personality way more than a dualistic one...


i have personality traits which sometimes take over, but their action isn't necessarily acted out litterally, if the "killer" in me is taking over it doesn't mean that I will actually kill someone, but that that drive is leading my actions, it could in a discussion, driving a car, whatever... same goes for the thief, the parent, the child, the prince, the monster, the fool, the wise old man...Sounds like myth or fairy tales ? it's because they are structured on archetypal protagonists.


transformation is archetypal, man to beast, child to adult, ugly to beautiful etc etcEdited by: benga

[ambrosius]

Sure, there are two sides to every person. The reason I say it's about addiction is there was nothing wrong with Jekyll in the first place. He decided to experiment for knowledge and exploration of the human psyche. While under the influence, he cared for nothing but enhancing his high (killing/causing general mayhem).


Hyde was a devil of a man with a hideous face who cared nothing for others.


"As Hyde, I have no friends."


Keeping Hyde locked away for too long, Hyde eventually broke through on his own will (relapse?).


Too my eyes, there are too many things in this story that parallel with personality characteristics of the archetypal addict.


In the end, the search for the cure of his own addiction (oddly enough, he turned to MORE drugs and was becomming immune)led to his own death. Left buried in the grave of a murderer, very few knew of who was really there.


Some say coke enhances one's personality. What about certain characteristics rather than as a whole?