Question

You have read chapters 1 and 2 from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Like many authors of Gothic fiction, Stevenson uses doubling, which is the duality in character, setting, and any other aspect of the piece of literature. Based on your readings of chapters 1 and 2, explain in a well-written paragraph using textual evidence how the author uses duality of setting to impart the social, cultural, and historical situation during which the events of the story take place.

Read from the story here.


For full credit (100 points), be sure that your response includes the following elements:


Response specifically addresses the prompt to completion, and incorporates your learning from the lesson (from 30-50 points)

Response provides specific evidence from the text or resource as requested (from 20-30 points)

Response uses correct grammar and mechanics (from 5-20 points)

Answer 1

Stevenson uses the duality of the setting in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to reflect the dual nature of Victorian society, with descriptions of contrasting architectures symbolizing the public respectability and private depravity of the times.

Step-by-step explanation:

In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the duality of the setting plays a crucial role in depicting the societal, cultural, and historical nuances of the story's background. The stark contrast between the respectable, well-kept facades of buildings and the dark, squalid back alleys Stevenson describes symbolizes Victorian society's hypocrisy, where beneath the veneer of respectability lurked a more sinister reality. The somber atmosphere of foggy London streets establishes an eerie mood, reflective of the mysterious and duplicitous nature of Dr. Jekyll's life. One can draw a parallel between the dreary, nebulous settings and the blurred lines between good and evil within human nature, a prevalent theme of the novel. Textual evidence of this includes descriptions of Jekyll's home, which has a pleasant façade and a neglected, sinister back entrance used by Hyde. This physical split between the front and back of Jekyll's home mirrors the psychological split within the man himself and is indicative of the larger social contrast between public respectability and private depravity.