Returns of the Repressed in R.L. Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
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Department of English
Abstract
This research work studies R.L. Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hydefrom the psychoanalytical perspectives. It explores the repressed psyche of the
character which returns through the means of horror story. The fear about the future
becomes repressed in the psyche of the main character Dr. Jekyll. A dual or split
personalityshowsthat the same personhasboth good as well as evil qualities which are
exposed in different conditions.When people are in normal condition they seem good
and gentle, and when they are intoxicated they show their true identity i.e. full of cruelty
and irrationality. The major charactersof the novella, Dr. Jekyll has two personalities:
Dr. Jekyll ( a good and professional physician) and Mr. Hyde (an evil and murderous
character). Drug plays a major role to separatethemfrom good to evil andviceversa.
From theFreudianperspective,these two distinct personalities of the same person
represent two different aspects of human psyche i.e. conscious and unconscious.
Stevenson by describing the split identity of the character portrays the tendency of
repressingexcessivedesire inthe contemporary society.Outwardly, theyseemed
respectable, but inwardly were immoral and encompassed by dual characters like: Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This is thepsychic statethat the research focuses on.