Question

Using what you know about the historical context at the time of publication, discuss one characteristic of Victorian life that is present in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Your response should be a minimum of 5 sentences. (10 points)

Answer 1

An issue can be that people felt trapped by the society that only wanted conformity and did not support behaving in any way that was not considered the norm. That is the reason why Jekyll enjoyed being Hyde; as Hyde he could do whatever he felt and wanted and not be judged by the society.

Answer 2

One of the characteristics of Victorian life that The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde exhibits is the preoccupation of people with good and evil, and barbarism and civilization.

The Victorian period was a time during which England was conquering many new territories. As the empire expanded, many of the cultures that came to be included in the British empire practiced acts that English people considered barbaric and uncivilized, much like the acts of Mr. Hyde. These acts reflected a human nature that the Victorians wanted to control through habits, politeness and proper behaviour. The Victorians were concerned that barbarism might not only be found in other societies, but that it might be present among them, underneath a layer of good behaviour, much like Mr. Hyde was an intrinsic part of Dr. Jekyll.