Freud’s “Civilization and Its Discontents” and Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”
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Certain excerpts from Sigmund Freud’s essay of the human mind, “Civilization and Its Discontents”, could be identified as corresponding concepts that were interwoven in the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The great analytical work of the well known psychiatrist assessed the events and happenings of this book indirectly by way of common theories in which human might act. “Civilization and Its Discontents” forced upon its readers particular ideas that could also be found symbolically in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Both the texts of Sigmund Freud and Robert Louis Stevenson shared common themes and ideas.
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The main focal point of Freud’s essay rested on civilization and the problems and strain in which it inevitably caused to the individual. Freud strongly expressed in his composition that without civilization, the human being would be subject to Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest. “Perhaps we may begin by explaining that the element of civilization enters on the scene with the first attempt to regulate these social relationships. If the attempt were not made, the relationships would be subject to the arbitrary will of the individual: that is to say, the physically stronger man would decide them in the sense of his own interests and instinctual impulses. Nothing would be changed in this if this stronger man should in his turn meet someone stronger than he. ” (pages 301-302) Since Edward Hyde operated solely as an individual and avoided the wrath of civilization altogether, he assumed that he could overpower Dr. Jekyll. After all, he was stronger and more youthful than the wise old scientist, but the advancement of knowledge was on Dr. Jekyll’s side. Without this organization of social relationships, Hyde could have dominated the world, bringing evil to every corner.
The sheer power of civilization prevented the onslaught of evil amongst the masses, and alleviated the competition between men who were perhaps stronger that another. And yet, through the turmoil that existed in this world and the fickleness of society, both good and evil continued to combat in uncivilized manner as did Jekyll and Hyde themselves. This battle awakened aggressiveness deep within one’s own soul, in hope of proving his power and intelligence over another, still a form of that lingering theory of the strong commanding the weak. The presence of aggressiveness in Dr. Jekyll’s nature transcended into its own vehicle (or soul) of frustration, a Mr. Edward Hyde. Since such aggression was not conventionally thought of as civilized or desirable, it was shunned and forced to dwell deep within one’s spirit. This aggression and will to control all disrupted the relationships between Jekyll and his lifelong friends, Mr. Utterson and Dr. Lanyon. As Freud stated so eloquently, “The existence of this inclination of aggression, which we can detect in ourselves and justly assume to be present in others, is the factor which disturbs our relations with our neighbor and which forces civilization into such a high expenditure (of energy). ” (page 304). This overall aggression that reigned over Hyde’s entire soul, distanced him from the human race.
Sigmund Freud also brought to life the concept of the internal punishment that has forever scarred the human psyche, a plague that Dr. Jekyll experienced in Robert Louis Stevenson’s gripping novel. Resting always on the conscience, those unlawful and immoral deeds that one committed remained here. Jekyll was eternally tormented by the acts of Hyde, nearly driven to insanity. He could never escape the remembrances that Hyde has passed down to him through their common memory, especially those of trampling a young girl and beating an innocent man senseless. Finally, to extinguish all guilt and the madness circulating in his mind, Jekyll killed himself, and in effect, killed Hyde, too.
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