Jekyll and Mr hyde

The blend of realism and fantastical elements is present in several narratives where events precede the tale's unfolding.
Family dynamics are portrayed in realistic ways, with a fantastical metamorphosis occurring before the story begins.

Definition of Gothic Literature: Originating in the 18th century, exemplified by Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto.
- Explores fantastical and supernatural themes.
- Often, what appears supernatural is revealed to be a product of imagination.
The protagonist's fevered imagination is often explored, especially in relation to gender dynamics.
- Earlier Gothic works frequently had female protagonists, which changes in later literature (e.g., Jekyll and Hyde).
Examples of Gothic tropes: haunted houses, psychological effects, and the blend of reality with the supernatural.
Northrop Frye reframes Gothic not as a genre but as a mode; its features are not absolutely defined.

The narrative often relies on psychological factors reflecting characters' states of mind.
The setting often mirrors the mental state of characters, such as with Jekyll's house and laboratory.
- Symbolizes the duality of ego, where the respectable facade contrasts with hidden depths.
- The necessity to descend into darkness represents the journey into subconscious and repressed aspects of self.

Definition of Pathetic Fallacy: The attribution of human emotions to nature or inanimate objects (e.g., "the cruel sea" or "the clouds weep").
Use of the atmosphere to reflect characters’ emotional states, specifically in Jekyll and Hyde:
- Example: Utterson's approach to Soho described as "a great chocolate-colored pall" symbolizing darkness and dread.
Stevenson effectively uses fog and environmental descriptions to build a sense of suspense and foreboding.

Elements of science fiction are identifiable in the Gothic narrative, particularly through Mary Shelley's Frankenstein published in 1818.
Scientific inquiry turning monstrous, paralleling themes in Jekyll and Hyde where science leads to moral transgressions:
- Jekyll's experiments yield monstrous results, reflecting a fear intertwined with scientific exploration.
Pseudosciences of the 19th-century (e.g., phrenology, mesmerism) played a role in the narrative.
- Phrenology connects a person’s head shape to their character, creating a bridge to discuss inherent evil in Hyde.

Sensation fiction addresses the duality of appearance and reality.
- Examples include secrets, myth-busting stereotypes about good (beautiful) and evil (ugly).
Significant real-life scandals influenced the structure of sensation novels, including urban crime and male sexuality.
Key elements include recreating famous crimes and societal responses, with a focus on the upper and middle classes performing deviant acts.

Class disparities depicted through settings like Soho (lower class) contrasted with Regent Park (upper class).
Jekyll and Hyde critiques the upper classes’ exploitation of the lower classes and the invisibility of the poor’s suffering.
The reading of the darker aspects of London, with labyrinthine structures, which increasingly represented hidden criminal activities.

The title The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde suggests a scientific and legal framing around the narrative.
- Questions of morality, societal judgment, and identity weave into the tale from the outset.