AN ANALYSIS OF LEADING CHARACTERS’S PERSONALITY IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S NOVEL: STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL
AND MR. HYDE
A THESIS
BY : NURHASANAH REG. NO. 090705002
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MEDAN
AN ANALYSIS OF LEADING CHARACTERS’S PERSONALITY IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S NOVEL: STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
A THESIS
BY :
NURHASANAH Reg. No. 090705002
Supervisor, Co-Supervisor,
Dra. Hj. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M. Hum
19571002 198601 2 003 19630216 198903 1 003
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Literature
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MEDAN
Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of
Sumatera Utara ( USU ) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination.
Head, Secretary,
H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS Dr. Hj. Nurlela, M. Hum
19541117 198003 1 002 19504191 98102 2 001
Accepted by the Board of Examination in partial fulfillment of requirements for the
degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara on 25 July 2013
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatra Utara
Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, MA
NIP. 19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners:
H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS,
Dr. Hj. Nurlela, M. Hum
Dra. Hj. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. hum
Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M. Hum
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Alhamdulillah, praise to Allah SWT, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
for giving the writer guidance, power, patience, and ability to finish this thesis.
First of all, I would like to thank the Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies,
University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, MA, and all the staff for their
help during the period of study in this faculty.
In this opportunity I would like to express my special gratitude to my
supervisor, Dra. Hj. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum and my co-supervisor, Drs.
Parlindungan Purba, M. Hum for their support and beneficial suggestion, and their
willingness to share time in correcting this thesis throughout the preparation of this
thesis and the period of doing this thesis.
I would like to thank to the Head of English Department Drs. H. Muhizar
Muchtar, MS, and the Secretary Dr. Hj. Nurlela, M. Hum for giving all facilities and
opportunities during my academic years and in completing this thesis. I also would
like to thank to all lecturers who have given so much knowledge throughout my
academic years. I also give thanks to Bang Amran who always helps me in
administrator matter.
My best, deepest appreciation and love are dedicated to my beloved parents,
me with their love. For my brother Fajar Aprilianto, S.T, thanks a lot for your
support, I love you.
My special thank is dedicated to my best friend Sri Yunita and Viki Aprilita
who always help and support me every time, for having great time together and
spending our four years in sweet memories, love you and my lucky to know you
friend. Also my friends Winda Widya Siregar, Zarlina, Siti Lestari N, Ade Adrina,
Erna Januarini, Dewi Maya Sari, Sinta Puspita, Heni Purwasih, Triana Lestari,
Armitha Sari, and M. Savrizal who gives me inspiration to finish my thesis, and to all
my classmate in English Department who always spend our great times together.
A unique thanks is dedicated to my neighbour Bu Sandra, Bu Evi, Shesih,
S.E, Indah Oktasya Sihombing, Yenny Novita, Lutfiah Syahbi Pohan and Alya
Syahbi Pohan who always advice me in solving my problems, and spending time for
me whenever and wherever I need them.
Finally, I hope this thesis will give advantage for the readers, especially for
who are interested in studying the same field.
May the grace and love of the Almighty Allah SWT are with us all forever.
Aamiin.
Medan, 2013
Nurhasanah
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, NURHASANAH, DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS. EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT OF THIS THESIS, THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A PAPER BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER DEGREE.
NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THE THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.
Signed :
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NAME : NURHASANAH
TITLE OF THIS THESIS : AN ANALYSIS OF LEADING CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S NOVEL: STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
QUALIFICATION : S-1 / SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION ON THE LIBRARIAN OF THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER LAW OF THE REPUBLIC INDONESIA.
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ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
TABEL OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……….... i
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION………... iii
COPYRIGHT DECLRATAIO………. . iv
ABSTRACT ………. v
TABLE OF CONTENT……….. vi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study ……… 1
1.2 Problems of the Study ………..……….. 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study ………..………. 4
1.4 Scope of the Study ……….……… 4
1.5 Significance of the Study ……….………….. 5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Literature………..…….………….….…... 6
2.2 Character………..……….………... 7
2.2.1 Types of Character... 7
2.4 Description of Sigmund Freud’s Theory Personalit………... 11
2.5 The Conflict between Ego and Super Ego……….……..… 13
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
3.1 Data Collecting Procedure………..………. 16
3.2 Data Selecting Procedure……….………...………. 17
3.3 Data Analyzing Procedure………..……. 17
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
4.1 Dr.Jekyll’s Id Personality ………... 19
4.2 Dr.Jekyll’s Ego Personality…...………... 26
4.3 Dr.Jekyll’s Super Ego Personality... 31
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1 Conclusion……….…..………... 34
5.2 Suggestion……….….……….. 34
REFERENCES APPENDICES
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Literature is an interpretation of man’s life by using language as its medium.
According to (Robert, 1993: 1) literature is writing which expresses and
communicates thoughts, feelings, and attitudes toward life. Some theorists also give
the definition that literature is like the other arts, can give as new ways of looking at
the world and finding significance through the daily use of language in its more
commonplaces has concealed.
Literature is very important to read, because so many advantages we get by
reading literature. The advantages are to appreciate why individuals are the way they
are, to explore cultures and beliefs, to help us see ourselves as other do, to learn
better ways to behave, and it is an important part of our education. Like history is
one part and math is one part and literature is one part. (Norman, 1984:12 The language of literature).
Prose, poetry, and drama are three genres in literature. Prose is a fiction
narrative kind of writing. In general, are called novel. Novel may contain passages
with the type of imagery and word – selection generally associated with poetry.
Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings (Martha, 2008: 5
Understanding Poetry by William Wordsworth). Drama is the story, which is intended to be acted on the stage. All of these works of imagination of the capacity
In this thesis, the writer uses novel as a source of data, Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. Novel contains many aspects that reflected based on the human life. This aspects commonly concern with emotion, feeling, problems, conflicts, etc. The
elements that build up novel are plot, characters, theme, setting and language style.
The most important elements of the novel are plot and characters. Talking about the
characters of a literary work means talking about their quality of mind or behaviors
or personalities.
In doing analysis the writer gives the definition of novel from some expert
such us, Richard Taylor (1981: 46) says, a novel is a normally a quite a length of
complexity which attempt to reflect and express their idea about something based on
their experience or people’s experience around their life. Human experience in life
may influence the whole life of human including the way of life. It is natural that
every character of people in this world always has big desire in our self.
Every novel should have characters as its element. A character is a person
who acts in the story. Human usually dominates characters in a novel and every
human has their own personality. The personality will lead the character to act their
mind, attitude, and behavioral.
Leading character is the centered individual very dominant. As an individual,
the leading focused personality. Leading character emerged as long side the
etraordinary character, a character that might be called prototypical. The prototypical
character is not a stereotypical but a fully rounded, three dimensional character.
Furthermore, this thesis focused on term of character personality in Dr.Jekyll
characters. The writer choose this novel because in the novel, there are people as a
leading characters, namely, Dr.Jekyll. The doctor's belief that within each human
being there exist forces of good and evil leads to his experiments that try to separate
the two. Although presented as a scientific experiment, Jekyll undertook this task to
allow himself a release from the respectable guise of Dr. Jekyll.
To analyze his character personality, the writer tries to apply Sigmund
Freud’s personality theory. According to Freud, we are born with our id. The id is an
important part of our personality because as newborns, it allows us to get our basic
needs met. The ego is based on the reality principle. The ego understands that other
people have needs and desire and that sometimes being implusive or selfish can hurt
us in the end. It is the ego’s job to meet the needs of the id, while taking into
consideration the reality of the situation. The superego is the moral part us and
develops due to the moral and ethical restraints placed on us by our caregivers. The
three aspects are controlled by desire or libido (Ann Birch and Tony Malim,1988).
It is also the reason why the writer use Sigmund Freud’s theory, as an object
analysis because the writer thought it is applicable to analysis this novel, and
especially to analyze his characters personality in this novel.
1.2 Problem of the Study
During the process of analysis, it is important for us to make or to find some
problem that are going to be analyze in that novel, and also by finding the problems,
the writer tries to make good description about the object of analysis itself.
Based on explanation, the writer would like to concern the writer’s thesis in
1. How is Dr.Jekyll’s Id described in the novel as the leading character ?
2. How is Dr.Jekyll’s Ego described in the novel as the leading character ?
3. How is Dr.Jekyll’s Super-ego described in the novel as the leading
character ?
1.3 Objective of the Study
The objective of this thesis tends to answer the questions or the problems of
study and it would be very useless if a study is made by having no targets. Therefore,
the aims of this study are:
1. To identify Dr.Jekyll’s Id as portrayed in the novel.
2. To identify Dr.Jekyll’s Ego as portrayed in the novel.
3. To identify Dr.Jekyll’s Super-ego as portrayed in the novel.
In this thesis, the writer wants to show to the readers about the human
character especially Dr.Jekyll as seen from the point of view of character throgh the
novel Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde writte
1.4 Scope of the Study
In order to avoid a very wide and unfocused study as character is a very vast
topic, it is obviously necessary for the writer to do the limitation to scope this study
because it is impossible for the writer to discuss all in detail.
Actually in this novel there so many characters who acted this story, but here
the writer would like to analysis characters personality of the leading characters
namely, Dr.Jekyll. In this thesis, the writer make a scope of analysis is confined the
based on Sigmund Freud’s theory (1949). Freud contains that the personality consist
of three major structures, the id, ego, and super-ego.
1.5 Significance of Analysis
The significance an analysis of the character in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
written by Robert Louis Stevenson are describes view on the relation between
literature and psychology in term Sigmund Freud’s theory. Trough referring
Sigmund Freud’s theory in analyzing characters personality and human mind or
psychology in the main character of this novel, the writer hopes that this analysis can
be as primary source and useful for those you want to study literary work in relation
to psychology. Also will enrich our knowledge and can become a valuable reference
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Literature
The world literature is frequently used in very general sense of the work to
refer the whole body of writing in a culture regardless of his purpose. In this sense
both informative writing, such as books on history or geography and imaginative
writing belong to the realm of the literature.
Literature sprang up from the imaginative mind of people who have the talent
to create the stories, they created it from their experience in their life, and they made
it become a literary work as a reflection of a real life, we can see all social problems
in the real life through the literary work.
One genre of literary work is the novel. Novel present as a documentary
picture of life. Alongside the fact, that the novel look at people in society. In fact, the
people in the novel, was the character even it major or minor character, protagonist
and antagonist character. A lot of novel have and use to look for the young people as
the main character in a story, because as a young man, the people felt that they could
to be most to face odds as usually and character in novel dominated by people. The
writer thought that novel also as a mirror of our life, because the entire story in the
novel took from the real life of human by the professional authors or a people who
2.2 Character
The people in the novel are referred as a character, character in novels have
been specially created by authors. When authors create characters, they select some
aspect of ordinary people, develop some of those aspects whilst playing down others,
and put them together as they please. The result is not an ordinary person but a
fictional character that only exists in the words of novel.
In some novel there are characters that are known from the inside and the
outside but who, nevertheless, are not as rich, varied or original. They are characters
who have a much more limited life. Their authors have given them a few
characteristics, but they do not develop or change very much, and consequently they
rarely surprise the reader.
Character is very important in real-made creation of literary works such as
novel, drama or even some of poems. The nature of character presentation brings a
positive impact for readers to find out what is going on and what it is for. Since, the
character mirrors quality of person. It can be traced to generalize opinion for man in
general.
2.2.1 Types of Character
The British novelist and critic E.M. Forster in his critical work aspect of the
novel, calls the two major types “round” and “flat”.
Round Characters
The round character usually the major figure in a story profit from experience
actions (2) the realization of new strength and therefore the affirmation previous
decision, (3) the acceptance of a new condition, or (4) the discovery of unrecognized
truths.
Because round they usually play a major role in a story, round characters are
often called the hero or heroin. Many major characters are anything but heroic,
however, and it is therefore preferable to use the more neutral word protagonist, and
exhibits the ability to adapt to new circumstance. To the degree that round, characters
are both individual and sometimes unpredictable, and because they undergo changer
or growth, they are dynamic. The round characters also known as the major character
because they play a major role in a story of novel.
Flat Characters
In contrast, flat character does not grow. They remain the same because they
may be stupid, incentive, or lacking in knowledge or insight. They are static because
they end where they begin. However, flat characters are not therefore worthless, for
they usually highlight the development of the round characters. Usually, flat
characters are minor (e,g. Relatives, acquaintances, functionaries), although not
all-minor character is necessary flat.
Sometime flat character are prominent in certain types of literature, such
cowboy, police, and detective story, where the focus is less on character than on
performance. These kinds of character might be lively and engaging, even though
they do not develop or change. They must be strong and clever enough to perform
recurring tasks like solving a crime, overcoming a villain, or finding a treasure. The
stock characters have many common traits, they are reprehensive of their class, or
group.
Type of character according to Plato based on Psychology;
1. Make sense
2. Wish or desire
3. Natural appetite
Ewald give the limitation characters as the totalities from the conditions and
how the psyche toward the stimulus.
Theoretically, he makes it different namely:
1. Character since new born
Character since newborn (Angeborener character, genotypes character,
namely aspect), which represent the basic of the character, and genotypes character is
very tight the relation with psychologies condition, namely, the qualities of centre of
nerve structure.
2. Character that we get
The character which had received (Erworbener Character, phenotypes
character), namely the character which have influenced by the environments,
experience and education. From the explanation of the character, which related with
personality or character in psychology, we have known that character not only acted
2.3 The Characteristics of Victorian Novel
Since the novel that will be analyzed is from Victorian era, it should be better
if we know the characteristic of the Victorian era novel. There is a web site
addressed in
that the literature of the Victorian age entered in a new period after the romantic
revival. The literature of this era expressed the fusion of pure romance to gross
realism. Though, the Victorian Age produced two great poets Tennyson and
Browning, the age is also remarkable for the excellence of its prose.
The discoveries of science have particular effects upon the literature of the
age. If you study all the great writers of this period, you will mark four general
characteristics:
1. Literature of this age tends to come closer to daily life which reflects its
practical problems and interests. It becomes a powerful instrument for human
progress.
2. Moral Purpose: The Victorian literature seems to deviate from "art for art's
sake" and asserts its moral purpose. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin -
all were the teachers of England with the faith in their moral message to
instruct the world.
3. Idealism: It is often considered as an age of doubt and pessimism. The
influence of science is felt here. The whole age seems to be caught in the
4. Though, the age is characterized as practical and materialistic, most of the
writers exalt a purely ideal life. It is an idealistic age where the great ideals
like truth, justice, love, brotherhood are emphasized by poets, essayists and
novelists of the age.
2.4 Description of Sigmund Freud’s Theory Personality
The psychoanalytic to personality was created and articulated by Sigmund
Freud (1856-1939) and elaborated by others. Freud’s was the first major theory of
psychological development; he attempted not only to account for the origins of traits
and other behavior but also to provide a complete explanation of psychological
functioning. This approach actually had its beginnings as a theory of mental illness
based on Freud’s analysis of his patient’s cases.
Freud conceptualized the mind or the psyche, as consisting of their levels of
consciousness: the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious. The conscious
mind consists of what we are aware of any time. Consciousness however is only the
tip of the iceberg to use Freud metaphor. Freud described cognitive functioning as
taking place beneath the surface of consciousness. The preconscious consist of the
part of the mind which people are not aware but which can be brought to
consciousness without much effort-for example, if they are asked what they did to
summers ago. The unconscious embodies the part of the mind that cannot be brought
directly to consciousness. Within the unconscious lie the basic instinct and drivers,
particularly those that motivate aggression and sex. Freud conceptualized the psyche
as having a fixed amount of psychic energy, the dynamic source of all motivation,
the id, the ego, and super ego. While the id is unconscious, the ego, and superego
span all three levels of awareness.
The id: The original reservoir of psychic energy and is present from birth. Aggressive, sexual, and other impulses from the id always demand immediate
gratification. Thus, the id is said to operate on the pleasure principle, continually
pressing for the immediate discharge of any bodily tension. One want the id reduces
tension is to created an image of what it wants. This image, which cannot be
distinguished from reality, is known as wish fulfillment, but wish fulfilling mental
image themselves cannot reduce tension. After all, hungry people cannot eat images.
The failure of the id to deal with reality opens the way for the ego.
The ego: The ego comes into existence to deal with the objective, outside world and to satisfy the id’s wishes and instinctive demands. For example, it seeks
food when the id calls for appeasement of hunger drivers. The ego eventually
becomes capable of self-reflection and disserves the name Freud gave it: ego, or self.
Until self-reflection occurs there is no “I” but only a mass of undifferentiated
strivings. The ego obeys the reality principle in contrast to the id’s pleasure principle.
The reality principle, because it has to deal with the objective, “real” world, aims to
suspend the pleasure principle until satisfaction-food in this example is found. The
ego is thus the executive personality. It controls actions and chooses outcomes. A
person with a week ago may be dominated by the wish fulfilling fantasies of the id
and fail to deal effectively with objective reality, spending instead a disproportionate
amount of time in fantasy and daydreaming.
The ego ideal’s primary interest pertains to what I sight and virtuous. It holds up an
image of ideals behavior and perfection and says “yes” to morality dood thing.
Conscience, on the other hand, watches primarily over what is bad. It says “no” to
wishes that are morally wrong. Indeed, it attempts to censor impulses from the id and
prevent them entering the consciousness of the ego.
According to Freud, we are born with our id. The id is an important part of
our personality because as newborns, it allows us to get our basic needs met. Freud
believed that the id is based on our pleasure principle. In other words, the id wants
whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the child
cries. When the child needs to be changed, the id cries.
2.5 The Conflict between Ego and Id
Internal conflict between Ego and Id is cause by a person trying to disown his
or her dark side or Id which is the aspect of ourselves that we have repressed or
rejected because we have come to believe that it is unacceptable to those around us.
In order for us to adapt to and become part of society, we each must create an
ego. Ego development depends on our repressing what is wrong or bad in us, while
we identify with what is perceived and reinforced as good by our parents, siblings,
caretakers, and other important sources of love and support. This helps us to
eliminate the anxiety caused by our fear of our parents’ rejection and to gain the
approval of those we care most about. This process of growing an ego continues
throughout the first half of life and is modified by external influences and
The Id as the dark side, is a natural by-product of the ego building process.
Because of the necessarily one-sided nature of ego development, the neglected,
rejected, and unacceptable qualities in a person accumulate in the unconscious
psyche and take form as an inferior personality—the personal Shadow. This
disowned part of the self eventually becomes a mirror image of the ego. We disown
that which does not fit into our developing picture of who we are, thus creating a Id.
What is disowned, however, does not go away. It lives on within each
person—out of sight, out of mind, but nevertheless real—an unconscious alter ego
hiding just below the threshold of awareness. Those who feel they had to disown or
repress many aspects of themselves in order to be accepted by their parents or society
in general will have very large Id.
Ego and Id are therefore in an age-old battle, well known in mythology and
literature—opposing twins or brothers, one good, the other evil—symbolic
representations of the ego and alter ego in psychological development. Taken
together, these twins, or opposites, form a whole. In the same way, when the ego
assimilates the disowned self, a person moves toward wholeness.
Furthermore, the id and ego balance also influence by internal conflict of self.
The most common conflict, experienced by most people at some time in their lives,
is the conflict between the public self and the private self. The public self is the persona we show to the world—the social self. The social self is the side that is
concerned with how others perceive us, what impression we make on others, what
others think of us. The private self includes our innermost thoughts and feelings, our personal opinion of ourselves, our beliefs about ourselves, and our self-talk.
Oftentimes, our private and public selves are at odds with each other. We exhibit one
may feel good about ourselves when we are alone with our own thoughts and
feelings but feel insecure and even critical of ourselves when we are with other
people. The reverse can also be true—we can appear self-confident when we are in
public but privately agonize over our self-worth when we are alone with ourselves.
We all have a public self—which we portray to others in order to look good
or to meet their expectations. Yet some people create a public self that is so radically
different from their private or real self that those who know them only superficially
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
In this thesis, the writer applies the library research by searching and
collecting references that contain and support the topic from library and internet for
accomplishing this analysis. The writer collects some relevant information from
difference books.
In order to analyze the character of Dr. Jekyll, the writer used extrinsic
approach. The writer related this thesis to psychology as well for the writer knows
that psychology is the study of mind and behavior and it will help the writer to find
out the answer that formulated in the objective of this study by applying the
psychoanalytic theories and the general concept of character to support the ideas. In
doing this thesis the writer uses some steps as follows:
3.1. Data Collecting Procedure
Firstly, the writer did the collecting data. The writer read the novel to get the
information and to understand about the topic that will be analyzed in this thesis and
to find out the character as reflected through the characters of Dr. Jekyll in Robert
Louis Stevenson’s novel. The writer underlined and collected the important things
from te novel such as the information about the characteristic Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
3.2 Data Selecting Procedure
Secondly, the writer did the selecting data. All the information that has been
collected were being selected and only the most significant or related data were left
in order to be used in doing the analysis of the thesis.
3.3 Data Analyzing Procedure
Thirdly, the writer did the analyzed the data. In analyzing this thesis, the
writer uses descriptive method. This method is a method of analysis by describing
and analyzing the data and then giving the interpretation and explanation.
The descriptive analysis method is a method which describes facts which are
followed by analysis. This method is not only to describe the facts, but also to give
adequate understandings and explanations towards the facts (Ratna, 2004:53 Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penalitian Sastra). However, analysis has referred to the meaning not only to elaborate but also to provide an understanding and the
clarification sufficiently.
The writer analyzed all the selected data in order to achieve the aims that had
been formulated in the objective of this thesis and finally the writer can design the
CHAPTER IV
FINDING AND ANALYSIS
Human is the best sample to analysis the personality because human have
complicated personality where they can be an ‘evil’ in one time and can be an ‘angle’
for another time. Moreover, those can be happening in very short time. Here, the
writer has found a novel that telling a story of those complicated personality as a
dualism personality in a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson entitled “Strange
Case of Mr. Jekyll and Dr. Hyde”.
Investigating of this strange case is guided by Mr. Utterson here described as
the leading character that investigates the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
has finally found the truth of the case by Mr. Jekyll full statement of the case. In
Jekyll’s statement, he describes all of the case, the reason, all of that strangeness. Dr.
Jekyll starts his confession by speaking of himself, Henry Jekyll, and how long he
has been questioning the duality because he says that we are not truly one, “man is
not truly one, but truly two.” (48). He says that he was driven to reflect deeply and
inveterately on that hard law of life, which lies at the root of religion and is one of
the most plentiful springs of distress. This is supported by Engel which says Jekyll
and Hyde syndrome becomes a form of emotional abuse. In fact, most emotional
abusers exhibit some form of the Jekyll and Hyde syndrome. Emotional abuse has
taken the place of sexual abuse and domestic violence as the most talked about form
of abuse, both in the media and in recovery circles. Perhaps this is because in many
ways it is the last frontier in terms of facing how abuse permeates and shapes our
In this chapter, the writer will analysis the personality of Jekyll as Jekyll and
Hyde by using Freud’s theory to analyze Id, Ego and Super-Ego of their personality.
Here are the analyses:
4.1Dr. Jekyll’s Id Personality
Id is individual urge or instinct that is needed to be fulfilled. In this novel,
Mr. Hyde can be considering as the person that always follow his id as primary
instinct. Mr. Hyde represents the other side of Dr. Jekyll as a dark side where he
keeps making a violent. Hyde as the second personality of Jekyll is described with
his evil attitude and tends to doing cruel actions. Hyde is more following his id as the
basic attitude of human to pleasure himself. This is proven by many cruel actions he
has done written in this novel. The first cruel action he makes is by trampling a child.
Here, Mr. Enfield is described as narrator telling Hyde’s cruel action, describe his
action:
“Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground. It sounds nothing to hear, but it was hellish to see. It wasn't like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut. (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 5)
Normally, a child is to be loved and people always have mercy to the child.
But Hyde tramples the child and left het screaming on the ground are look sadist for
human nature action. He trod the child down and passes on regardless of her scream.
Mr. Enfield even describes Hyde is really like Satan with his hateful faces and black
sneering coolness. It’s also described that his action is a juggernaut. Literally,
be controlled. Juggernaut is also need the other ‘victim’. In this story, the juggernaut
is also supported by Hyde’s next action to the second victim which he breaks out all
of his victim bound and such a cruel action. In this accident, a maid is described as
narrator that sees Hyde’s action by her window.
The old gentleman took a step back, with the air of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt; and at that Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway. At the horror of these sights and sounds, the maid fainted. (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 23)
The victim of this accident is Sir Danvers Carew. The maid, as the witness of
the Sir Danvers Carew’s murder, describes the accident. The maid watches the man
and observes and being losing all sensibility and faints when seeing Hyde begins to
pummel the Carew. What the Hyde does to Mr. Carew is a sadist action for general
person especially because the victim’s bones are audibly shattered. Mostly, human
with his consciousness cannot do that due to afraid of feeling guilty and humanism
value but Mr. Hyde can do that. After doing the cruelty with the child, Hyde is doing
the other cruel action with Carew support that the character of Mr. Hyde represents
Id his action is a means to satisfy Jekyll own desire which he can’t fulfill by himself
as his first character.
“The pleasures which I made haste to seek in my disguise were, as I have said, undignified; I would scarce use a harder term. But in the hands of Edward Hyde, they soon began to turn toward the monstrous.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 66)
From the quote above, implicitly it is saying that Hyde enjoys committing the
senseless violence against innocent victims, it expresses the depravity and pure evil
of Hyde. The word ‘monstrous’ is also written because after that accident, Jekyll fail
to control his ambition as Hyde and make a new violent again. He says it because he
is tempting to do the cruel action again to satisfy his thirst of doing cruel thing. He
says that “I felt younger, lighter, happier in body;” (Page 63) when he is doing cruel
action like a self pleasure and self interest to do it again and again. Jekyll cannot
make any scandal because if he does that, he will make his name stink from one end
of London. Jekyll also admit the pleasure he get by doing such a cruel action he do
when he is being Hyde.
“It was on this side that my new power tempted me until I fell in slavery. I had but to drink the cup, to doff at once the body of the noted professor, and to assume, like a thick cloak, that of Edward Hyde.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 65)
Jekyll makes his second character can be considered as the creator who
should control his second self as the creature, ironically, Jekyll says he falls in
‘slavery’. This is because when he totally follows his id, he forgets the horror and
sadistic action he made juts for getting pleasure. This is also controlled by the
ambition. Timothy Judge, a professor of management at the University of Notre
Dame's Mendoza College of Business says that despite their many accomplishments,
ambitious people are only slightly happier than their less-ambitious counterparts, and
they actually live somewhat shorter lives. Here is Jekyll describe his other self:
From the quote above, Jekyll mentions about the ambition. Ambition can be
good if the owner of the ambition can manage it well. But, here the one that live the
ambition is an evil so it makes the ambition is totally bad. If an evil has ambition, he
will always do the evil way, too for getting the pleasure especially because the virtue
slumbered. Ambition can monopolize the self and let the evil take all control. He
even knows that his second self is evil and worse but he can’t dwell on his first
character and Hyde is able to monopolize his body. Terry Eagleton points out in On Evil about id: “The less sense it makes, the more evil it is. Evil has no relations to anything beyond itself, such as a cause. If [they] did what they did because of
boredom or bad housing or parental neglect, then … what they did was forced upon
them by their circumstances”(3). Moreover, Jekyll also admits the sensation he gets
by being Hyde:
“There was something strange in my sensations, something indescribably new and, from its very novelty, incredibly sweet. I felt younger, lighter, happier in body; within I was conscious of a heady recklessness, a current of disordered sensual images running like a millrace in my fancy, a solution of the bonds of obligation, an unknown but not an innocent freedom of the soul. (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 63)
His sensation by being Hyde is the sensation he says as something
indescribable and incredibly sweet. By saying that the sensation is as a solution of
the bonds of obligation show that when he is under control of his ego, there is no
rule can control him anymore, no more obligations. This shows that obligation is
perfectly needed to control the id though too much obligations make people feel tie
up to do something as himself and need ‘someone’ else to do what he truly want to
do based on his libido and at that time, Id is taking part to seek pleasure for fulfill the
“…something still kept insisting that I was not where I was, that I had not wakened where I seemed to be, but in the little room in Soho where I was accustomed to sleep in the body of Edward Hyde. I smiled to myself, and in my psychological way, began lazily to inquire into the elements of this illusion, occasionally, even as I did so, dropping back into a comfortable morning doze.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 67)
Soho is the place where Hyde lives. Jekyll houses himself as Jekyll and Hyde
in separate place. This is important for him to keep these two versions of himself in
different places for making his life would be relieves of all that’s unbearable. Soho is
described like a distinct of some city in a nightmare under the changing glimpse with
its muddy ways. Furthermore, living in Soho has support the existence of Hyde as
dark side. Yet, thought living in unpleasing place, as Hyde, Jekyll can enjoy it by
adding a comfortable morning doze and smiled to himself.
Moreover, having succeeded to separate the identities being two persons,
there are exact differences of the expectation the balance between id and super ego.
One is his old self as Jekyll and the second is someone he calls Hyde. His theory is
not totally true because the first self is still him with his own nature and the second
one is described as full evil.
“Hence, although I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll, that incongruous compound of whose reformation and improvement I had already learned to despair. The movement was thus wholly toward the worse.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 65)
This is rather screwy because if one side is totally evil which means follow
one is successfully exist with his evil nature and the second not. It looks like people
cannot be totally having the full goodness in his life. For actual they are one but
divided into two character. If one if exist, the other one should be ‘sleep’. But, one of
one action he made to fulfill his libido as Hyde makes him become enjoy the Hyde
an d incorporate with it:
“All things therefore seemed to point to this; that I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self, and becoming slowly incorporated with my second and worse.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 69)
Here is one of the proofs that his id is stronger. This also may because that
when he is able to fulfill his pleasure to complete his id, he become corporate with
the id. Ironically, since the id and ego of Jekyll’s personality continuously taking
part time by time, it means that when Id keep taking part, the ego lose its part. At the
time that’s happened, Jekyll become losing his original self as Jekyll and incorporate
being Hyde. The nice thing is that Jekyll admits that his second is worse. Yet, he
doesn’t seem take full care of it. It may show that if someone get the pleasure to
fulfill his libido, he will not care full of what he has done, no matter it is a good one
or a bad one as long as he get his pleasure.
Dr. Lanyon, who have seen the transformation of Jekyll being Hyde saying
that he have seen devilish little of the man such unscientific balderdash would have
estranged Damon and Pithiest (12). Wikipedia states that in
legend of Damon and Pythias (or Phintias) symbolizes trust and loyalty in a true
friendship. The use of the Damon-and-Pythias idiom would seem to indicate that,
whether the difference was on a point of science or something else, it was not "only"
research is not only a trivial because it’s kind of revolutionary of scientific, yet since
it’s only a unscientific balderdash, it become totally useless. Here, we can see the
effect of the it by seeing that Jekyll is slowly losing his original and better self.
By seeing the cruelty of the Hyde with the little child and Sir Carew, it can be
understood those are because of the Id. Here is the more description how is those can
be happening and the reason:
“This familiar that I called out of my own soul, and sent forth alone to do his good pleasure, was a being inherently malign and villainous; his every act and thought centered on self; drinking pleasure with bestial avidity from any degree of torture to another; relentless like a man of stone.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 66)
From the above quotation, it can be concluded that the Id is centered on self.
The author trough Jekyll saying that Hyde is his own soul may as message to people
that actually the basic personality of the people is the Id, yet because Id keep doing
such a cruelty things, that’s why ego needed to balance it. Actually, there is nothing
wrong about focusing on self because people can get their truly identity but if
someone keep centering his activity on self, may make him is not able to see the
others by only seeking pleasure for himself. Here, it makes Hyde is drinking pleasure
with bestial avidity from any degree of torture to another. That’s why there are
accident of the little child and Sir Carew. And the cruelty of his action because he is
relentless like a man of stone where stone has no feeling.
Jekyll is almost true about his theory by saying ‘…these polar twins should
be continuously struggling’ although in the many scene of the story is showing that
is Jekyll use to transform himself being Hyde and vice versa is unstable and mostly
Hyde ‘wins’ this unstableness.
“Yes, I had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde. How was this to be explained? (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 68)
Quotation above shows that when someone keeps following his id to get
pleasure, the Id will take control of the body out of conscious of the self for getting
pleasure where unstableness of Id and Ego will be won by Id because whenever
Jekyll let down his self control, he finds his another nature reveal again as Mr. Hyde.
Here may because when people sleep, they are under unconscious and the Id is being
able to take control of the body.
Mr. Hyde is easily recognize as the id because he is seeking instant pleasure,
having an aggressive instinct, and having no moral or social mores that need be
followed. He takes pleasure in violence and similar to the death instinct ultimately
leads to his own destruction. In ending of this novel, Jekyll decide to suicide and not
let Hyde free but and before die he turn being Hyde until dead. This is like a simple
message that human, that consists of id, ego and super ego, as if addicted for always
follow his id or as if saying that once people get pleasure and let the id control him,
the id will keep monopolize the self to always fulfill his willing to get pleasure of it.
It is reflected of Jekyll story where he sleep as Jekyll and wake up as Hyde for saying
4.2Dr. Jekyll’s Ego Personality
Ego is part of object that a person wanted to fulfill or satisfy. Ego is made for
making the Id and Super-Ego balance to take over control the body. The ego
negotiates with the id in order to get it what it wants without costing it too much.
Here, Jekyll is able to being deal with his ego especially after he is under control of
Hyde and his id. The first cruelty Hyde doing is to the child but when he turns
himself being Jekyll again, he realizes its cruelty. He feels anger about what he has
done.
“An act of cruelty to a child aroused against me the anger of a passer-by, whom I recognized the other day in the person of your kinsman; the doctor and the child's family joined him; there were moments when I feared for my life; (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 67)
From the quotation above, it seems like there is no apologize of Jekyll after
doing it because he is not worried about the child anymore but worried about
himself. It can consider as the basic ego of human because after getting conscious of
being in control of the id, Jekyll is still in control of his ego to think what will happen
to him for next. He fears of his own life so he still only thinks about the best for
himself. He gives ten pounds in gold and a cheque for the balance for the child
family to solve the problem. Yet, Jekyll can’t totally be blamed because at least, he
knows he already does something wrong. For doing the best for himself, he even
make testament to his lawyer, Mr. Utterson, if he disappearance or unexplained
absence, Hyde will get all of his possession. It show that Jekyll may already know
what will happen to him or he is very enjoy his doing as Hyde and want to keep
being Hyde longer and longer. But, if he isn’t being Jekyll anymore, he will not have
“…all his possessions were to pass into the hands of his "friend and benefactor Edward Hyde," but that in case of Dr. Jekyll's "disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months," (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:
10)
He writes ‘disappearance’ and ‘unexplained absence’ because none of people
know that he has divided himself being two people. Here is why dualism of Jekyll
and Hyde is called strange case. He is as if has planning for being Hyde for any
period. Jekyll is rich people and he want to keep being rich as Hyde is showing his
ego to keep claim his possession. He even show his ego by saying that Edward Hyde
can get all of Jekyll’s possession without any further delay and free from any burthen
or obligation beyond the payment of a few small sums to the members of the doctor's
household. This make him being richer because he can get all of his possession no
matter as whom he live and being free of obligation as Hyde ay show that he has
more interest for living as Hyde to seek his own pleasure and fulfill his libido. He
admits it by saying that he has great interest of Hyde and makes Utterson promises
that he will bear with Hyde and give Hyde his right.
After the murder case of Carew, as one of Utterson client too, Utterson comes
to Jekyll house to ask about Hyde since Carew is his client, so is Jekyll, Utterson
want to know what he is actually doing that strange case. But Jekyll doesn’t say
anything about Hyde. He even promises that Hyde will not be heard again.
From that quotation, Jekyll keeps repeating that he won’t be seeing Hyde
anymore due to his own horror about what he has done. Yet, he says Hyde is safe
may only to make sure that him as first and second self is safe. This shows that after
getting his conscious and contemplation, and no longer influenced by Id, he become
more aware of his action, what should not you do and his life. Jekyll do this because
of his ego so save himself, he says that was not only a crime, it has been a tragic
folly. He is quite done with Hyde because of thinking of his own character. This is
because Crew is a man with high in public estimation and he afraid this case will be
exposed. This case is happening because Jekyll want to fulfill his pleasure and keep
his good name in society due to his social position. Again, public takes control of
someone ambition and personality.
“And indeed the worst of my faults was a certain impatient gaiety of disposition, such as has made the happiness of many, but such as I found it hard to reconcile with my imperious desire to carry my head high, and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 60)
There are many cases where the main problem is that someone is not able to
reveal himself due to stress of public opinion. It seems like society limit someone
activity. Here, Jekyll is being Hyde due to internal conflict of self between the public
self and the private self. His public self, what he shows to the public, is well known
as a doctor with a position in social, that’s why he cannot make any scandal although
deep down inside he also wants to fulfill his pleasure as private self. Linehan (2003:
205-206) also mentions this self conflict by saying that here Jekyll is impatient of
disposition may because he can take no moral responsibility for any of his actions
pleasure, sexual or otherwise, may matter far less than the fact that by living a double
life to avoid moral accountability, he shuts the door of his soul to conscience.
Moreover, by being Hyde he has been losing himself and he makes confession
about it to Utterson:
"I wish you to judge for me entirely," was the reply. "I have lost confidence in myself." (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 29)
This quotation tells that always following the Id can make people lost his
confidence of himself. That’s because he may no longer know who actually himself
is. In this case, Jekyll has lost confidence of himself due to unbalance of his
personality part where Hyde has done many wrong things and Jekyll can’t undo what
Hyde has done. Yet, he is wishing Mr. Utterson to judge him entirely may for making
justification that he is not totally false. He still suggest Mr. Utterson to understand
why he does it, the reason, and the entire story about what he have done seem like his
ego taking part.
The development of the ego, however, is only the first step in the Laconia
socialization process. The second step consists in castration: the acceptance of the
oedipal prohibition which implements the Law, understood as the fundamental
principles of human social relations. This final step constitutes the resolution of the
Oedipus complex and allows entry into the symbolic order. Whereas the protagonist
in stories of identical alter egos refuses to accept the identification with his specula
image which is necessary for the development of the ego, stories of split personalities
can be construed as portraying a protagonist who will not fully accept the Laconia
that the second type of doppelganger narrative is about what happens when one does
not accept the basic restrictions and limitations of the social order and the human
condition.
4.3Dr. Jekyll’s Super Ego Personality
Super Ego is concerned with morality, with what is right and what is wrong.
It consist of two distinct parts: the ego-ideal and the conscience. Super-Ego is mind
that rules Id and Ego or mind that makes final decision toward a person’s action. Due
to overdose of the potion, it makes him realize that he does not know who he is
anymore that he refers himself as the third person view which can be considered as
the super ego.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s relationship is described in the last chapter of the
book - “Henry Jekyll’s full statement of the case” where he gives a personal
statement of how and why this strange case came to be. That chapter is written as the
narration on how Dr. Jekyll tells about himself, about his relation and about whom
Hyde actually is. Having seeing the unstable of the changing body process between
Hyde and Jekyll which Hyde often monopolize the body, Jekyll make a confession
that he has lost himself and starting the confession as the their person. He makes
judgment for Jekyll and Hyde for their action. He began to reflect seriously the issues
and possibilities his double existence. All his has done giving him perspective that he
has slowly losing the way of holding his original self as Jekyll and being incorporate
with his second self as Hyde.
The unstable power of the drug makes him have to choose which self will be
father's interest and Hyde has more than a son's indifference. He knows he has to
choose because Jekyll and Hyde because both of them have memory for themselves
but he still has many things for consideration:
“The bargain might appear unequal; but there was still another consideration in the scales; for while Jekyll would suffer smartingly in the fires of abstinence, Hyde would be not even conscious of all that he had lost.” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 69)
Actually, he prefers the character Jekyll because Jekyll is a discontented
doctor and surrounded by friend who controlled by the ego, although he has also
enjoyed the pleasures as a resolute farewell to libel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde try as Hyde who controlled by Id. But the drug which not always equally displayed make him being spying the danger
of the balance of his nature will be permanently overthrown. His moral make him to
make a decision:
“It must have been this, I suppose, that stirred in my soul that tempest of impatience with which I listened to the civilities of my unhappy victim; I declare, at least, before God, no man morally sane could have been guilty of that crime upon so pitiful a provocation;” (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: 70)
Bound of terror he get is added by terror of unstable the drug he uses. While
Id and Ego of Hyde and Jekyll trying to take control of his body, he become having
voluntarily stripped of himself for those balancing instinct. Considering that Hyde
has moral insensibility and insensate readiness to evil and he is no longer able to
control Hyde’s action and having self terror of his action make him take decision to
By seeing the ending of the story, there is conclusion that when someone
keep following his Id, it will keep rest with him for long live. The dividing of the
characters between Hyde with his evil character and Jekyll with his old nature show
that human cannot be the super ego with angel nature easily but can be the id with
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5. 1 Conclusion
Having analyzed the structural personality of the character Hyde and Jekyll,
Hyde and Jekyll are the same person. The writer has concluded that if Id is more
dominant than ego and super ego, someone will be bad person, if ego is dominant
than Id and super ego, someone will be normal person with normal personality and if
super ego is more dominant that Id and ego, someone will be greater person.
Ego is needed to make the super ego and ego being balance, though in this
story seem as if that the body can be easily controlled by id for seeking the instants
pleasure, the ego to stop ot by realizing what the has done and when the ego is no
longer able to control the id, super ego take part to make Id comes to end.
5. 2 Suggestion
Literary work can represent the life and someone who analyze the literary
work also can know what is the life. Especially about this novel, the author write
about the story that main topic is about personality. By learning this novel, we can
learn how if Id controls the body, the ego and super ego and its effect to the life. The
writer suggests that we should learn the entire of literary work for getting the value
REFERENCES
Benjamin Netson, 1958. Freud and the 20th century.
Birch, Ann and Tony Malim, 1988. Developmental Psychology. The Macmillan Press ltd.
Bernad J. Paris. A Psychological Approach to Fiction. Bloomington and London: The Macmilan Press ltd.
Dr.Kartono Kartini, 2005. Teori Kepribadian. Bandung: Penerbit Mandar Maju.
Engel, Beverly, 2007. The Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome: what to do if someone in your life has a dual personality. United states of Amerika.
Koswara.E, 1991. Teori-teori Kepribadian. Bandung: PT Eresco.
Linehan, Katherine, 2003. Sex, Secrecy, and Self-Alienation in Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. New York and London: W.W.Norton & Company.
Norman, 1984. The Language of Literature. London: The Macmillan Press ltd.
Ratna, K.N. 2004, Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra. Dempasar: Pustaka Pelajar.
Taylor, Rchard, 1981. Understanding the Elaments of Literature. London: The Macmillan Press ltd.
Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren, 1977. Theory of Literature. London: Pinguin Books, Ltd.
Suryabrata Sumadi, 2011. Psikologi Kepribadian. Jakarta: Rajawali Pers.
October 2012. Dr Jekyll-Mr Hyde. Retrieved from
(October 2012).
October 2012. Dr Jekyll-Mr Hyde. Retrieved from
(October
2012).
October 2012. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Retrieved from
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange-Case-of-Dr-Jekyll-and-Mr-Hyde (October
APPENDICES
i. Autho’s Biography and Works
Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson was born on 13th November 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He changed the spelling of his second name to Louis when he
was about 18, and dropped the third when he was 23.
Throughout his childhood, he suffered chronic health problems that confined
him to bed. The strongest influence during his childhood was that of his nurse,
Allison Cunnigham, who often read aloud Pilgrim's Progress and The Old
Testament, his most direct literary influences during this time. In 1867, he entered
Edinburgh University as a science student, where it was tacitly understood that he
would follow his father's footsteps and become a civil engineer. Robert, however,
had much more of a romantic nature at heart and while obstentiously working for a
science degree, he spent much of his time studying French Literature, Scottish
did not want to become an engineer and instead wished to pursue writing, his father
was naturally upset. They settled on a compromise ? Robert would study for the Bar
and if is literary ambitions failed, he would have a respectable profession to fall back
on.
In order to fully understand the world in which Stevenson was raised, it is
necessary to understand that there were two Edinburghs, both which played a part in
molding his personality and outlook. On one hand was New Town, respectable,
conventional, deeply religious, and polite. On the other was a much more bohemian
Edinburgh, symbolized by brothels and shadiness. The juxtaposition of the two
aspects in contrast to each other made a deep impression and strengthened his
fascination with the duality of human nature, later providing the theme for The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
In the autumn of 1873, Stevenson was taken ill with nervous exhaustion and a
severe chest condition, consequently, his doctor ordered him to take an extended rest
abroad. For the next six months, he convalesced in the South of France, working on
essays. On his return to Edinburgh, he spent much of his time writing book reviews
and articles and experimenting with short stories. Slowly but surely, he earned a
name for himself in journalism and his pieces began appearing in distinguished
journals such as The Fortnightly Review. At this time, he met an American married
woman, Fanny Vandergrift Osbourne, ten years his senior, whom was in Europe
trying to escape her estranged husband's influence. For three years, Stevenson (still
in ill health) continued his relationship with her and eventually followed her to San
Francisco, where she obtained a divorce from her husband and married Stevenson in
During this time, he published his first book, An Inland Voyage in 1878, an
engaging account of a canoeing holiday in Belgium. In August 1880, the Stevensons
returned to England. The story of Stevenson life from this point forward is a story
centered on a search of a climate where he could live without the fears of his failing
health. He and his wife wintered in the South of France and lived in England from
1880-1887, and this time was marked by an active period of literary achievement.
His first novel, Treasure Island, was published in 1883, followed by The Strange
Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) and Kidnapped (1886). For the first time in
his life, Stevenson had became a popular author.
Upon the death of his father in 1887, Robert Louis Stevenson decided to
leave England and sailed for America, where he stayed for a year. In May 1888,
accompanied by his wife, his step-son, and his mother, he set sails for the South
Seas. Eventually, Stevenson was so enchanted by the life of the South Seas that in
December 1889 he bought an estate in Apia, Samoa, convinced that he could never
endure the harsh winters of his native Scotland or England. Apia was a perfect
location because the climate was tropical but not wild, the people were friendly and
hard working, and it possessed a good postal service. He lived at his 300 acre estate,
Vailima, in the hills of Apia until his death five years later. The list of his writings
for 1890-94 reveals an impressive range of activities. During this time, he completed
two of his finest novellas, ?The Beach of Falesa' and The Ebb Tide, two novels, The
Wrecker and Catriona, the short stories ?The Bottle Imp,' ?The Isle of voices' and
?the Waif Woman,' and the short pieces collected under the title of Fables. He also
worked on a number of novels that he did not live to complete, including St. Ives,
Hermiston until the day of his death, December 3, 1894. On that day, he dictated
another installment of the novel, seemed in excellent spirits, and was talking to his
wife in the evening when he felt a violent pain in his head and almost immediately
lost consciousness.
So finally (in 1890), they took up residence in Samoa where he became very involved with the islanders, their way of life and their politics. He continued writing
and was known to the Samoans as 'tusitala', that is, 'writer of tales'. Also he was able
to enjoy a lot of outdoor activities, though nothing too strenuous. It was undoubtedly
the happiest period of their lives but, unfortunately, was to last only 4 years.
He died, in the evening, on 3rd December 1894 in Samoa, aged 44. By his own wish he was buried there, on the summit of Mount Vaea. Fanny died 20 years
later.
SELECTED LIST OF WORKS ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
Novels
•
treasure, and Henley, he provided the earliest known title, "The Sea Cook, or Treasure Island: a Story for Boys".
•
set in the imaginary Germanic state of Grünewald.
•
understanding of the subconscious mind through its treatment of a kind and intelligent physician who turns into a drug intended to separate good from evil in a personality.
•
pursuit of his inheritance and his alliance wit
•
• America, and India.
•
•
• David Balfour, is a sequel to Kidnapped, telling of Balfour's further adventures.
•
•
considered to have promised great artistic growth.
•
Unfinished at the time of Stevenson's death, the novel was completed by Short Story • • •
• South Sea Tales) (1893)
contains three longer stories.
•
The two matches, The sick man and the fireman, The devil and the innkeeper, The penitent, The yellow paint, The house of Eld, The four reformers, The man and his friend, The reader, The citizen and the traveller, The
distinguished stranger, The carthorse and the saddlehorse, The tadpole and the frog, something in it, Faith, half faith and no faith at all, The touchstone, The poor thing, The song of the morrow.
Poetry
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their parents. Includes such favourites as "My Shadow" and "The
Lamplighter". Often thought to represent a positive reflection of the author's sickly childhood.
•
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Scottish ghost story. • Ballads (1891)
ii Summary of Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde
Robert Louis Stevensons novel, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, has been called a “perpetual
masterpiece of psychological terror that sprang from the deepest crevices of Stevenson’s
own subconscious -- a nightmare from which his wife awakened him” (Lombardi). The
phrase Jekyll and Hyde is synonymous with mans internal war between good and evil
(Auclair). Stevensons story of the kindly scie
