Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Research Paper

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“Dr. Jekyll is not so much a man of conflicted personality as a man suffering from the ravages of addiction. He is a man of “destructive attachments,” a man victimized by a chemical dependency that is aggravated by a pre-existing psychopathology and maladaptive behaviors which follows his repeated consumption of the undisclosed psychoactive substance that turns him into Edward Hyde” (Wright 254). Jekyll’s dual personality and internal confusion stems from his addiction to the nonspecific drug/elixir used to transform Dr. Jekyll into his evil alter ego Mr. Hyde. This elixir represents how addiction brings out the evil in all people; not just in this book but in each one of us as human beings. Referring to the pattern of addiction, “Mark Judge…show more content…
“It was Hyde after all, and Hyde alone that was guilty” (p. 134) (notecard 1k)Jekyll believes that he is not addicted to the elixir and that he has complete control over when and how long Hyde is present. This belief is obviously delusional and is a common belief among addicts who are in denial. “Jekyll’s reaction to Hyde, the emblem of his addiction is typical; as he proclaims to Utterson “to put your heart good at rest, I will tell you one thing: the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde” (p. 40) He supposes that he can regulate the use and effects of his intoxicant. Of course, he cannot no more than a similar exertion of will can spontaneously heal a compound fracture.” (notecard 1j) “Jekyll’s misplaced confidence in his ability to expel Hyde, as though Hyde were but an unwanted guest rather than an integral part of Jekyll’s being contributes to Jekyll’s failure to sustain the arrest of his addiction.” (notecard 1r) “His belligerent refusal to surrender to self-recognition reveals that, for all his protests to the contrary, he loves being Edward Hyde.” (notecard 1n) We have already acknowledged that Hyde is a part of Jekyll, not a separate being, therefore the quotation above states that Jekyll indulges in, and enjoys embracing the evil part of himself. As humans, we too often enjoy and find pleasure in embracing…show more content…
Not only is his psyche different from Dr. Jekyll but also his body grotesque and deformed. Thus Dr. Jekyll thinks that he can receive the pleasure that both parts of his being crave without being encumbered by the demands of the other. However, Mr. Hyde evokes feelings of dread and abhorrence in Dr. Jekyll’s friends who beseech him to give up his “friendship” with Edward Hyde. Edward Hyde gradually becomes even more powerful than his ‘good’ counterpart, and ultimately leads Dr. Jekyll to his doom” Contrary to most stories in which the good force triumphs over evil, In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, evil prevails due to the ignorance and indolence of Jekyll as he continuously forces himself to believe that he doesn’t have an addiction. We slowly witness as readers “the unending struggle to manage two lives” as it “takes its toll” (notecard 1t) on Dr. Jekyll. “Even Jekyll, during the tenure of his heroic perseverance against the resurgence of his habit, foresees the imminent triumph of his addiction and his conquest by Edward Hyde. (notecard 1s) As readers we are devastated to hear of the loss of Jekyll and everything good that made up his being because Jekyll was an extraordinary man revered among his peers, and an incredible gifted scientist. If it wasn’t for his wrong decision to create the elixir, he would have been an ingenious scientist who would go on to accomplish incredible feats far ahead of his time. “Dr. Henry
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