Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Research Paper

The concept of monsters has captivated our society for hundreds of years because they represent what society has driven out of the individual. Monsters encapsulate the aspects of humanity that have been changed by the growing civility and refinement fostered by our society. I read Dracula as a criticism of an individualistic search for power. Take away the supernatural elements and the story is of a man who gains power by ruining the lives of others. Bram Stoker’s motivation for writing Dracula was likely not one-dimensional. While there is the obvious attempt to play on the fear of foreigners, I think it is incredibly important to remember that Dracula is not the typical foreigner. Even when you disregard the fact that he is a vampire, he is still a count. There is quite plainly an element of class warfare. The story is interesting because it paints Dracula as evil and makes sure to leave out any elements of his past. He is pure evil with no redeeming factors. He doesn’t have the innocent start of Frankenstein, the upstanding alter ego of Dr. Jekyll, or some
Jekyll and Mr, Hyde has a very similar message to the one found in Dracula. The struggle between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the epitome of self-indulgence. Dr. Jekyll is a kind, giving, knowledgeable individual that completely removes himself from society to become Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is the exact opposite of Dr. Jekyll in every way. Instead of contributing to society, he is a vile individual that tramples a young girl and later murders a man in the street. This story is really what society is founded upon, an idea that individuals must contribute to the community, or at the very least not be a burden. I wholeheartedly agree with this rebuke of the “survival of the fittest” concept. A strong community where the burden is shared and no one becomes this metaphorical self-serving monster is preferable to the alternative of a bunch of individuals looking out for