Gothic Theme

Conflict within One' Self Personal internal battles exist every day whether it is mentally, emotionally, spiritually or even physically. Within each person, typical temptations dwell deep inside. Some of these temptations can be very active or remain dormant until precise events trigger them. The intricacy of a person’s inner struggle fights between a moral and corrupt side. Naturally, undesirable temptations ascend from the lower qualities of people and bare individuals to develop even more immoral ambitions. Overtime, those temptations could worsen and became more severe, in which the person develops a lack of self-control with major inflictions and regrets. A clash between good and evil, hero and tyrant is a basic foundation to gothic literature where Robert Louis Stevenson brought the internal battle in the gothic story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Gothic setting are critical to any story. Stevenson begins with making a dark, supernatural tone of the setting of the story. The vivid detail of doubling symbolisms slashes through the reading, which relates the personal physical life and mental dark state that Dr. Jekyll is enduring. The setting and symbols plays a role for the story and sets the stage for the story. Reading this gothic story, the city of London just like Dr. Jekyll is split into sides. Dr. Jekyll’s community is represented as the smart, wealthy, educated area known as the Cavendish square. Dr. Jekyll is referenced to on several occasions to throwing rich, fancy dinner parties and being surrounded by servants in his living quarters. Round the corner from the by street there was a square of ancient, handsome houses. One house, however second the corner was still occupied entire; and at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort. Admitting the visitor as he spoke, into a large, low-roofed, comfortable hall paved with flags, warmed by a bright, open fire, and furnished with costly cabinets of oak (Stevenson

Cited: Frank, Cathrine. "Privacy, Character, and the Jurisdiction of the Self: A "Story of the Door" in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."." (2010): 215-224. Hedlund, Joshua. "Jekyll and Hyde: Inner Struggle." (2006). Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Floating Press, 2008.