Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde and Frankenstein

Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic example

of Victorian English fiction. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is also a great novel of literal mastery

where we see a creature is put to observe his creator but not to live his own life. It also falls into

the time line of being Victorian English literature and based on European background. In both the

novels, we see the authors to have dealt with individualism with bit of twist. This twisted

individualism, is referred as dualism in psychology. It is a psychological disorder, known as the

dualism. Dualism is defined to be a thought of facts that is not explainable in general sense

neither the thought can invalidate the very existence of the other fact. Generally it has been

between two opposing characteristics of a single person. (Lucas, 2013)

In both the plot we see the main character to be desirous of inventing something of such

magnanimous scale to become world’s leading scientist and innovator. Their works lead them to

gore consequences but cannot make them stop or holding their work. Rather, in both instances

of the novels, we see the main characters to encounter lots of horrifying incidents that denote

immoral stands of them. Puzzled by the immoral experimentations outcome, both Dr. Jekyll and

Frankenstein had to meet tragic death. But their death was necessary for the authors to construct

their underlying message behind their works. In the following section we shall be comparing,

analyzing and reviewing these works to understand what and which messages each of these

authors attempted to deliver to their contemporary readers through reflecting the time and the

society. (Wouterse, 2012)

According to the story plot, both the leading characters of the novel, namely, Dr. Jekyll

and Mr. Hyde were suffering from personality disorder. The author applied both philosophical

and religious context to interpret the characters. However, both in the eventual context of the

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

novel found to be greatly dominated with Sigmund Freud’s personality structure theory. Author

R L Stevenson’s literary mastery made the novel filled with suspense and mystery. (Stevenson,

2011)

Stevenson’s plot for the novel begins with Dr. Jekyll’s narrative speech to Gabriel John

Utterson where Richard Enfield says that he has seen Mr. Hyde to crush a kid by stepping over

him. Mr. Hyde who was a nominee to all the properties, assets and belongings of Dr. Jekyll is

known to Utterson recently when Dr.Jekyll changed his inheritance will for Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll

made Mr. Hyde his rightful owner of all his property after his demise. What struck in the mind of

Utterson is that Mr. Hyde might be making Dr. Jekyll forced to opt for such will of nominee.

Utterson assumed Dr. Jekyll is being victimized and blackmailed by Mr. Hyde. Utterson’s interest

to the matter rose to a level that he decided to investigate the matter of his own. (Stevenson,

2011)

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In the next course of the plot we see a member of parliament, named by Sir Danvers, get

murdered and witness to the murder scene calls that it was a gruesome act of Mr. Hyde. The

local authority start search for Mr. Hyde but his whereabouts were unknown to everyone. While

man hunt for Mr. Hyde was strengthening, Utterson received a note. To his shock, he found that

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

the handwriting style of Mr. Hyde is so identically same like Dr. Jekyll. His findings put him into

more puzzled condition and he starts to discover the issue with more sincerity. At this point, he

also realizes that though the handwriting of Dr. Jekyll is identical with Mr. Hyde, there were some

differences. Those differences were in the slanting trend of the letters. Utterson figured that Dr.

Jekyll could intentionally be doing it to move the suspicion away from him. And to validate the

suspicion and witness statement on Mr. Hyde. (Stevenson, 2011)

On the next course of the story plot, Utterson come in contact with Dr. Lanyon who is

known to be the best friend of Dr. Jekyll and holds great deal of information about Dr. Jekyll’s

work, research and inventions. Dr. Lanyon learnt from Utterson that Dr. Jekyll has disappeared.

But this does not shock Dr. Lanyon. In fact Dr. Lanyon was so fed up with talking about Dr. Jekyll

that even denied to meet Dr. Jekyll. And at this point Utterson came to know that Mr. Hyde is

probably locked in the laboratory of Dr. Jekyll. Utterson soon breaks into laboratory of Dr. Jekyll

and interestingly finds the body of Mr. Hyde. The prime suspect of the parliament member

murder is dead. Utterson finds a note on Mr. Hyde’s pocket which is written by Dr. Jekyll. The

note asked to be sent to Dr. Lanyon, the old friend of Dr. Jekyll, who develop very strong hard

feelings about him. The note also asked to bring some chemical to Dr. Lanyon. When Dr. Lanyon

is brought to the laboratory of Dr. Jekyll, he read the note and made the chemical to swallow in

the mouth of the body of Mr. Hyde. Soon after swallowing the chemical, the body of Mr. Hyde

quickly turns into Dr. Jekyll, in front of everyone. Seeing such transformation, Dr. Lanyon gets a

heart attack on the spot and die. Utterson then opens the letter and read it. He found that Dr.

Jekyll was obsessed with dualism of personality; the good and the bad. Dr. Jekyll invented the

formula that can make him to decide turning good or bad per his wish consuming the chemicals.

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

The entire story started to unveil because at one point of his experimentation Dr. Jekyll realized

that he can easily turn evil or good at his will without the need to consume any chemical. As his

chemical supply exhausted and the transformation was not working, Dr. Jekyll could not turn into

his true identity once he became Mr. Hyde. So, Dr. Jekyll decides to kill himself, in the body of

Mr. Hyde. (Singh & Chakrabarti, 2008)

The work of R L Stevenson is unique not only in terms of its story plot but also for the time

it represents and the characteristics of the people, the readers he has related with his work.

Stevenson, who was raised with Calvnisim upbringing, was religiously influenced from his mother

and motivated to become an engineer like his father. Stevenson bridged between strong religious

beliefs and scientific thinking of engineering. This is two utter bipolarity of Stevenson’s personal

life and living. After his studies Stevenson extensively travelled into Europe and most of his earlier

writing were based on adventure. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde came in 1886 and

showed that Stevenson was still under the influence of Calvinist upbringing. He posed strong

interests in analyzing the characteristics and natures of evil. (Rosenberger, 2013)

At the Victorian age the Calvinist practices involved total deprivation, unconditional

election, limited atonement, irresistible grace and perseverance of saints. At that time the

Londoners were greatly influenced by religious practices and beliefs and their daily life was

greatly a demonstration of their religious participation. The Victorian England was free from

violence, expression of emotion and sexual appetite in the public places. Everything was sober,

dignifying and morale. When this actually would make one happy for the people for not

committing any crime and living a saintly life – R L Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and

Mr. Hyde is a throwback to that society. Stevenson showed that human’s being good and bad are

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

natural and one cannot skip and escape from his or her own naturalness. Life in the Victorian

England was too artificial, formal and based on public perception that undermined the individual

differences and set expression of individualistic as a taboo. Being too cultured and civilized, the

British people, would be losing its might to the rest of the world. With his work he showed that

if people try to pretend, act and be what they are originally not, then they are the living dead

soul. The very end of Dr. Jekyll is reflective of the fact. Stevenson did not admire the Victorian

social system of London at that time and believed that it was a dead society which is running

from itself, running to hide itself from its true identity and ultimately will have to accept tragedy.

Stevenson greatly remained successful in delivering his message to his audience. (Hultquist,

2016)

On the other hand, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus is another

great novel and English classic written in letter form. The work surrounded on the urge and desire

to know the god or creator of the creature and a commentary reconciliation of personal

perceptions and believes. It involved several acceptance and approval of thoughtful discourses

and remained firm in presenting the message that in order to understand god it is not necessary

to go by the dogmatic structure of the religious beliefs. Enlightenment of god can also be received

through spiritual development and through humanistic development. Self realization is at the

heart of the answer for the question that seeks the true identity of god and his creation. (Shelley,

1997)

Frankenstein, the main character of the novel, was a young university student, poised by

questions relating to god and his creature, started a secret life. In his secret life he gather as much

knowledge as he could and started stealing body parts. When wanted to give life back to those

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

body parts. And in his quest he gathered different body parts from different places and used

electricity to make them living. But his study did not give him result. He understood of committing

an error. The creature turned ghastly and went beyond Frankenstein’s control. At a point the

creature leaves Frankenstein’s laboratory. Frankenstein finds him back in Geneva and strangely,

he was accused of causing death to his younger brother, by a maid. The maid detailed that it was

Frankenstein who killed his younger brother and even Frankenstein have found his creature in

the murder place. Frankenstein got very angry and tried to prosecute the young maid for the

murder. Later on we see Frankenstein to be wandering at mountain and confronting his own

creation. The creature unfolds the story of murder. According to the creature, after leaving the

laboratory it went by the country side and realized that his appearance is frightening to people.

So, the creature started traveling by night and eventually learnt to read and speak. At his voyage

he took shelter at a poor farmer house and helped them in whatever way he could as a kind

gesture to them. Being sympathetic to the poor farmer, the creature becomes his friend. But

once all the clans men of the poor farmer returned and saw the creature by the farmer, they all

left the farmer. The creature was so angry with the incident that he put fire on the farm. Then on

his way to Geneva, the creature attempted to save a drowning kid but his appearance again made

people to frighten. He remained as a cause of horror to all the people. At the end of telling his

story the creature explained that Frankenstein made him so lonely that he needs a mate to

remain happy. The creature agreed to leave the human kind once and forever if he gets a mate.

Frankenstein returns by promising that he will make a mate for him. But due to unavoidable

courses of the story plot, he could not end up making one. This again agitates his creature and

the creature returns to kill Frankenstein’s bride, his sister and others on Frankenstein’s wedding

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

night. Frankenstein realizing the intention of his creature, decides to kill it himself and starts to

hunt it back to the North pole. But he could not make it as the creature returned on the boat and

expressed his remorse and sets its build his own funeral. (Shelley, 1997)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was first published in 1818, who had an extraordinary life

after the demise of her biological mother, who is known to be one of the prime feminists of the

world. Shelly put the work as a discourse between personal aspiration and what eventually can

result from such aspiration as if it is attended without responsibility and carefulness. Shelly put

romanticism with enlightenment. At that moment, Europe was very much moved with the

romanticism as opposed to the industrial revolution all across the continent. Romanticism initially

favored imagination, creativity and intense emotional demonstration for aesthetic and authentic

experience. Her perspective of enlightenment, on the contrary, was very much based on cultural

movement. Other authors of the time, including Francis Bacon, Lord Byron were after reasoning

and individualism following codes and codex from religious scriptures. (Storment, 2002)

Now if we consider Shelly’s work with Stevenson’s one, we cannot put it for direct

comparison because Stevenson viewed individualism from an ordinary perspective of living and

life style while Shelley’s work of individualism was utterly reflected on the contemporary

intellectual authoritarianism that focused social enlightenment. Notably, Shelley’s work was

ancestral to predecessor Stevenson’s work. But both actually based on individualism from

different perspective. Stevenson said, individualism is important while Shelly urged individualism

has to be with responsibility. Stevenson wrote the novel after dreaming about it while Shelley

put up her work for a competition. But both of them questioned the limit of appropriateness for

human ambition. Interestingly, in both the novel we find two people who are very much into

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

scientific experimentation and logical development which might be indicative that the period

when they were written, all the educated people pursued strong interest into research and

experiment based activities and innovations which returned them social status, too. This is the

period of time in the British history known as the Victorian era. The period was named after

Queen Victoria who happened to be at the monarch between the period 1837 to 1901. Victorian

era was preceded by Georgian era and followed by Edwardian era. Victorian era was utterly

known as the peaceful period of time when British people concentrated mostly on refined

sensibilities and nationalistic self confidence. However, in literature this period became an

academic interest for its superficial representation of morality. (Kirschen, 2013)

From rationalistic view, the literatures of Victorian era, started to get dominated by

romanticism. Mysticism, arts, social values, religion started to take over contemporary thoughts

of the thinkers of that time. Most of the literary works at that time were closed to daily life,

served moral purpose, followed idealism and dealt with great ideals. They aimed at presenting a

large social world filled with classes and stratifications. Most of the novels, as a result, were

realistic and tried to place individual in the greater context of the contemporary society. In our

discussion we find both the works from Stevenson and Shelley to pursue a protagonist search for

fulfilling individuals, emblematic condition. However, both the authors wanted to entertain their

readers and they remained successful. With numbers of exception, both the novels attempted to

drive social advancement in different forms. When we relate these reflections from both the

works to the Victorian period lifestyle of common men, we see that societies of England were

very much stratified. The differences between rich and poor were vivid. Rich people, like the

major characters in both the novel lived their lives where poor people were easily integrated.

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

Poor people’s life was filled with hardship as seen that they were even quick objects of

accusations to crime and criminal activities. Victimizing a poor was easier. Both the novel

depicted that within the stratified social classes, people were highly integrated. Few had many

children. Victorians believed that rich people has a gifted life while poor people must work in

their house for the food. Religion dominated Victorians to a great extent. Attending church is a

social phenomenon. (Knudsen, 2012) (Romero, 2013)

At the end of the entire comparison, discussion, review and analysis presented in above,

between the R L Stevenson’s The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Merry Shelley’s

Frankenstein; it can only be said that both the author remained successful in identifying the

critical issues, contradictions and conflicts within the individual people and as a group in the

society through carefully detailing the life, living and the time. At the time entire Europe was

going under expulsive changes that dominated the thought of common people so deeply that

they preferred to move to living style that is utterly platonic, saintly. But this was making them

hide from their true identity. As a result the society turned non-progressive which very much

intrigued the authors and as a result of their observation, the said novels been produced. The

reflections were not only entertaining but remained dominated with enlightening realization for

readers of the time.

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Analysis of similarities and differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein

Works Cited
Hultquist, R. M. (2016). A comparison between monsters in Victorian Gothicism and Modern Dystopian
fiction. Boulder: University of Colorado.

Kirschen, R. M. (2013). The Victorian Period. Retrieved from University of Nevada, Las Vegas:
https://faculty.unlv.edu/kirschen/handouts/victorian.html

Knudsen, L. O. (2012). Reading between the lines. Aalborg: Aalborg University.

Lucas, K. (2013, March 18). Frankenstein Vs. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Retrieved from Prezi.Com:
https://prezi.com/dorr21u86xsp/frankenstein-vs-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/

Romero, H.-M. (2013). The doggelganger in select nineteenth century British fiction. Quebec: University
of Laval.

Rosenberger, V. B. (2013). What makes a monster and what makes a man? Exploring the relationship
between the creator and the creation in three novels. The Cupola, 1-60.

Shelley, M. W. (1997). Frankenstein. Acclaim Books.

Singh, S. M., & Chakrabarti, S. (2008). A study in dualism: The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 221 - 223.

Stevenson, R. L. (2011). The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Illinois: Abdo Publishing.

Storment, S. (2002, October). Frankenstein: The Man and The Monster. Retrieved from Washington
State University: http://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/frank.comment3.html

Wouterse, M. (2012, June 21). Double Trouble: A comparison between Frankenstein and The Strange
Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Retrieved from Prezi.Com:
https://prezi.com/nt7flbc5gmzj/double-trouble-a-comparison-between-frankenstein-and-the-
strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/

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