The gothic novel emerges by the end of the 18th century as a ‘reflection of repression’; as a rebellion of the imagination against the tyranny of reason of the Enlightment. However, there are many different stages in the development of a gothic tradition – from the illuministic gothic to a more internalised psychological narrative. ‘As the gothic suffers transformations, it goes deeper within itself in order to deal with psychological problems used to dramatise the character’s uncertainties and conflicts when faced with a difficult social situation.’ (Jackson: 99).
Dualism is a fundamental theme in the 19th century gothic and it is one of the literary ‘myths’ produced by the desire of ‘otherness’ during that period. Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is perhaps one of the most famous examples of 19th century literature of the ‘double’ in which an individual is split into two or more contrasting personalities or haunted by a ‘shadow’ figure who may be a repressed part of himself. Even though the novel can be read in a number of ways, I aim at, via quotes from the text, showing that the novel is neither about two different people or even two people that dwell insi
“…when I shall again and forever reindue that hated personality…I am careless; this is my true hour of death…Here then…I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end ( Stevenson: 88)
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