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Monday, March 25, 2013

The Uncanny in Jekyll and Hyde

How does Sigmund Freuds concept of The Uncanny assist us in appreciating the psychological neuroses explored in Jekyll and Hyde?


The concept of The Uncanny, as explored by Sigmund Freud, is a theory that can oftentimes be piece in works of literature intended to scare and untune the reader. For instance, the notion of The Uncanny is commonplace in 19th cytosine gothic literature due to the ability it has to create a feeling of unease, particularly among the repressive society at the time. The nameless Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson during that era, makes use of the idea of repression and plays on fears of the subdue beingness revealed. Throughout his essay The Uncanny, Freud refers to the German word heimlich which means secretive and concealed. He states this as being a condition of the weird, that the uncanny is the return of the mark of the repress. In this way, gothic stories attempt to highlight truths about ourselves that often stay hidden, such as our dual natures and the propensity for evil.

The priggish society of the time were highly concerned with how a individual was viewed socially. Therefore, anything damaging to ones social reputation was unploughed quiet.

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In this way, Stevenson challenges Victorian values by exposing Hyde, and therefore the repressed side of Jekyll, by the end of the novel. The fact that Jekyll is outwardly such a respected man in society enhances the uncanny element by presenting a duality of character so unexpected and paradoxical. By highlighting the superficiality of this existence, Stevenson pinpoints the hypocrisy of society. Readers of the time, who prefer not to acknowledge anything that might threaten their social stature, would view felt shocked at the implication that not everyone is how they seem from the outside. In Freuds essay, he reiterates this notion by quoting the theorist Schelling, who defines the uncanny as something that should have remained hidden that...If you want to rag a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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