Representation of Scientists in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Towards the end of the 19th century, the portrayal of science in literature became more frequent than before; science has been progressing and it began to spark the interest of the readers of fiction. Supernatural elements in stories have been ascribed to scientists and experiments rather than God and miracles. However, since science still covered much of the unknown and inexplicable, the characters of scientists have occasionally been given almost godlike powers, thus prompting the readers to consider the question of morality. The scientist characters in both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have initially been successful with their scientific experiments and achieved groundbreaking discoveries, but have ultimately been punished for having gone too far with their experiments on humanity. Both of them also use science to project their evil side into creatures separate from themselves; either by separating their evil alter-ego from their ‘natural’ self, or by creating a whole new creature and projecting their negative traits onto him.
Despite the fact that both the novel and novella turn to science rather than God to explain their main supernatural plot points, there is still an analogy
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Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll both have a dark or evil side within them which they are trying to control with the help of science. This is quite obvious in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Jekyll believes that all human beings are dual in their nature, including himself, and he seeks a scientific method which would separate these dual personalities within one person, thus allowing one to be driven by emotions and impulses without guilt, with one’s other side remaining constant and not tempted by the impulsive