What degeneration lurks in Victorian England beneath stiff and well-bred English etiquette is echoed further in seminal texts Dracula and The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde. The culture of heightened formality and etiquette in England, and specifically London is presented in a comical light in contemporary times, but during the fin de’ siecle was normative in social contexts. This binding social formality existed not only to present class, and wealth but rather to compulsively hide a degenerate being, almost intrinsic in the Victorian psyche with the societal deconstruction of religious and spiritual values, evident in Stevenson's text. Furthermore, with extensive discourse on the question of religion in this paradigm shift come a stifled parallel warp of such ideals with to epitomise the ultimate …show more content…
The degeneration of religion and religious influence in Victorian England is reciprocated in Stoker’s Dracula, with inclusion of biblical references alike that of the seven deadly sins, and iterated further alike in Stevenson's’ text. Religion and its influence being inherent to the heavily god-fearing Victorian audience were fundamental to the construction of Victorian values, however with increasing scientific development, Darwinism and new philosophical premises- the paradigm shift from stifling Christianity to a polar secularised identity seeped into the public psyche. Despite religious foundations existing yet, England's’ dust-ridden and dark streets became riddled with crime, murder and assault. Dracula echoes this sentiment of sheltered evil gradually acquired, in a religiously degenerate society from the eponymous antagonist's characterisation as parallel to the Antichrist. Both Dracula and the Anti-Christ at once were - the best of Man, but in reciprocation, fell to the worst of Men, unable to touch holy