Research Paper On Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A Psychoanalytic Exploration of the Human Psyche
Through the use of a psychoanalytic lens, Robert Louis Stevenson's novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores the depths of the human psyche, delving into the dual nature of mankind and the psychological forces at play in the transformation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Thus, the unconscious mind and repression, the duality of human nature, the shadow and unconscious desires, and the pleasure principle and ego sheds light on the psychological forces that play into the characteristics of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Firstly, Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic lens emphasizes the importance of the unconscious mind and its influence on human behavior.

In fact, Jekyll states “"I had learned to dwell with pleasure as a beloved daydream on the thought of the separation of these elements. If each, I told myself, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that was unbearable." (Stevenson, 76). Therefore, the experiments of Dr. Jekyll can be viewed as an attempt to satisfy all needs of the id, without risking the superego’s priorities, even if it means living a split persona. In the final chapter, Jekyll reveals the initial emotions he encountered as Hyde: "I knew myself, at the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold a slave to my original evil; and the thought, in that moment, braced and delighted me like wine," (Stevenson, 57). Therefore, at first Dr. Jekyll found excitement in the expression of his previously repressed self. Despite acknowledging how wicked this side of him was, he chose to embrace it and find delight in it, completely disregarding the possibility of consequence. As a result, power begins to slip through the hands of Jekyll’s ego, granting his id, Mr. Hyde, dominion over the pair. This can be seen through the literary element of symbolism in chapter nine, when Lanyon discovers Jekyll’s journal. The journal featured various dates of Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde; however, they ended abruptly, signifying Jekyll’s loss of control. Furthermore, the murder of Carew further exemplifies Jekyll’s struggle as his id seeks pleasure and gratification without regard for morals or ethics. Therefore, this persistent conflict displays the fragility of balance between one’s societal expectations and impulsive desires, emphasizing the delicacy of the human psyche and the imposing threat of the id overpowering the