Čudan slučaj dr. Jekylla i gospodina Hydea , koji je napisao Robert Louis Stevenson, spaja strahote ljudske duše s gađenjem prema viktorijanskoj važnosti ugleda. Stevenson zalazi u najmračnije dubine čovječanstva i čini se da otkriva ono što Sigmund Freud ne bi objavio još 15 godina: potiskivanje id-a ili instinktivnu stranu ljudske prirode od strane super-ega ili dijela nas koji drži do kulturnih ideala i pravila s kojima smo odgojeni. Stevensonova supruga je u svom čitanju prvog nacrta novele primijetila da se ona čita kao alegorija i da je doista odražavala viktorijansku borbu "dvostrukog ja". Viktorijansko društvo u Engleskoj bilo je toliko zaokupljeno moralom i vrlinom, da su mnoge stvari koje se smatraju „zabavnim“ ili „ugodnim“ nazvane grijehom. Noge za klavir nazivane su "udovi" jer se za riječ "noga" mislilo da je grešna. Stevenson istražuje ovu dvojnost ljudske prirode, vrline radi ugleda, nasuprot potrebi slobode da ne bi poludio - ili, još gore, dosadio.
Najjednostavnije rečeno, dvojnik je nečiji blizanac ili dvojnik. Doppelgangeri se ponekad koriste za referenciranje slavnih osoba ili nedavnih zanimljivih vijesti u kojima se ljudi koji izgledaju kao blizanci sastaju u avionu. Ponekad dvojnik može biti "zli blizanac"; može biti i predstavnik dvostrukog života.
Može li dr. Jekyll/g. Hyde se ikada dogodio u stvarnom svijetu? Da! Zapravo, psiholozi to trenutno nazivaju disocijativnim poremećajem identiteta (koji se naziva i poremećaj višestrukih osobnosti).
Introduce character mapping to visualize dual personalities. Graphic organizers help students separate traits, actions, and motivations of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, making abstract concepts concrete and accessible.
List observable behaviors, feelings, and choices for both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Encourage students to use specific examples from the text to clarify their thinking.
Prompt students to consider why Dr. Jekyll hides parts of himself. Connect the character’s choices to the Victorian society’s focus on reputation for deeper understanding.
Draw side-by-side portraits or diagrams of Jekyll vs. Hyde. This strengthens comprehension of duality and helps students remember key differences.
Ask students to write or share examples of duality in themselves or in other stories. This builds empathy and connects literature to real life.
The main theme of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the duality of human nature, exploring how good and evil coexist within a person and the struggle between reputation and inner desires.
Use Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to illustrate a doppelganger by discussing the idea of a double or twin self. Assign students to research celebrity lookalikes or fictional characters with double lives for engaging activities.
Try activities like exploring essential questions about human nature, investigating doppelgangers, analyzing Victorian society's impact on the story, or comparing the novella to real cases of Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde parallels Dissociative Identity Disorder, as both involve two or more distinct personalities in one individual. The novella offers a fictional lens for discussing real psychological conditions.
Essential questions include: Are humans inherently good or evil? What darkness can be found within the soul? When does science become unethical? These prompts encourage deep discussion and critical thinking.