gothic literature and the victorian period british literature
TRANSCRIPT
Gothic Literature and the Victorian Period
British Literature
Victorian Era
1830 – 1900 Time of great and swift
change in England and Europe Darwinism Industrialization Revolutions
Victorian era (continued)
Social Reforms Child labor laws Increased literacy Sanitation Women’s suffrage Increased focus on etiquette Transportation developments
Victorian era (continued)
As a reaction to all this change, Victorian society became very conservative, rigid and repressed
Gothic genre
Originally a genre from Romantic period Shelley’s Frankenstein
All the Victorian era changes brought fear to citizens Economic changes Social changes
Gothic literature allowed writers to express their fears creatively
Penny Dreadfuls
Brief, cheap, colorful stories of horror and monsters popular for the urban class of readers
Characteristics of Gothic writing
Dark mood A look at the evil in men Castles with heavy architecture Death, decay, and madness Supernatural and fantastical “Terror of the soul” (Poe)
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Lewis Stevenson Also wrote Treasure Island & Kidnapped 1850 – 1894 Very interesting man—illness, love, adventure,
rebellion Sickly child with Tuberculosis In love with a married woman Moved to Samoa eventually Struggled against the repressive values of his age
Jekyll/Hyde has become a part of our language
The Strange Case ofDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Takes place in London in 1880 Novella Gothic elements
A “fine bogey tale” Based on a dream Explores the philosophical side of the evil in man — good vs. evil!! Schizophrenia Doppelganger
Interpretations of Jekyll & Hyde
Symbolic representation of the threats to British society (Hyde represents power of working class)
Reflects Darwinistic beliefs that Hyde’s strong, evil side would survive when Jekyll’s good side fell (Survival of the fittest)
Interpretations of Jekyll & Hyde
Reflects Nietzsche’s philosophy of the Apollonian and Dionysian sides of man—opposing forces represented by Jekyll and Hyde
New ideas about the human mind ala Freud – Hyde represents Jekyll’s desire to be freed from society’s restrictions
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Jekyll and Hyde Discussion/Theme Questions
Discuss the theme of Man’s Double Existence. How is this shown in the novella? Discuss how this applies to your lives.
Discuss how Victorian Society was partly responsible for Jekyll’s actions. Give examples. How does our society make people feel repressed?
How is J & H a novella about how things appear to look? How do appearances play a role in our society?