Is Jekyll And Hyde Just A Gothic Horror Essay Example for Free

Is Jekyll And Hyde Just A Gothic Horror Essay Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is a typical Gothic horror story in the way the novel is written and described. Some people may disagree with this statement because in the Cambridge guide to English literature, Gothic fiction is described as a type of novel or romance popular in the late 18th and early 19th century and the word Gothic had come to mean wild barbarous and crude. Gothic novels were usually set in the past and in foreign countries, they took place in monasteries, castles and dungeons. Plots hinged on suspense and mystery often involving the supernatural. Having read the statement and also Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde some parts of the statement do not agree with the novel, for example, the novel is set in London and there are no castles or dungeons. Where as in Dracula by Bram Stoker and also Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are both set in foreign countries and also in mysterious locations Dracula being set in a castle and Frankenstein in a laboratory. To deal with human nature Stevenson discusses the ideas of Charles Darwin. Around the 19th century Charles Darwin began to write theories of animals and evolution, Stevenson was obviously influenced by these ideas and uses them to describe one of the main characters Mr Hyde. Stevenson also mentions religion when he discusses the ideas of Christian and non-Christian aspects in the novel. Stevenson uses lots of Gothic images, one of the first gothic parts of the novel is the trampling of the young girl. This scene is described as a black winter morning with the word black being very strong in that sentence because it makes the place seem evil and sends a shiver down your spine. The location is Gothic as it gives off a sense of darkness and fear. This is the part of the novel where religion is first mentioned, although it is not part of the Christian area of religion. Stevenson describes Hyde, as a juggernaught when he tramples over the young girl this is very strange considering juggernaught was something associated with the Hindu religion. Another Gothic feature in the novel is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, two quotations which are Gothic are The bones audibly crunching and The body jumped upon the roadway. These sentences are quite interesting in the way they are described, first the crunching is a good use of an onomatopoeia by Stevenson, as the word crunching is very disturbing and you can almost hear the bones crunching in your head. The second makes you think of a dead body jumping around on the road. This is Gothic because the act that Hyde commits is an evil one, and where it actually takes place is a mysterious and strange location. The meeting of the two men also has an air of mystery surrounding it, as they meet in the dead of night when no one else is around. Stevenson uses the ideas of Darwin to write his description of Hyde, in the novel Hyde is described as an ape ..with ape like fury he clubbed him to the earth. A Gothic location is a place where it is usually dark, dingy and foggy a sinister place that you really would not like to be. For example Draculas castle is a gothic location, because it is old and also because it is dark and mysterious. Many of the locations in the novel are gothic, one of them being the description of Hydes house and the street outside. The novel quotes the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street. Then in the same chapter Stevenson describes the front of the dissecting room as a Sinister block of building and two storey high, no window. This house seems mysterious by the way it has no window and it leaves you wondering right from the very start of the novel what is actually inside that building. One of the strange things that I noticed when reading the novel is the description of the surrounding area when Dr Jekyll is there towards the end of the book, the novel quotes Fine clear January day, wet under foot where the frost had melted.,and the Regents park was full of winter chirrupings and sweet with spring odours. This is obviously not Gothic at all but it seems unusual that this is the only location in the novel, which is non-Gothic. It seems strange that Stevenson has decided to change from Gothic into something completely different, which really has no real connection to the story, itself. Human nature features in a number of areas in the novel. One of them is the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, besides being Gothic this has something to say about human nature as well. When Hyde begins to go mad and he kills Carew, the novel quotes all of a sudden, he broke out in a great flame of anger. Here Stevenson is using the element of madness and the ideas of schizophrenia, which was being researched around the 19th century. Stevenson also uses Darwins theories of evolution to describe Hyde as inhuman, with ape-like fury. Here the message that Stevenson is trying to give about human nature is that humans have the will and the power to kill something and each other. Stevenson also looks at the idea of split personalities; nearly every character has one. Dr Jekyll is the best example because his character is full of good and evil, when he turns into Hyde he is just pure evil. So when Jekyll loses control he changes from himself into Hyde. Stevenson is saying here that evil is more powerful than good in humans and that is why Hyde overpowers Jekyll, because he is pure evil. In the opening chapter of the novel when Hyde is first mentioned when he tramples over that girl .the man trampled calmly over the childs body then Hyde decides to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100, we screwed him up to one hundred pounds. Hyde does this instead of apologising to keep the family quiet. This is another example of human nature where some people including Hyde try to pay their way out of trouble. Overall, I feel what Stevenson is trying to say about human nature is that all humans have vices such as drinking and gambling. The creation of Hyde allows Jekyll to do what he wants, when he wants and hopefully he will not get caught. Jekyll does not want to have his reputation ruined, so that is why he creates Hyde so he can do all these things. Stevenson is saying that humans have pessimistic views so they will act evil to get away with something. In conclusion, I think that this novel is a Gothic horror story, but also does have something to say about human nature. Stevenson does mention human nature in the novel as I have discussed previously, for example the trampling of the girl and the murder of Danvers Carew. Of course, the novel could not have discussed human nature if Stevensons wife, Fanny had not been involved. In Jenni Calders introduction to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Calder writes Stevenson dreamt the essentials of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It was initially the Gothic aspect of the story that excited him. Fanny didnt like it, she felt there was more potential for more than just a mere horror story, that it might have something to say about human nature. Overall, the human nature aspect of the novel, makes the story more interesting.

Anglo Saxon Scops :: English Literature Writing

Anglo Saxon Scops The written word has existed for thousands of years, with the style and subject matter of literature changing to fit the times. English literature is no different, with three distinct periods of writing (Old English, Middle English and modern English). As the earliest period of documented literature, the Old English period is marked by the primitive styles and language of the Anglo Saxon people. Though they were sea-faring warriors, the Anglo Saxons were capable of strong emotions, best captured in poetry. However, these works were not written down. Rather, they were recited or sung. Some men even devoted their lives to this purpose. These skilled minstrels were known as scops. The scop was an Anglo-Saxon poet who was commissioned by the early Germanic kings or soldiers to entertain them by reciting the poetry to the accompaniment of a harp or a similarly stringed instrument. From the Old English word â€Å"scieppan†, scop means to create, form or shape. The scop was also referred to as a gleeman, from the Old English word â€Å"gleoman†, who was a musician or performer. Though the scop was a performer, like the gleeman, the work of the scop was more artistic, as the name denotes. Unlike the gleeman, scops also wrote and performed their own poetry. Also, they had to be able to insert fitting verse where necessary, depending upon the occasion or celebration . Scops were known to travel from village to village; however, many had permanent posts in the king’s court or mead halls. Usually, they performed for great feasts, celebrations, or the homecoming of soldiers from war. Their performances were usually short, but there were usually many lines of verse. Beowulf itself is over 3000 lines long. Any given song could deal with events from the present, such as battles won or recent adventures had. In Beowulf, the scop announced Beowulf’s triumph over Grendel the morning after the deed. Some songs might deal with figures from the past like the ancestors of the Anglo Saxons. Other subjects reflected in the poetry include the sea, brave deeds, glory of warriors, and the love of home. Scops were also commissioned to write elegies or songs for the dead. It was considered an honor to have a scop sing one's praise or mourn one’s death. But, regardless of the subject matter, the theme was lofty and its tone was earnest.

Speech on Marijuana Legalization

A well-known issue, right now, in the USA is that of the legalization of marijuana. This controversial topic is on the minds of our entire country. Whether or not to legalize marijuana has been a nation wide debate for years. In this informative speech I will be discussing only facts and opinions. Opinions and facts will come from organizations such as The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Marijuana Legalization Organization and the Drug Policy Alliance. Marijuana Legalization is an issue because there are so many individuals using the substance illegally. These individuals feel that Marijuana is not a harmful substance and can serve to profit states that legalize it. The biggest concern on everyone’s mind is that of health risks. Most people feel that it is in the best interest of the nation for marijuana to remain illegal. Marijuana Legalization Organization states that that is not entirely true. â€Å"Health considerations provide arguments to avoid excessive use of marijuana, but ultimately each individual should be allowed the personal freedom to decide whether or not to use marijuana. (MLO) In their opinion, as with anything taken in excess, marijuana is only harmful to those who choose to use it. The example used in MLO is that of an excess amount of unhealthy food. â€Å"[N]umerous studies have shown that foods with a lot of cholesterol and fat are unhealthy. Should we outlaw bacon? †(MLO) The thought is that instead we need to educate individuals and let people make their own decisions as we do with things like fatty foods, cigarettes and Alcohol. â€Å"A recent survey of research found that long term marijuana use did not have a significant effect on cognitive abilities. The report was published in the July 2003 Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. † This is also stated in the list of facts about marijuana on the Drug Policy Alliance Website. They state that, not only are there no long-term cognitive impairment but, â€Å"[m]arijuana has been proven helpful for treating the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions. † Medical marijuana has proven to be of significant relief for cancer, glaucoma, and aids patients as well as individuals that suffer from neurological disorders. While there are the medical reliefs from the use of Medical marijuana, but DPA also states that the substance has not shown cause of mental illness or to increase risk to cancer. The next claim is that Marijuana is a gateway drug. Webster defines a gateway drug to be â€Å"a drug (as alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on a harder drug (as cocaine or heroin)†( http://www. merriam-webster. com/) â€Å"Some people claim that using marijuana will make you want to use other drugs, like heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, and ecstasy. They argue that marijuana acts as a stepping-stone, or a gateway, that leads people to harder drugs. They support their argument with statistics that show that most people who use hard drugs have tried marijuana before. † (MLO) â€Å"There is no conclusive evidence that the effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent use of other illicit drugs. Preliminary animal studies alleging that marijuana â€Å"primed† the brain for other drug-taking behavior have not been replicated, nor are they supported by epidemiological human data. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. Marijuana is clearly a â€Å"terminus† rather than a gateway for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers. † (norml) MLO states â€Å"In essence, the link between marijuana and other illegal drugs stems from the fact that they are illegal. Because they are illegal, marijuana and other drugs are only available on the black market, and anyone who enters the drug market is likely to be exposed to more than one drug. The solution is simple: by legalizing and regulating marijuana sales, we will eliminate the connection to hard drugs. † (MLO) They use Holland as an example. â€Å"In Holland, where politicians decided over 25 years ago to separate marijuana from the illicit drug market by permitting coffee shops all over the country to sell small amounts of marijuana to adults, individuals use marijuana and other drugs at rates less than half of their American counterparts. † (norml. rg) The argument is that, if marijuana were not illegal it would not be a problem. The DPA website states that the majority of the individuals that use marijuana never even use any other illicit drugs. This statement disproves that common misconception about marijuana being a gateway drug. Finally my sources argue that keeping marijuana illegal it is costing more than necessary. MLO claims that â€Å"Cost of keeping marijuana illegal = cost of active law enforcement + cost of prosecution (and defense! of a ccused offenders + cost of incarceration of convicted offenders + hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that would be generated if drugs were legal and taxed + cost of foster care and social services for children of incarcerated offenders. † â€Å"Washington state would save about $105 million a year if marijuana were legally regulated, according to University of Washington Economics professor Dick Startz. † â€Å"The US Federal Government Spends More Than $12 Billion Per Year on Drug Control Programs. Federal drug control budgets do not separate spending by drug, so we there is not a precise figure available for the amount that is spent on marijuana alone. Also, these figures do not include any spending by state or local governments, which are likely to be substantial since state police, courts, and prisons are constantly busy dealing with marijuana offenses. † They also state that â€Å"US Marijuana Crop Estimated to Be Worth Over $35 Billion. A new statistical analysis indicates that marijuana is America's most valuable cash crop. If these figures are even close to the truth, a logical system to regulate and tax marijuana would produce billions of dollars in revenue every year. † According to DPA, the fight that the United States is having against drugs in all is costing $51,000,000,000. They also stated that if California would profit annually an estimated $1,400,000,000 if marijuana were taxed and regulated. There are only two major solutions to this issue; to Legalize or not to legalize that is the question. Legalization could stand to earn the US economic growth but it could also lead to even more people using or abusing the substance. Keeping it illegal could have the government spending money that they don’t necessarily need to spend to regulate the use of this substance or this could be positive a by keeping individuals from abusing it. Only time will tell! Does anyone have any questions?

The Ethical Concepts Of Kantian Ethics Essay - 1043 Words

Morality in Reasons, not Consequences Introduction The philosophy of Kant has become a turning point in the development of the Western thinking and worldview. His innovative and progressive ideas have strongly contributed to the formation of a new paradigm of the universe and role of humans in it. A great role in Kant’s studies belongs to the analysis of ethics, morality and law as the main regulators of the human behavior in the society Kant is known as the founder of the deontological ethics (Kantianism), which presents a rational alternative to the utilitarian ethics and ideas. Particularly, the deontological findings and categorical imperative of Kant prove that it is virtually impossible to act immorally. The aim of this paper is to analyze the ethical concepts of Kantian ethics and prove the fact that acting immorally is irrational and unacceptable. Deontological Concepts of Moral Behavior The investigation of human ethics and morality has formed the main field of interest of many notable philosophers and thinkers. Particularly, Aristotle connected ethics to the good will and pursue of happiness, while J. S. Mill regarded ethics in the willingness of each individual to obtain the pleasure and happiness, in the long run (Loizides, 2013). However, the existed concepts of ethics tend to judge the morality of actions from the prospect of their consequences and results. In other words, the action is moral, if it leads to positive, favorable and useful effects and impactsShow MoreRelatedKantian Ethics And Communitarian Ethics Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pagesthis question, I will analyze two concepts: Kantian Ethics and Communitarian Ethics. Using Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine by Bonnie Steinbock, Alex London, and John Arras, I will explain both concepts and their understanding of moral reasoning. 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