The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Group

Question:

sandra112
sandra112
Student
High School - 10th Grade

How is Cain and Abel alluded to in the story The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde as a whole?

In the story, Utteston describe himself as one who is "[inclined] to Cain's heresy and I let my brother go to the devil in his own way." How is allusion to Cain and Abel significant to this story?

For those who don't know the Cain and Abel story, you can go here:

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cain.html#genesis

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/cain.html#genesis

 

 

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Posted by sandra112 on Saturday November 14, 2009 at 7:22 PM and tagged with allusion, the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde, theme, utterson.

Answers:


  1. pohnpei397 Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    If you can think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as brothers, the significance of the Cain and Abel allusion becomes easier to see.

    In Stevenson's story, Dr. Jekyll is Abel and Mr. Hyde is Cain because Jekyll is the good "brother" while Hyde is the bad "brother."  In Stevenson's story, as in the Biblical account, one "brother" will kill the other.  In this case, Dr. Jekyll will commit suicide because that is his only way to kill his evil "brother" Mr. Hyde.

    Another point of similarity is that, in Genesis, Cain kills Abel out of jealousy while in Stevenson's story, Hyde wants to "kill" Jekyll by taking over his body and his life.

    In a sense, then, Hyde tries to be Cain and kill Abel, but this time Abel will win (sort of) and kill Cain (though he himself dies as well).

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/dr-jekyll/themes
    http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/stevenson/allusion1.html

    Rate answer:

    Posted by pohnpei397 on Saturday November 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM