This term paper deals with the analysis of the narration in the novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” written by Robert Louise Stevenson in 1886. First, I will analyze the narrative situation by elaborating on the narrative structure of the story and its effect on the reader. Then I want to examine the reliability of the different narrators in the book. In the end I will summarize my results by drawing a short conclusion.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Narrative Situation
- Narrative Structure
- Effect on the Reader
- Reliability
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the narration in Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, focusing on the narrative structure, the effect on the reader, and the reliability of different narrators.
- Multiperspectival narrative structure
- Effect of narrative structure on the reader
- Reliability of different narrators
- Fragmentation of the self
- The interplay of multiple documents and narrative voices
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The novel begins with an omniscient authorial narrator, introducing characters such as Mr. Utterson. The story unfolds as Mr. Enfield recounts a "very odd story" (1) to Utterson in first-person narration. This sets the stage for the reader to experience the story through Utterson's perspective. From Chapter 2 onwards, an undefined narrator guides the reader through Utterson's observations.
Chapter 4, "The Carew Murder Case," introduces a maid's first-person account of the crime, again presented through Utterson's perspective. The narrative structure weaves together multiple perspectives, including Dr. Lanyon's narrative, which is revealed through a letter written to Utterson, and finally, Henry Jekyll's "Full Statement of the Case," also presented through a letter.
The novel's structure is crucial to its impact. It's composed of "ten disparate documents identified only as letters, incidents, cases and statements" (Thomas 160). These elements fit together "like the pieces of a puzzle" (Garrett 60), forming a complex and engaging narrative.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The central keywords in this analysis include narrative structure, perspective, reliability, multiple narrators, fragmentation of the self, and the impact of the novel's multi-layered narrative structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the narrative structured in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"?
The novel uses a multiperspectival structure, combining an omniscient third-person narrator with first-person accounts, letters, and legal statements.
Who is the main perspective through which we see the story?
Most of the observations are presented through the eyes of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll.
Are the narrators in the book reliable?
The paper examines this question, noting that the fragmented nature of the reports and the characters' own biases create a complex web of reliability.
What is the effect of the multi-layered narrative on the reader?
The structure builds suspense like a puzzle, forcing the reader to piece together the truth from disparate documents and testimonies.
What is Henry Jekyll's "Full Statement of the Case"?
It is the final chapter of the book, a first-person letter that provides Jekyll's own explanation of his experiments and transformation.
- Quote paper
- Anna Theresa Wendel (Author), 2012, Narration in Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/208470
