genre

• stevensons fiction contains a similar promethan figure to mary shelly's victor frankenstein. henry jekyll is like the greek hero prometheus who brought fire to mankind - jekyll offers the chance to become another person entirely with his potions. like victor frankenstein he creates a new being in the form of hyde
• the novel has psychological aspects through hyde being a manisfestation of jekylls subconscious with full autonmy when transformed. (the ID)
• it could be argued that hyde is a metaphor for the unconscious man an ape like creature we would rather hide from civilised society
• the novel is very distrubing as hyde represents the unconscious mind in all of the the novel could be a cationary tale of what happens when one indulges in their full desires. it also causes the reader to reflect and realise that as they are replused by hyde they are replused of themselves
• the novel can be described as fin de siecle as it is written at the end the of the century and marks the turning of the century whilst exploring the social anxities of the new era through the fear of science and technology becoming more influential through the industrial revolution